2026 Renault Master E-Tech Reviews

Former F1 team boss Flavio Briatore says Red Bull management has handled the stoush between its drivers badly and Mark Webber will leave at the end of the season. Sebastian Vettel defied the team's orders to stay behind Mark Webber during the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday, passing his teammate in the closing laps to win the race, sparking outrage from Webber, the Red Bull team, and fans. Briatore, the disgraced former boss of the Renault team, has slammed Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner for not ordering Vettel to give the lead back to Webber after the contentious pass was made. "If there was a manager with balls, he would have had them switch positions again," Briatore told Italy's RAI Radio. Read full story at: www.news.com.au  

Baby turbocharged engines are springing up around the world, with Fiat, BMW and Mercedes-Benz already committed to tiny three-cylinder power plants. Now Renault says it is tapping its Formula One technology for the engines it will soon be using in the Clio, Megane and other models. Grand prix racing downsizes to 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged engines in 2014 with battery-electric boosting from Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems, but Renault is also working on plans to recover exhaust heat to boost power in F1 and efficiency in road cars. "There are some direct connections between Formula One and road cars. We have a more shared view of the technology we are developing," the head of Renault's F1 engine operations, Remi Taffin, tells Carsguide. He says road cars have already benefitted from the friction-reduction work in F1, especially as a fuel-economy measure, and soon it will be about transferring energy-boosting work on both electric and heat recovery systems. Current F1 cars used battery-electric boosters and there are a range of road cars that have similar technology, including the LaFerrari and McLaren P1 super cars just unveiled at the Geneva motor show. In future, though, Taffin says electric boosting will allow smaller and smaller engines to be used in cars. They will have a super-economical downsized petrol engine with a KERS boost for overtaking. On the heat-recovery side, Taffin says there is big potential to harness the exhaust energy currently lost completely. This could easily power another energy storage system compatible with turbocharged engines. For F1 in 2014, turbocharging means the engines will be downsized to 1.6-litre V6s from today's 2.4-litre naturally-aspirated V8s, yet lap times will be very similar with around 520 kiloWatts despite reducing revs from 18,000 to around 15,000. Taffin says modern turbocharging is a lot different to the 1980s performance cars that had a reputation for poor reliability and temperamental behaviour. "It's not just about getting the most fuel-efficient engine. For road cars it's also about reducing pollution," he says. "When you want to optimise the efficiency of an engine they also allow reduced capacity, as we are seeing." Taffin says as F1 moves deeper into electric boosting it will improve the efficiency of road engines. His division has already been responsible for developing the electric motors used in the baby Twizzy city runabout. "It's all about energy and heat. And making the car move. Now we try to use electric motors," he says. "It's all getting much closer to road cars. There will be a lot more transfer in the future."  

Zoe is not the best name I've heard for a new car, even one as sparky as Renault's new battery electric contender. Can you really see a company chairman converting to a new-age plug-in with the same name as his 18-year-old daughter? It's not exactly macho, is it? Zoe is not the worst name I've heard, with more to follow soon on that subject, but it's not exactly winning as I drive the car in a Carsguide preview in Portugal. "No, I would not buy a car with this name," says the man responsible for recharging the cars at a coffee stop. "Do I like the name? Well, not really," admits a man on the Renault project team. It's pretty easy to work out the way the name was created. Zoe is part of Renault's aggressive Zero Emission strategy, just like the battery-swap Fluence Z.E. that was originally planned for Australia before being canned - officially, it is 'indefinitely delayed' - when the Better Place organisation backtracked on its plan for a nation-wide web of battery-swap stations. So, when you start with Z.E. and you want a name - well, it's easy to drop a vowel into the action. Zae, Zee, Zie and Zue are hardly standouts - although I personally prefer Zee because it's a bit like gee and whee - so you're left with Zoe. Nobody at Renault in France seems to have considered the potential gender drawback of the name, particularly in Australia where fast nasty animals - Falcon and Mustang for a start - work well for badges and advertising. So Zoe is coming to Australia and I'm already thinking about the ideal front-person for the car. Someone young and bright from Home and Away, perhaps? Renault says it has no intention of changing the name, in Australia or anywhere else, and that brings me to my worst-choice car name - Sassy. Proton of Malaysia intended to tag a new baby car as the Sassy and company chief Tengku Mahaleel was a strong fan when research showed it was a hit with young women. But Proton intended to sell half of its Sassys to men, and he quickly selected reverse gear when an impromptu lunchtime poll revealed 100 per cent of men were against the name. "I would never buy a car with that name," his son told him. Sassy was binned the same day, right down to the badges and brochures, But the car survived. And its name? The car hit showrooms in Malaysia and then Australia as the Savvy. This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover  

At the same time, Renault has added a manual version of the regular sized petrol version, setting a new entry-level price of $20,990. Renault has decided to cut the regular wheelbase diesel Kangoo from the line-up, reasoning that most customers would opt for the bigger model. The Maxi is a longer wheelbase model that adds 384mm to the van’s length and increases the cargo room over the old version by 33 per cent to 4.0 cubic metres. It can also carry heavier gear, with the payload increasing by 25 per cent over the standard vehicle to 800kg. The Maxi gets a boost under the bonnet. It runs the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel as before, but power is up 25 per cent to 82kW and torque rises by 17 per cent to 240Nm. The only transmission available is a six-speed. The fuel economy is still excellent, with an official fuel consumption average of 5.5-litres per 100km. Renault has set the price of the Maxi diesel at $24,990. It comes with sliding doors on both sides as well as barn doors at the rear. A liftgate hatch is available as a no-cost option. The petrol Kangoo, now available with petrol or automatic has 3.0 cubic metres of cargo space and 650kg and dual sliding doors. While the five-speed manual petrol is $20,990, the petrol four-speed automatic costs $22,990. Renault has removed the body-coloured bumpers and wing mirrors as well as wheel covers on the Kangoos and says the new unpainted bumpers will be cheaper to replace. Customers will be able to select body-coloured bumpers in the Premium Pack, which costs $3000 and includes sat-nav, rear parking sensors, a wooden cargo liner, fog lamps and side airbags.  

The French brand is beginning with its latest Clio and the Captur crossover. It has already set the direction with show cars and is now translating them into production models, while also focussing on a new SUV direction and its Alpine sports brand.Kia has proven that design can provide significant showroom bait in the 21st century, winning with its Optima and new Rio range, and Renault's design chief Laurens van den Acker is focussed on bringing people back to the French carmaker."The goal is to make people fall in love again with the Renault brand," says van den Acker. "Renault is a very human brand, so we must let our cars be emotional, be French."He admits it's a tough challenge, but believes he has the design team and management backing to win. "If it was easy, everybody would do it. You should try hard things, because then you separate yourselves from the rest."Van den Acker arrived at Renault after 15 years in the USA and Japan, including time at Mazda, and has a smart way of describing the latest French lineup. "The Clio is like a university student, young and full of ideas," he says."The Megane is a student that has just started working, in the first three years. He is looking up and wants to become his boss. The Laguna is the managing director. The car needs to have status and seriousness."But van den Acker - who is known throughout the car world for his collection of crazy shoes - sees an opening for Renault. "While we are getting more Latin … and emotional … I see a lot of brands becoming more Germanic. I think we can find a more open space."We're closer in spirit to the old Ferraris of the 1960s." He says Renault is developing an iconic 'face', something all brands now want, as well as translating his design direction into SUVs."I think a good identity is an identity you can recognise without a badge. That's the sign of a good face." Van den Acker has visited Australia many times and knows Renault needs to leverage some of its upscale European appeal."Australia plays a lot more on the Renault Sport image. It gives us credibility. It gives us the link with Formula One, which is considered premium worldwide." He also knows that, in a showroom scene where Audi sets the cabin standard and even Holden is following with its VF upgrade, Renault is playing catch-up."I would still rate us as OK. We've become more fun in the interior, especially with Clio. But I think we still have a long way to go in perceived quality. It wasn't our first priority. We first had to get ourselves in the showrooms with a good looking car."For van den Acker, there is a surprising parallel between good design and romance, right up to the Alpine sports car currently being developed at Renault. "A concept car is like a one-night stand. Then you need to create a good marriage for a production car. The exterior needs to seduce and the interior is where you live. You want it to be a good quality life."What, then about Alpine?"It's a quickie," he laughs. The bottom line for Renault design is an all-new line, starting with a couple of show cars that will break cover later this year. "You will see some fun show cars from us this year. I look at concept cars to sell the direction. The design is going to make a difference."There is a sense of revolution at present. What I like, coming to Renault, is you can do anything you want. And find an intellectual reason to get away with it. I think anybody could use a bit of craziness. And god knows Renault can use it." 

China is set to provide the power for the large-scale introduction of electric cars as it accelerates towards two million sales a year by 2020. Australians have bought a relative handful of plug-in cars since the start of local sales, despite the quality of the Nissan Leaf and Holden Volt, as government at all levels ignores calls for the sort of subsidies and tax breaks that have provided a vital spark in Europe and the USA. Renault Australia was forced to pull the plug on its Fluence ZE, a battery-swap electric car, because of the lack of infrastructure and problems for its energy partner, Better Place. But China could change the game as it forces carmakers to adopt electric and plug-in hybrid technology to cut its reliance on imported oil and reduce pollution in the overcrowded cities where more than half of its population is concentrated. "I think the breakthrough will come from China. I think the solution is going to be there," says Carlos Ghosn, the head of Renault-Nissan. "China is moving very aggressively. All the problems are lining up to make China the biggest electric car and plug-hybrid market in the world." His company is leading the world in production of electric cars, including the Nissan Leaf and impressive new Renault Zoe, although he admits sales have been slow with just 70,000 deliveries worldwide over the past five years. "Four or five year ago, when we decided to go with electric cars, people were considering electric cars like a golf cart.  But we came with the leaf and now the Zoe, which is a very good car. The 70,000 people today who are driving electric cars are very happy with the product," Ghosn says. But he also recognises the challenges. "The main obstacles to electric cars are mainly linked to infrastructure and range, because they are connected. If you can do only 100 or 150 kilometres, well, you worry about range. But if there is infrastructure everywhere you don't worry about the range. If you can charge at the mall or work." He says the other barrier is cost, even though the Zoe will be the equivalent of $14,000 in Europe - plus a monthly battery rental - thanks to large-scale government subsidies. "People want environmentally friendly cars but they don't want to pay for them. They just want an even price," Ghosn says. "The solution is going to be there. We must continue to reduce the price of the car, through continuous improvement, and continue to lobby and work with cities and governments in order to have the infrastructure." But he says the big push is coming from China, where carmakers are being forced into electric-car partnerships. "The Chinese have already taken very hard decisions and they have said two million electric cars in 2020. You cannot have any investment decision agreed by the government in China if you do not have what they call a 'new-energy' car. A 'new energy' car is an electric car or a plug-in hybrid. If you don't have them don't ask to increase capacity, even of normal gasoline cars." But Ghosn says China is not the only country accelerating its electric drive. "On top of this, France is moving aggressively, the US is moving aggressively and some cities are moving aggressively," he says. "The mayor of London has told us already he would like to have all the taxis in London as zero emission. We are negotiating with the mayor of Rio in preparation for the Olympics. "We have seen a lot of initiative coming. We need to be patient. We need to continue to develop the technology, develop the product, cut the costs and make the cars better. "When it takes off, we will be ready." This reporter is on Twitter @paulwardgover  

There is a little touch of Godzilla about the new Renault Clio RS. Just like the Japanese juggernaut, the new French funster has a turbocharged engine with an entertaining soundtrack and is capable of punching above its weight.But take a close look in the cabin and you find exactly the same gearshift paddles as the ones used in the GT-R, snitched for double duty thanks to family ties through the Renault-Nissan alliance.The classy alloy paddles are no surprise in a new RS that's had a massive makeover as part of the Clio 4 conversion. The fourth-generation French baby now comes with five doors, a six-speed double-clutch gearbox, and even brakes taken from the V6-engined Laguna.Australian buyers will get the sharper Cup chassis settings and standard RS equipment includes red-stitched leather sports seats, as well as the R-Link system that allows data logging and lap times for owners who want to hit the track on weekends."The Clio range is incredibly important to us. It's the return of an icon and the Renault Sport model is the halo over the range. It's the hero," the managing director of Renault Australia, Justin Hocevar, tells Carsguide.The pocket rocket goes up against a wide spread of rivals in Australia including the Mini Cooper S, Opel Corsa OPC and Volkswagen's Polo GTi, but is not coming for another year because of the slow ramp-up of production at Renault Sport in France.When the RS does arrive, following the regular Clio in September, it is promised with a value price tag that will undercut the current $36,490 sticker.I'm not exactly sure how it will perform down under, because the press preview drive in Spain put me into a Sports chassis for the majority of the driving. It's nice, and nicely compliant and mature, but misses the edginess I expect from a Clio RS. Track time in the Cup car promises the answers, but rain ruins it. I know it is a nicer car than Clio 3, but the course is flooded and it's like driving on ice, so the RS Cup cannot give its best. I'm convinced that it's a very good car, but I don't know if it will be great in Australia.VALUERenault is doing a Toyota with the RS, committing to a price cut even though the car is not coming until 2014."It certainly won't be more than the outgoing car. That's $36,490," Hocevar reveals."And we've got capped price servicing at $299 with one service a year, so we have a good story for the customer. What does a Corolla cost to service? There are two a year, for a start."Renault Australia has only sold 500 Clio RSs since the car returned to the range in 2007 and it could easily top that number in the first full year with Clio 4.It's banking on the appeal of the five-door body, which boosts flexibility and includes a roomy boot - without any sort of spare - as well as plenty of standard equipment.The RS gets the usual stuff including power steering, aircon and electric windows, but it's things like the body kit bits, bigger alloys, sports suspension and bigger brakes that boost the bottom line. There is a built-in bonus to the six-speed double clutch gearbox, which functions like an auto until you take manual control.The Clio RS is not as cheap as a Skoda Fabia RS, or even the Polo GTi that sits in the same size line, but it is edgier and more exclusive.TECHNOLOGYClio 4 is a much better base for the Renault Sport engineers, from the bigger footprint of the chassis to a smoother body and suspension that's better in coping with 147 kiloWatts and 240 Newton-metres of torque.Some RS owners and fans will question the decision to switch to turbo power and bin the manual gearbox, but the turbo and EDC - efficient dual clutch - six-speed gearbox are typical of the moves across the performance car landscape. We've already seen it in cars up to the BMW M5.There is lots of impressive stuff in the car, from an electronic launch control and hydraulic bump stops in the dampers to an electronic differential, as well as the R-Link infotainment system with data logging for track work. It also does well in engine efficiency, using just 6.3 litres/100 kilometres with CO2 of just 144 grams/kilometres.Importantly, the Cup chassis is the choice for Australia to satisfy the proven customer preference. It sits three millimetres lower and gets springs that are more than 20 per cent stiffer, as well as special damper settings."We think the Cup chassis is what Australians will gravitate towards. That's been the experience with the Megane. Early in life of Clio there was Sport and Cup, but then we just started doing the Cup chassis," Hocevar says.On the electronic side, there is a three-position system that runs from Normal to Sport and Race, sharpening throttle response, adding more heft to the steering, cutting electronic intervention and making for quicker shifts with full manual control of the gearbox.Hold the left-hand paddle and it even makes multiple downshifts, something previously only seen in the Ferrari 458 and McLaren MP4-12C.DESIGNThe Clio RS is cute more than crazy. It looks sharp with twin exhausts and 17-inch alloys - 18s are optional - as well as red stitching on the seats and colour highlights in other areas of the cabin.The basic work on Clio 4 means the back seat is pretty roomy, the boot space is useful and it's a quiet car. There are sports bucket seats in the RS, and alloy pedals, as well as those shift paddles and a dashboard that integrates the R-Link system very well.SAFETYThe regular Clio is a five-star car that actually topped its class in European crash tests, which is good news also for the RS.Predictably, there is a full suite of airbags and electronic stability and braking controls, although - no surprise at the size and price - no sign of radar cruise control or automatic braking systems.The R-Link system is expected to be standard for Australia, which brings a rear camera in addition to parking radar.DRIVINGI have driven a bunch of Renault Sport cars and I came to the new Clio with baggage. I expected it to be a rorty little roller skate with an over-sharp focus on WRX-style thrills.But the Clio is sensible and refined, surprisingly mature but also plenty quick with a 0-100km/h below seven seconds. It also cranks up plenty of aural action, helped by the twin-pipe exhaust and a tube that feeds inlet sounds into the cabin.I'm immediately impressed by the comfort and cabin quality, even though there is a lot of hard plastic and some switches are tucked away, and when I ease into the traffic in Spain the car is quiet and compliant.I'm surprised by the punch from an engine with only 1.6 litres, but not by the slick and quick shifts from the EDC gearbox. It works fine as an auto and is great for manual changes, although the paddles are a better choice than the long-throw lever and the pedals are too close for comfortable left-foot braking.But … here it comes … I'm driving the Clio Sport and not the Cup car we'll get in Australia. That means it lacks the track-tautness of other Renault Sport models, although the brakes are good, it grips very well in turns, and there is plenty of performance.So I'm looking forward to track time in a Cup car on a tight-and-twisty course. Until it rains. The track is like ice and, even though the Clio RS is great fun, I want more. I want to know how it rides, if it's too noisy, if it delivers the thrills I expect from an all-out Renault Sport rocket.The surface dries a little and my second run shows there is great compliance and no crash-bang nasties over kerbs, as well as a great response from the engine and genuine enjoyment from the double-clutch six speed. But it's still too damp to really, really know.So, as I slide back into a Sport model for the run back to the airport, I'm happy and impressed. But I still have too many questions to give you all the answers.VERDICTEverything points to a Renault Sport winner that is going to make the new Clio a cult hero.Renault Clio RSPrice: less than $36,490Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmService Interval: 12 months/15,000kmSafety: 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, EBA, TCCrash rating: 5 starsEngine: 1.6-litre turbo petrol, 147kW/240NmTransmission: 6-speed dual-clutch; FWDThirst: 6.3L/100km, 144g/km CO2Dimensions: 4.09m (L), 1.73m (W), 1.43m (H)Weight: 1204kgSpare: none

The new French pocket rocket is accelerating into the gap between Renault's cooking cars and its runaway Renault Sport heroes. The Clio GT is already confirmed for Australia and is set for a similar job to the Commodore SS, which covers the space between regular Holdens including the SV6 and the true hotrods from Holden Special Vehicles. The Renault is officially the Clio GT 120 EDC, a name that reflects 120 horsepower - or 88 kiloWatts - from a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and its electronic dual-clutch transmission. Renault claims the car will set a new standard for affordable hot hatches, although it has yet to even hint about prices down under. Still, the car is coming as part of the rollout of the four-generation Clio and for the first time there will be a Renault Sport model in the baby boomer with five doors. "This GT is a first for us," the managing director of Renault Australia, Justin Hocevar, tells Carsguide. "It bridges the gap between our Clio Renault Sport and the rest of the range. Anything that brings the RS performance closer to the rest of the range is good. "Renault Sport cars are not for everyone. They are quite extreme cars. This will be more accessible. "With extra doors and transmission types it opens the door for many more people than the Renault Sport cars." The Clio GT is also coming as a wagon in Europe, but that version might not make it to Australia after a call for right-hand driver in the hauler was unsuccessful in France. "We're unlikely to see a right-hand drive version of the wagon. We have expressed interest but, sadly, the biggest right-hand drive market (Britain) didn't place much value on the vehicle," says Hocevar. Renault Sport's projects and product program director, Christophe Besseau, describes the Clio GT as a "warm" hatch. It picks up obvious RS cues including the grille, bumpers, 17-inch alloys and twin chromed exhaust tips. The car can also be ordered with special Malta Blue bodywork. The cabin, with grey trim and chromed highlights, has sports seats and steering wheel, gearshift paddles and special treatment for the dials. Standard equipment runs from touch-screen navigation with Renault's latest R-Link infotainment system, Bluetooth connectivity, a reversing camera and automatic aircon. Mechanically, the engine is a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol package with direct injection and the dual-clutch six-speed transmission has multiple driving modes. The chassis has GT suspension settings, not as extreme as a Clio RS. On the economy front, Renault says the car runs at 5.2 litres/100 kilometres with CO2 emissions of 120 grams/kilometre. Hocevar is not setting a launch date or price yet but is hoping for an early arrival following Renault Australia's success with its RS models. "Last year we jumped from second to fifth in global Renault Sport sales, behind France but ahead of Germany, the UK and Japan. We've expressed good volume ambitions for other Renault Sport vehicles." And Hocevar says the Clio GT could be a pointer to a similar car in the Megane lineup. "I think a GT version in the Megane range, one day, would be quite good," he tells Carsguide. This reporter is one Twitter @paulwardgover  

A new SUV battlefield is about to open in Australia as Renault confirms local sales of its swish new Captur crossover.The Captur is smaller than the current compact contenders - including the Honda CR-V, Hyundai ix35, Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4 - and the French brand believes it will also be a hit with younger shoppers.It is aiming for a sub-$20,000 starting price. Its most-likely rival is the Subaru XV, although Nissan is also coming soon with its funky Juke. The Captur is not a totally-done-deal yet, but everything points to sales early next year as the car is previewed in production form at the Geneva motor show."The first half of 2014 is when it's looking likely for Australia," the managing director of Renault Australia, Justin Hocevar, reveals to Carsguide. "Our business plan for Australia is looking very positive. We've still got a few hurdles to clear, but I don't think any are insurmountable. I had some very positive meetings last week in Paris."The Captur has been converted almost directly from an edgy concept car designed by its new styling chief, one-time Mazda man Laurens van den Acker. Its name has also been brought along for showrooms.Renault believes it's a city-focussed crossover and it definitely hits the same keys as the successful Range Rover Evoque, although the French brand is being more practical with a sliding rear bench seat, a multi-position boot floor, an 11-litre drawer-style glovebox and a range of infotainment systems including the R-Link approach to connectivity.It even weights the same as the latest Clio 3 to boost its efficiency. "As the brand's first urban crossover, Captur combined all the advantages of the MPV, SUV and family hatchback," says van den Acker.The Captur is based on the latest Clio compact so it's only 4.1 metres long and 1.7 metres wide, but it rolls on either 16 or 17-inch alloys and has jacked up suspension for the getaway look. Renault describes the cabin space as "generous".Keyless entry and hill-start assist are standard across the range, but Renault Australia is yet to confirm equipment including zip-off seat covers, a rear camera or the R-Link system.The mechanical focus at Geneva is on the EDC dual-clutch gearbox and turbo petrol 90 engine which gives 4.9 litres/100km, but there are two petrol and two diesel engines for the Captur. Hocevar is confident the Captur will open a new SUB category, based on its size and price."There's not a lot there in that size, especially in Australia. It's a light-class crossover, smaller than a Nissan Dualis and more like a Nissan Juke or Opel Mokka," he says."We haven't touched on the price yet. But, based on what's in the market, it's highly likely that the entry model will be in the very high teens or early $20,000s."This reporter is on Twitter @paulwardgover 

...Better Place’s decision to freeze its investment in Australia. The electric Renault was to have cost around $40,000, excluding the price of leasing the battery from Better Place. Lease deals entitled the owner to be able to pull in to a Better Place battery-swap station and exchange the pack for a fully charged one in what the company predicted would be around the same time it takes to refill a petrol-powered vehicle. The energy provider launched in 2011 with a plan to roll-out a national network of recharge points and battery-swap sites but this week announced it was withdrawing from Australia and the US to focus on the Israel and Denmark markets, where it has a more extensive recharge infrastructure. The press release also says Better Place will look for someone to take over existing customers in Australia, noting the company “is committed to finding alternative arrangements for existing customers in these markets”. Better Place is best-represented in Canberra, where 13 charge points are installed. Significantly for Renault, there are no battery-swap stations - and the Fluence ZE was specifically designed with a removable battery pack for “hot-swap” convenience. Renault Australia spokeswoman Emily Ambrosy says the Fluence ZE has been postponed “until further notice.” “The Fluence ZE launch was predicated around being able to recharge and swap batteries,” she says. “With Better Place winding down in Australia, we can’t give that flexibility to customers, so we’ve postponed it indefinitely.” A Renault press release says the company still believes in the future of electric vehicles and “will continue working towards the introduction of Renault-brand EV models in the future.” The most likely candidate is the Zoe, which is Renault’s well-shaped city car based on the Nissan Leaf powertrain and should arrive in Australia next year. GM Holden also had a deal with Better Place to provide electricity for its range-extending Volt. Holden says but isn’t as exposed due to Volt’s ability to recharge overnight off the domestic electric plug. Upgrading to 15 amp-powerpoints halves the time and Holden spokeswoman Shayna Welsh says new customers can contact ChargePoint and GE to install dedicated “quick-charge” units in homes, giving potential Volt owners a range of options. “Customers who have taken delivery of their home charge stations can continue to use them and receive power. We’re working through those issue with Better Place now, she says.”