The 2020 Renault Zoe has reached UK shores and can
now be ordered with a starting price of £ 25,670 for an outright purchase after
the government’s Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG). Offering a restyled exterior,
redesigned interior, more powerful R135 electric motor and a bigger battery
that provides even greater range, the new Zoe is on track to retain its title
as Europe’s best-selling electric car.
Renault wants to consolidate the nameplate’s market share
in the country with the new model that will be available to order from
mid-September and shall reach customers in January.
The big news with the 2020 Zoe is the new 52-kWh
Z.E. 50 battery that delivers a range of up to 394 km on as per the
WLTP standards. That’s best in segment, according to Renault, and represents
an increase of 32 percent over the previous, 41-kWh pack. Despite the increase
in capacity, the battery is the same size, which means interior space is not
affected.
The new Zoe also introduces fast direct current (DC)
charging, so using the optional 50 kW DC (CCS) fast charger, you can get 145 km of range in as little as half an hour, while using a public 22
kW roadside charger can deliver a 125-k) range in only one hour.
Finally, when using the standard 7 kW wallbox for home charging, the battery
pack needs 9 hours and 25 minutes to top up.
The new Zoe offers the choice of two motors: the
entry-level R110 80 kW (107 hp) and the new, 100 kW (134 hp)
R135. Offered on the Iconic and GT Line trim levels, the R135 also delivers
more torque (245 Nm), enabling faster acceleration and sharper
throttle response. The 0 to 100 km/h sprint takes 9.5 seconds and top
speed is limited at 140 km/h.
Both motors now offer a new “B mode” function which
intensifies the regenerative braking effect to allow the driver one pedal
operation of the car and is ideally suited for use in the city or in slow
moving traffic.
In the UK, the new Renault Zoe is available in three
grades: Play, Iconic, and GT-Line. The base model starts at £ 18,670
(US$ 22,700) plus a monthly battery lease, or £ 25,670 (US$ 31,205) for
a full purchase, with both prices including the UK’s Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG).
The Zoe Play only comes with the 80 kW motor but
features reasonable standard equipment. Included in the base price are full-LED
headlights, air conditioning, the 7-inch Easy Link multimedia interface with
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a full 10-inch TFT instrument cluster, DAB
radio, Hands Free Key Card, cruise control and speed limiter, power front
windows, automatic wipers and headlamps and 15-inch wheels.