Renault needs to look no further than China to find
a suitable budget EV that it could bring to Europe. We’re referring to the City
K-ZE, an electric version of the Kwid small crossover. The French automaker has
not ruled out bringing the electric crossover to Europe, if it turns out to be
a hit in China.
The Renault City K-ZE went on sale on Tuesday
in the world’s largest EV market with a starting price of RMB 61,800 (US$ 8,700). Given that a European version of this model would require
further investment for homologation in the region, a base price of around US$ 11,000 doesn’t seem that far-fetched.
Based on the CMF-A platform, the China-spec Renault
City K-ZE features a 26.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that powers an electric
motor rated at 44 PS and 125 Nm of torque. The model offers
a claimed range of 271 km on the NEDC cycle.
If Renault truly does manage to offer an EV for
€ 10,000 in Europe, that model will definitely be a game changer. It remains to
be seen whether Renault’s upcoming budget EV will be offered in Europe under
its core brand or the entry-level Dacia marque.
