The recent Ever Monaco Salon took a decidedly regal turn as Prince Albert II made an appearance… at the wheel of an electric truck to emphasise his commitment to cleaner, greener transportation options.
The Ever Monaco Salon, which ran from 27th to 29th April, was in full swing when Prince Albert made a surprise appearance, traversing the streets of Monaco between the Place d’Armes, the Palace and Fontvieille at the wheel of Volvo FE Electric lorry. This playful move was a hit with attendees and the public, and showed just how committed to soft mobility options the Sovereign truly is (see video below).
The Ever Monaco Salon, this year held at the Big Top, is an annual event dedicated entirely to renewable energy, electromobility and more recently alternative powering of marine craft.
Running for 17 years, the 2022 edition attracted 60 exhibitors and 30 start-ups, inviting guests to join them in round table talks, problem solving, networking and even a “Ride & Drive” area where the latest e-vehicles could be tested out.
Some known brands released the latest from their factories, including the Yoyo Xev, an electric city car practically invented for Monaco. Nearby was the first hybrid retrofit of a vintage vehicle, a 1954 Sunbeam Alpine, a car immortalised by Princess Grace when she took the wheel of one in Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief. There was also a retrofitted bus put out by REV Mobilities.
Retrofitting was a much talked about theme at this year’s Ever. A bit like recycling for cars, it means taking a vehicle that runs on an internal combustion engine and making it electric, a sensible idea in this era of skyrocketing petrol prices and uncertain sources.
There were also new models, with a big emphasis on working trucks. Alongside the Volvo driven by the Prince, there was also the Cogebat, a 100% electric model made by Renault. Renault also had the D E-Tech models on display equipped with four batteries, two on the right side and two on the left side with a range of 250km, or even more with some alterations. Electric rubbish trucks are now a particularly popular option for municipalities with 500 to 600 being constructed for delivery this year according to Franck Gaillard, pre-sales engineer at Renault Trucks.
Click on the link below to see the video:
https://www.facebook.com/VolvoTrucksFrance/videos/1314682579017540
Photo source: Volvo Trucks