Overview
Groupe Renault (Renault Group/ Renault S.A.), is a leading player in the global automotive sector. The company was established in 1899 and has over the course of its history, manufactured varied vehicles, to include: trucks, tractors, buses and even tanks! Renault has been part of the global Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance since 1999 (previously, Renault-Nissan Alliance). The partnership makes the partnership the 3rd largest automotive group in the world after Volkswagen and Toyota.
Renault is headquartered in France and the French state owns a 15% stake in the company. The company manufacturers across a number of global locations, to include: Romania, Morocco, Türkiye, Spain, South Korea, Argentina and others! Renault has also been involved with motor sport, both, Formula 1 and Formula E. Renault offers both, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) for passenger cars and commercial electric vehicles. The portfolio includes:
- All-electric Renault TWIZY
- All-electric Renault ZOE E-TECH
- All-electric Renault ZOE Van E-TECH
- All-electric Renault Megane E-TECH
- All-electric Renault Scenic E-TECH
- All-electric Renault 5 E-TECH
- All-electric Renault Kangoo E-TECH
- All-electric Renault Master E-TECH
- Renault Rafale E-Tech Plug-In Hybrid
- Renault Captur E-TECH Plug-In Hybrid
- Renault Megane E-TECH Plug-In Hybrid
- Renault Megane Sport Tourer E-TECH Plug-In Hybrid
Electric Cars: The Basics
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
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The All-Electric Renault ZOE
The all-electric Renault ZOE was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 2012, with deliveries commencing in the French market in December 2012. Since then, the ZOE EV has been a success for the French automotive behemoth, Renault.
It has ranked as one of the best-selling top 10 electric cars globally in 2015 and 2016 and also been a top selling EV in Europe for the same years. In 2018, the ZOE won the ‘Best Green Car‘ at the inaugural FirstCar awards. In 2021, WHAT CAR? awarded the pure electric car, the prestigious accolade ‘Car of the Year 2021: small electric car best value’. According to Renault, more than 150,000 ZOE EVs have been sold across Europe over the past six years.
The Zoe electric car is available in only one EV battery size (52 kW), with a WLTP emission-free electric range up to 238 miles on a full charge. The EV is positioned primarily for urban driving, but given its range, is also useful for motorway trips.
Of course, the real-world electric range will be lower than the quoted range. For those new to electric driving, it is worth noting that the real-world EV range is influenced by a number of factors. Some include: driving profile, weather conditions, road conditions, passenger load and regenerative braking profile!
For the Zoe electric hatchback, expect a real-world e-range closer to 200 miles. Sufficient electric range for most day-to-day driving needs and also motorway trips. Do keep in mind that the average distanced travelled in a day is a mere 30 miles and the majority of our commutes are short trips. In fact, the average trip in the UK is just 12 miles.
The manufacturer also offers a 3-phase 22 kW AC onboard charger as standard. However, as most homes in the UK are limited to single-phase power supply, taking advantage of the 22 kW charging speed will only be for those with access to 3-phase EV charging at home, workplace or a public charging station.
Using a dedicated three-phase EV charger, like the 22 kW easee EV charger, the Zoe electric car can be fully charged in 3 hours. Charging at 11 kW, the EV will take up to 6 hours to fully charge. Single-phase 7.4 kW charging will take longer: 9 hours and 30 minutes. We at e-zoomed recommend charging overnight at home, when the electricity tariff rates are cheaper. We also encourage using solar energy to charge an electric car.
We discourage the use of a 3-PIN domestic plug for charging an electric car. It would take up to 32 hours to charge the EV. We also encourage charging on a regular basis. This way, there is always available ‘electric miles’ and regular charging is good for the long-term maintenance of the onboard EV battery. Renault offers a 8 years or 100,000 miles warranty.
The EV can be rapid fast charged up to 50 kW DC. Not the fastest, nor the slowest. But given the EV battery size, it is appropriate. The EV can be charged from 10%-80% state-of-charge (SOC) in 70 minutes.
In terms of performance, the front-wheel drive (FWD) ZOE R135 can deliver 0-62 mph in 9.5 seconds. The electric car delivers a maximum power up to 135 hp and 245 Nm torque. The top speed of the EV is 87 mph. Of course, the EV also benefits from instant torque.
The Zoe E-TECH electric car offers 12 advanced assistance systems, to include: regenerative braking, electronic stability control, cruise control/speed limiter, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, hill start assist, traffic signal recognition, lane keeping assist, blind spot warning, front and rear parking sensors, side parking sensors and hands-free parking. The EV also incorporates a 10″ digital cluster and a 9.3″ central screen that provides real-time updated navigation information with TomTom. The 5-door Zoe offers decent practicality for rear seat passengers and offer a 338 L boot.
Company-car drivers can take advantage of the lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK-2%) tax charge for pure electric cars. The Renault Zoe is available to lease via e-zoomed at fantastic prices.
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
Affordable and practical city electric car | Not as compelling a proposition as some alternative compact EVs |
22 kW AC onboard charger as standard | Reliability assessment poor in the 2020 What Car? reliability survey. Awarded Zero-Star for NCAP safety rating assessment |
Decent electric range | Headroom and legroom for rear seats limited |
The All-Electric Renault ZOE (credit: Renault)
At A Glance | |
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EV Type: | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) |
Body Type: | Hatchback |
Plug-In Car Grant (PiCG): | Not Available |
Engine: | Electric |
Available In UK: | Yes |
Variants (2 Options) |
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Techno (from £29,995) |
Iconic (from £31,995) |
EV Battery & Emissions | |
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EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 52 kWh |
Charging: | 50 kW Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 1 hrs 10 mins). Onboard charger: 22 kW AC (0%-100%: 3 hrs) |
Charge Port: | Type 2 |
EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
Tailpipe Emissions: | 0g (CO2/km) |
Battery Warranty: | 8 years or 100,000 miles |
Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
---|---|
Battery net capacity : 16.7 kWh | £2.40 |
Battery net capacity : 30.0 kWh | £4.32 |
Battery net capacity : 39.2 kWh | £5.64 |
Battery net capacity : 45.0 kWh | £6.48 |
Battery net capacity : 50.0 kWh | £7.20 |
Battery net capacity : 64.0 kWh | £9.22 |
Battery net capacity : 71.0 kWh | £10.22 |
Battery net capacity : 77.0 kWh | £11.09 |
Battery net capacity : 90.0 kWh | £12.96 |
Battery net capacity : 100.0 kWh | £14.40 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in the UK varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for the UK is 14.40 p/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
Charging Times (Overview) | |
---|---|
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+): | 0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW): | 0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
Dimensions | |
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Height (mm): | 1562 |
Width (mm): | 1730 |
Length (mm): | 4087 |
Wheelbase (mm): | 2588 |
Turning Circle (m): | 10.56 |
Boot Space (L): | 338 |
ZOE R135 | |
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EV Battery Capacity: | 52 kWh |
Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 223 – 238 miles |
Charging: | 50 kW Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 1 hrs 10 mins). Onboard charger: 22 kW AC (0%-100%: 3 hrs) |
Top Speed: | 87 mph |
0-62 mph: | 9.5 seconds |
Drive: | Front-wheel drive (FWD) |
Electric Motor (kW): | 100 |
Max Power (hp): | 135 |
Torque (Nm): | 245 |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Seats: | 5 |
Doors: | 5 |
Kerb Weight (kg): | 1,502-1,563 |
Colours: | 8 |
NCAP Safety Rating: | Zero-Star |
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