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The Zoe electric light car is copping a pounding by Renault Australia's beancounters as they work to build a business case for the vehicle.
Company spokeswoman Emily Ambrosy says the five-door city car is aimed at private buyers, unlike the fleet-focused Fluence sedan. "This is the next generation electric car for us and we think it will work with city-based families," she notes.
The Zoe is powered by a 65kW/220Nm motor and uses regenerative braking, a heat-pump and special Michelin tyres to extend its range to 80-100km of freeway driving or 100-150km of city commuting. The added city range comes from the lower speeds and the extra "recharge" provided during the constant braking in urban environments.
In another first, the Zoe has a "voice" that alerts pedestrians to its presence at speeds from 1-30km/h. The voice has three different notes or can be optionally switched off. The car will sell in Europe for 20,000 euros — or around $25,000. That's without the battery, which Euroepan customers will lease from energy provider Better Place for around 80 euros a month.
Significantly, the car also qualifies for EU government rebates of up to 7000 euro, depending on the country.
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