Renault zaps EV market

Renault New Zealand has sparked up the EV market, today announcing the cutesy Zoe will be sold here – without a shocking pricetag.

The Zoe – a European favourite in the electric car space – is no slouch on spec either – it uses the company’s Range OptimiZEr system to give it a useful 250km range.

The Zoe’s top speed is 135km/h, and with its 65kW wound rotor electric engine it can hit 50km/h in four seconds and the legal limit in 13.5s.

Full torque 220Nm is on tap from just 250rpm.

Zoe, selling from slightly over $65,000 marks Renault NZ’s first all-electric model, and comes with a 3-year/100,000km warranty and 5-year warranty on the battery.

Renault engineers have pushed hard to milk every last possible drop of charge that it can to improve range. A new, advanced regenerative braking system sucks up power under braking and deceleration; the heat pump maintains maximum range while heating is being used; and Michelin’s ENERGYTM E-V tyres are just part of getting every last kilometre out of the car on a single charge.