The Climate Group in Shanghai

Left to right: Zhen Zijian of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST); Bernard Fautrier, Vice-President of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation; Changhua Wu, Greater China Director, The Climate Group; Professor C.C. Chan, President of the World Electric Vehicle Association; Gildo Pallanca Pastor, President of Venturi Automobiles; Yong Ren, Deputy General Manager of Chang’an New Energy Automobile; François Gaudreau, Director of the Québec government office; Raymond Tsang, Vice-President of Bain & Company. In the vehicle: Xavier Chevrin and Géraldine Gabin. Photo: Daniele Mattioli

The Climate Group members who converged on the Monaco Pavilion are associated with the EV20 initiative, aimed at favouring the deployment of electric vehicles and speeding up the development of this market between now and 2020. The EV20 objective is to bring together leaders from 20 cities and states with auto manufacturers, fleet owners and financiers who invest in electric vehicle development.

Québec signed on to EV20 during the third Climate Leaders Summit, held during the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. In Shanghai, the Director of the Québec government office, François Gaudreau, stressed that Québec benefits from the presence of dynamic players who are well placed in the race to electric vehicle deployment, especially in the areas of electric batteries and traction systems. He also pointed out that the Government of Québec is currently preparing an electric vehicle action plan.

The Chinese government presented its “Ten Cities, 1,000 Vehicles” initiative during the meeting. It consists in introducing 1,000 new-technology vehicles in ten cities each year, in order to encourage the population to acquire electric vehicles. The target for 2011 is a 5% increase in sales in this sector.

The meeting also served as a backdrop for the launch of the Venturi/Citroën Challenge. The two crew members set off from Shanghai for Paris aboard a 100% mass produced electric vehicle — the same as the ones used by the French Post Office. The challenge is aimed at demonstrating the robustness and reliability of electric vehicle technology, and the crew could well set a world record for distance travelled in this type of vehicle: 13,400 kilometres!

The Climate Group
Challenge Venturi/Citroën
Québec government office in Shanghai