The fleet of seven ZOEs are being run in partnership with Renault, with the firm hoping to raise awareness about green technologies among the 1,200 companies operating at the Rungis International Market and their 25,000 customers, chiefly comprised of retailers and restaurant owners.

This is being followed up with the installation of conventional and rapid charging stations in cooperation with the City of Paris. A car-sharing system with online booking will be available for short-distance use across the site’s 234 hectares, and in 2015, Semmaris will offer buyers combined packages with a ‘small cold-storage unit + parking place for LCV with electric socket’.

Renault Group is also offering Rungis buyers the first Kangoo ZE cars equipped with a cooling unit running on an auxiliary battery, independent from the engine.

Stéphane Layani, CEO of Semmaris, said: ‘An electric vehicle for our fleet was the obvious choice because of its ecological and sustainable qualities, in phase with our goal of making Rungis International Market an innovative and exemplary ecosystem. Using clean vehicles, diminishing the market’s energy footprint and promoting flow pooling to decongest urban areas are concrete ways of achieving this goal.’

Bernard Cambier, Renault executive vice president of sales & marketing, France, added: ‘We are pleased to support Semmaris in its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. Renault firmly believes that electric vehicles offer a real solution to current problems relating to the environment and to noise pollution in urban areas.’