Renault Zoe

Renault Zoe is a five-door electric traction hatchback that the French company has been producing since 2012. The model is quite successfully sold on the European market. The compact French machine has an 87-horsepower electric power plant, providing a 240-kilometer range. The whole model range is Renault.

Car history

The conceptual version of Renault Zoe appeared for the first time in 2009. Already in the next 2010, during the Paris Motor Show, the model was presented to a wide audience. Serial production of the car started in 2012. In the same 2012, the company was able to sell only 48 such cars.

Already in 2015, at the Geneva Motor Show, the French showed again their five-door model, which received a more economical electric motor. The new version of the Renault ZOE electric vehicle is now B-class. The machine is ideally suited for daily use in the urban cycle.

The electric machine has the latest technology, is available to the mass consumer and has all the functions of a modern vehicle. The model will be especially attractive as the second car in the family. Renault ZOE belongs to the Zero Emissions division. This is the flagship in this niche, which is located only electric cars.

Later, Zoe became more widespread. By 2014, the French company was able to produce about 10,000 such electric hatchbacks. The lion’s share split in the European markets. In our country, the family compact Zoe never made it to our country, because our car enthusiasts still do not trust such technologies very much. But what is the new car with zero emissions from Renault? Let’s look into it.

Appearance

From the outside, the electric model is equipped with a stylish look that will make it possible to stand out among the general urban flow. The body has received excellent aerodynamic parameters and sporty modern design. The shape of the body of Renault Zoe is equipped with the right proportions and smooth lines.

As for the rear door handles, the engineers decided to hide them in the door racks, which gave the electric car a more sporty design. The updated car can now be painted in 9 variants of body painting, 2 of which Intense Red and Titanium Grey – appeared for the first time.

The front part has compact headlamps in which modern optics are integrated. The front bumper is massive and has a wide air intake. The Renault Zoe 2018 exterior is both kind and aggressive. The smiling “front end” is made possible by the wide oval air intake at the bottom.

Aggressiveness is achieved by means of squeezed headlights. The massive nameplate, placed in the center, is not just a company logo – it is also a port for charging the Renault Zoe electric car. The massive bumper is equipped with daytime running lights in the form of brackets.

Interestingly, in the summer of 2012, Renault Zoe set a world record for the longest distance covered by a battery-powered vehicle in a day – 1,618 kilometers.

The side part of the updated Renault Zoe 2018 can not boast of unique solutions, and there are no any catchy elements. You can see a thin stamping line starting from the rear optics and ending at the front door handle. The height of the ground clearance is quite modest 120 millimeters.

The side of the new Renault Zoe 2018 electric car is also decorated with 15-inch steel discs, complemented by stylish hoods. The 16-inch and 17-inch light-alloy rollers, which have an original design, will be installed. French specialists decided to decorate the back of the electric car with compact sidelights and a boot door, which received the original relief.

The fillet area of the compact electric hatchback has muscular, bloated shapes. Interestingly, the Renault Zoe 2018 taillights are reminiscent of a French company’s turned nameplate. The upper part is equipped with a small decorative anti-wing, which has received an additional stop-light. On the large bumper you can see the sensors of the parktronic.

The lower part near the plastic protection has reflectors and reversing lights. In general, the body design was created so that the car seemed more compact than it is in reality. Outside everything is laconic, streamlined and simple. Electric hatchback does not show its direct belonging to an electrician, although the model was developed almost from scratch, just like an electric car.

Interior

The interior of the new Renault Zoe 2018 is innovative and stands out from its “kin. Speaking of free space – it is not so much here. Everything is due to the small size of the vehicle. The designers decided to use armchairs, which received a fabric covering. The seats themselves received a small sports decoration.

The driver’s seat is high, which provides an excellent level of visibility, but young potential buyers may be a little scared away. It is also interesting that they decided to add a coating of their Teflon, which will greatly simplify the removal of stains, if they appear.

Renault ZOE pleases with good noise insulation, which has a positive effect on the level of comfort and ride.

The Renault Zoe salon has light tones, but there are also black seats and a black torpedo panel. The darker version of the interior looks much more beautiful. The steering wheel was leather covered and equipped with five keys. The inclination of the “wheel” was 45 degrees, but it is not possible to adjust it. The steering wheel is very unusual. It is not completely round, but slightly flattened at the bottom.

A bit like a sports steering wheel. There is a voice control key, as well as a “cruise”. The dashboard has a wide display, which shows the necessary information of the speedometer of the French model, as well as the selected transmission and the status of batteries.

Nearby you can find the Eco key, with the help of which the electronics switches the electric motor to the reduced power consumption mode. Even if you press the “gas” button firmly, the car will accelerate smoothly. However, if you need to make any manoeuvre or overtaking on the road, you need to press the “Eco” button twice, then this mode will be disabled. As a rule, this mode is activated in case of insufficient power or when it is necessary to get to the nearest filling station.

The central console was equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen display of the R-Link system, which was also installed on the Clio and Kaptur. It’s nice to know that the multimedia system can be used to play and track your location by navigation, as well as much more. In addition, the engineers decided to place a standard air conditioner unit on the console, which can be often found at the Renault company.

The console itself was made in floating style, which brings its futuristic design. It is difficult not to notice the massive washer. The climatic system itself is single-zone and maintains the humidity, which is the best for a person. Interestingly, if the system detects toxic substances overboard with the help of sensors, it will automatically switch off the air intake from outside.

French specialists have also installed even an aromatizer. It is necessary to install your favorite flavor in the cardboard receiver, press the button and after a few minutes inside the Renault salon there will be a pleasant flavor, which facilitates driving the car for the driver. The tunnel has a large shelf for small items, a niche for a smartphone, a stylish gearbox selector, where the letters “Z.E.” glow.

The same embroidered letters can be found on the headrests of the front seats. The handbrake is presented on a French electric Renault Zoe mechanical vehicle. The Renault Zoe ceiling has a punctuation that resembles an electrical circuit that emphasizes that passengers are in an electric vehicle rather than in a traditional car.

Interestingly, it is Renault Zoe that is one of the best-selling electric cars in European countries today.

If we speak for the back space, there is enough, although it cannot be said that there is a lot of it. However, the free space on the second row is not inferior to gasoline hatchbacks. In general, the car can comfortably accommodate four adult passengers. Buyers of the improved electric model will be able to choose color variants and materials of interior decoration.

The luggage compartment is large due to the placement of batteries under the seats. It has a capacity of 388 litres of usable space. If you add up the separate backrest of the 2nd row of seats, you can get a volume of 1,225 liters of usable space. The updated machine has received improved noise insulation – it’s nice.

The silent operation of the electric power unit is also pleasant. While driving at a speed of about 40 kilometers per hour, the noise level is 60 dB. In general, the updated electric car Renault ZOE 2019 stands out by its neat interior and creates a rather pleasant impression with the help of high-quality finishing materials.

Specifications

Powertrain

Makes the Renault Zoe move an air-cooled R240 electric motor. It produces 65 kW or 88 horsepower as well as 220 Nm of torque. From the very beginning, it may seem that such a power will be obviously not enough for an almost 1.5-ton hatchback.

Most likely, even opponents of electric cars will start saying that this car is very heavy, slow and it is unpleasant to drive such a car. But such opinion is erroneous, at least in case of Zoe it is not so. The electric motor gives out the maximum 220 Nm of rotating efforts almost instantaneously, less than for 1/100 seconds.

Such a result cannot be achieved by an internal combustion engine. Zoe needs only 4 seconds to accelerate from a place to a speed limit of 50 km/h. In Eco Mode, the Renault Zoe 2019 electric car moves at a speed of no more than 95 kilometers per hour, and from the slide it can reach 135 kilometers per hour. However, in this case, the econometer’s indicator lights up red and the power reserve is seriously reduced.

In the city stream the electric version of the French hatchback feels excellent. To the first hundred the car accelerates for 8.1 seconds, is perfectly operated and almost devoid of roll. It is clear that the traditional gearbox on the Renault Zoe is absent – there are only 2 pedals, as in the case of automatic transmission. All torque is transmitted exclusively to the front wheels.

Battery

The compact Renault Zoe city hatchback motor takes electricity from 290 kilograms of lithium-ion batteries. They have a capacity of 22 kW. With this type of battery, the car can travel no more than 240 km, but this requires ideal conditions. If you take a normal urban cycle, where traffic jams predominate, you can go 150 km.

And when driving in winter, this figure can be just over 100 kilometers. It is known that the updated version received an improved traction battery ZE 40 with a capacity of 41 kWh. Thanks to the new battery it is possible to drive up to 300 kilometers in real conditions, and the old one allowed only about 150-160 kilometers.

Charging

It should be noted at once that the time of recharging is directly related to the power of the charger and ranges from 30 minutes to 9 hours. As with other electric cars, the most common charging for Renault ZOE is standard charging, which requires a connection to the charging stand in the parking lot or garage. This type of charging can take 6-8 hours.

It also provides for the option of “high-speed” charging, which is used as an auxiliary method to charge the car’s battery when it becomes necessary to do so immediately. The car will take 10 minutes to recharge at the fast charging stand. The energy produced should be enough for about 50 kilometres of travel.

It takes 30 minutes to fully charge in this mode. Also, the Quickdrop system, which is an automatic replacement of the battery and which is used for 3 minutes, wasn’t left unattended. The robot removes and installs another fully charged battery when the battery is completely dead. However, for such a service will have to pay at least 80 euros.

With the help of the integrated device “Chameleon” there is a possibility to combine with various types of chargers. The power of such charging is about 20 kW. Thanks to this, you can charge your car almost completely in about 1 hour!

The charger connected to the vehicle is located behind the Renault nameplate. In order to reach it, you need to press a special button in the passenger compartment. When you hear a slight click, the nameplate opens and waits for you to connect the charger. The charging system has been taught to use different voltages, depending on the country.

The machine can recognize the charging type automatically. If the electric car is connected to a high-speed station, the charging time (up to 70 percent) will take 40 minutes. Filling stations for cars are already becoming more widespread throughout Europe. It is planned that such stations will be located near each large supermarket.

Running gear

The Renault platform is completely unique. It is a new solution for French specialists. The car was built entirely around the electric chassis, which in turn has components Megane and hatchbacks Clio. The body itself is quite compact and designed specifically for “electricity”. The engineers decided to install the battery under the feet of the passengers. As for the suspension, it is standard.

The front wheels are located on the classic McPherson, and the rear wheels are on a resilient beam. Interestingly, because of the simple design of the rear axle, the entire suspension begins to twitch when hitting the speed traps. The compact vehicle is easy to operate using the rack and pinion steering, which is complemented by an electric amplifier from the Clio RS. The machine is quite easy to pick up and steer.

The Renault ZOE brake system does not always receive positive feedback. Ahead of the brakes are disc brakes that support the ventilation function, and behind them are simple drums. The weight of the machine has been distributed to a greater extent on the front axle – 59/41. For this reason, during sharp braking the car leans forward, and the rear drum brakes can not cope with their work.

Power reserve

The range of the measuring cycle EPA (America) is 140 kilometers, and the measuring cycle NEDC (Europe) – 210 kilometers. Renault Zoe, like other electric vehicles, was able to offer additional driving modes. For example, there is an ECO preset, which reduces the dynamic characteristics and cuts the maximum speed to 95 kilometers per hour.

On the other hand, this preset increases the power reserve by about 10-15 percent or up to 240 kilometers (judging by the NEDC measurement cycle). The French-made electric hatchback was created from the very beginning, aiming at the European markets. That is why the information about the mileage judging by the American measurement cycles is only approximate: standard – 140 kilometers, with IVF – about 155 kilometers.

Winter power reserve

The range in winter is obviously decreasing. Much is due to the temperature conditions and the extent to which the owner decides to warm the cabin after a cold night. This is very important because the electric heater of the heating system can sometimes consume as much battery power as the electric motor itself. We will talk about several variants:

• 0 degrees, the interior is heated from the mains (charging). During movement, the stove is used periodically to warm the cabin and heat the seats – 10 percent;
• -10 degrees. The cabin is also heated by the charger, and during the movement of the heater is used to heat the space inside the car. The chair heating function is also used: -20-30 percent;
• -20 degrees. The interior is heated directly from the battery. During movement, the stove is often used to heat the cabin, as well as the function of heating the seats: -30-50 percent.

Ways to increase power reserve in winter

Among the main tips we can refer the recommendation to warm up the cabin before you start your trip, while the electric Renault ZOE car is being charged and powered by a home socket, not from its battery. To do this in almost any electric car there is a so-called “climate timer” that allows you to set the time of departure, as well as the optimal temperature mode.

After a given installation, the system switches on itself and starts to warm up the cabin. Also experts recommend to use the minimum heating of the interior (it turns out that the heating of seats is more economical in terms of energy consumption). It is also possible to change the driving style to a more “economical” one and make every effort to collect energy during descents and braking (the system of recuperation is supported). At the end, you may be advised to drive in ECO mode.

Repair and maintenance

The Renault Zoe 2018 electric model is based on the platform of a Renault Clio car, with which most of the elements of the “walkway” are shared (including the suspension, braking system, etc.). But there are also elements from the larger Renault Megan car (front suspension levers) and its own unique reinforced rear suspension beam.

It is a pity that the French Renault Clio is rarely found in Russia and Ukraine. The machines were poorly sold with the help of official Renault dealers. But Renault Clio is collected with the use of a list of elements found on other vehicles Renault – Sandero, Logan. It turns out that an experienced specialist will be able to easily pick up interchangeable elements of prime necessity – brake pads, silent blocks in the suspension.

They are located at official Renault service stations, where they can also be installed. However, some specific parts still need to be ordered and expected. Routine maintenance does not require an oil filter oil change. It is only necessary to inspect, check and replace the cabin filter.

Safety

The French compact model Renault Zoe 2018 was able to get a maximum rating of 5 stars during the Euro NCAP crash-tests. The city’s electric hatchback has four airbags, an electronic stabilisation system that helps to regain control of the vehicle if it is “carried” on the road.

The car is also worried about pedestrian safety. This is evident in the following: when the car moves at a speed of less than 30 kilometers per hour, it makes a noise warning of its presence. This is a very necessary function, as the Renault ZOE is devoid of an internal combustion engine and operates very quietly. If an audible warning is missing, the machine will use the latest active safety systems that automatically apply the braking system to prevent a collision.

Complete set and prices

A Renault ZOE Z.E. electric hatchback can already be purchased in European countries. 40. During the year it was possible to buy a car with a less powerful battery, which was installed in the previous version of the car. Evaluated Renault Zoe 2017-2018 with a battery capacity of 22 kWh from 22,100 euros per base case. Hatchback with a more powerful battery, which provides a range of 300 kilometers, is already estimated at 24,900 euros.

In addition, in some countries the law provides for compensation for the use of a vehicle that does not pollute the environment. This in turn saves money when purchasing an electric Renault Zoe. It is impossible to buy a machine in Russia.

Comparison with competitors

Although at first glance it may seem that Renault ZOE has almost no rivals, in reality they have and have received their distinctive advantages and disadvantages. You can add to the list of opponents:

• Kia Soul EV;
• Volkswagen e-Golf 2017;
• Chevrolet Bolt EV;
• BMW i3;
• Peugeot iOn;
• Hyundai Ioniq Electric;
• Ford Focus Electric 2017;
• Opel Ampera-e;
• Fiat 500e;
• Citroen C-Zero.

In addition, the Japanese electric hatchback Nissan Leaf, which made a lot of noise, lures customers (and makes it a success for a Japanese company). On the side of the hero of our review a small cost, modest size and small capacity of the battery, which can be recharged in a short period of time. On the other hand, not such a powerful battery can be attributed to the drawbacks, as charging is enough for a very short way, especially if compared to some competitors.

Reviews from the owners

The owners of Renault Zoe celebrate a pleasant and unforgettable design. With the help of bluish plastic headlights and lanterns some “electric” image is added. The height of the ground clearance is obviously small and is not designed for use on our roads. However, the situation is saved by a rigid suspension and a short base. Inside such a small car fits 5 people, but they will not be able to sit comfortably there.

Also pleased quite a large luggage compartment, of course it is not a sedan or a station wagon, but the most necessary things are always placed in the car. Very impressive is the quiet operation of the electric motor, especially if you move from the car on the internal combustion engine.

There is not enough power reserve on a single charge, so you can’t rely heavily on the machine. But the car will be ideal for city “rides”. I was glad to see the presence of fast and super fast charging, which in 2 hours will be able to significantly charge the electronic hatchback of the French assembly.

The pros and cons

Tooths

Today it is very fashionable to produce electric cars, so the French company Renault is also trying to keep up with the rest of the car world. Updated Renault ZOE turned out to be quite a good car. The car has a pleasant, fresh and a little futuristic appearance. Manufacturers as if knew that they would not sell hatchback in Russia, as the height of the road clearance is quite modest 120 millimeters – obviously not for our roads.

Otherwise, the novelty meets modern criteria of electric vehicles. There is modern lighting, aerodynamic bodywork and so on. Everything inside looks a bit modest, simple, but clear. The steering wheel is comfortable. The necessary information, besides the dashboard, can be displayed on the 7-inch multimedia system display, which supports touch control.

There’s plenty of room, but it’s not like there’s too much room. Only two passengers will be able to sit comfortably on the second row. The luggage compartment is not the biggest, but it can accommodate a lot of things. The technical part hardly surprised, as Renault ZOE has not so fast acceleration and maximum speed, as some of its competitors. This also includes a shorter distance than the model can travel on a single charge.

Although the company claims that the updated version of Renault Zoe has received a larger battery pack. It is not Tesla Rodster, but also to sit in the list of the slowest cars hatchback obviously will not be. The French have approached the issue of security scrupulously – this is good news. It’s a pity that everyone in our country is still cautiously looking at such vehicles.

Perhaps all the fault of weak infrastructure, high cost or small batteries, which do not allow you to relax, and always make you look for “outlets” to recharge. And here “to stretch” a charge, using constantly the car in ECO mode, hardly who will like it. At the moment the best electric cars, as it is considered, are at Tesla Motors.

There are also powerful electric power units, high-capacity batteries and even autopilot function. In the meantime, we can all see how the entire automotive market is smoothly switching to hybrid and electronic versions of their cars, gradually improving their specifications. Hopefully, these cars will soon be as widespread in Russia as they are in Europe or the United States.

We advise you to read the article: History of Renault Company

Renault ZOE photo

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