Eco-conscious tourists still wishing to drive the winding roads through the Swiss mountains while visiting Basel are in luck.
Alpinmobil is offering an eco-friendly alternative, allowing tourists to rent emission-free electric cars to explore the mountain range with minimal environmental impact. Battery-powered cars are charged and available for pick-up at hire points and can travel 80 miles on one charge.
The Swiss initiative has 60 cars throughout the Alps available for hire, and was recently awarded the Travel One sustainability prize for its commitment to sustainable mobility.
During the summer months, exploring the mountain range is a popular activity with tourists on holidays in Geneva or other Swiss towns.
Drivers visiting the area between July and September can choose their own routes, or zoom past Alpinmobil recommended spots such as Lake Thun at the base of Niederhorn, one of Switzerland’s most accessible peaks.
The electric cars are nearly silent on the road versus their petrol-fuelled counterparts and allow drivers to enjoy the countryside with minimum intrusion. They also have the ability to charge on the go, using energy generated from braking and freewheeling downhill to recharge their own battery.
The initiative is also challenging conventional wisdom that says electric cars are better suited for urban driving, with 150,000 miles undertaken in two summers with the Alpine journeys scheme.
Project director Dionys Hallenbarter said: “In my view, electromobility is better suited to mountain areas than cities.
“In cities, particularly in Switzerland, there is an efficient public transport system. Here in the Alps, that’s not the case. So Alpmobil makes more sense for the environmentally conscious tourists who want to be independent at their destination.”
