14.9.2011 TomTom releases SatNav for Fluence Z.E.

TomTom and Renault have launched their first in-dash navigation system at the Frankfurt Motor Show – it is specifically designed for electric vehicles and will be fitted as standard to the Fluence Z.E.

The system is intended to reduce 'range anxiety' by monitoring battery charge alongside journey details. The driver can then be informed about the nearest charging station if necessary.

The Carminat TomTom Z.E LIVE receives information from the battery on its current state of charge, which is used to determine the available range of the vehicle. This information is then visualised on the navigation screen, showing the journey against the available range and the routes to the charge stations.

This will help to effectively plan charging and remove drivers' 'range anxiety', giving them confidence that their journey can be completed. The system also includes an eco-routing – providing the driver with an option to select the most energy efficient route.

Finding the right charging station information and location (amongst the 5000+ that will be available in Europe at the end of 2011) is critical to drivers. The TomTom Home application will provide users with the latest charging station list each time they connect their SD card to their computer. The Carminat TomTom Z.E LIVE will inform the users in real-time about the availability of charge stations en route, allowing them to stop and 'fill-up' when needed.

"This is the first navigation system TomTom is launching in the area of electric vehicles and it represents a great milestone for us as a company in this exciting new market. The Carminat TomTom Z.E. LIVE for Fluence Z.E., is also the third major development in the already successful Carminat TomTom series and underlines our fruitful relationship with Renault," says Giles Shrimpton, Managing Director at TomTom Automotive.

"We are very happy with the strong partnership we have developed with TomTom over the years and that we are able to give birth today to the next evolution of our product – the new Carmint TomTom Z.E. LIVE. This solution is a key feature of our new Fluence Z.E.. The electric vehicle programme is of great importance to us at Renault and the Carminat TomTom Z.E. LIVE plays a significant role in its success," says Stephen Norman, Global Marketing & Communications Director at Renault.

In addition, the Carminat TomTom Z.E LIVE comes with LIVE Services including HD Traffic, providing drivers with its unique dynamic routing; giving them the fastest route to their destination based on the latest traffic situation. It also features local search through TomTom Places, in addition to Google local search.

The Renault Fluence Z.E. will be available to buy in the UK in mid 2012, and will arrive as the most affordable family sized electric vehicle on the market today at just £17,850 after the Government's £5,000 Plug-In Car Grant. It will also be unique in the way that the lithium-ion batteries will be leased separately, meaning that issues of battery degradation or aging technology will be eliminated through a guarantee with Renault.

To see the current locations and specifications of over 1,000 electric vehicle charging points currently installed across the UK, see Next Green Car's Zap-Map.

Newspress