Renault Zoe Review

The Renault Zoe is a one of the best, cheap all-electric cars in the UK for both range and price. Read about charging, range and price to help decide if it's the EV for you.

Review: Is the Renault Zoe the EV for you?

The Renault Zoe offers great affordable electric cars with longer than average driving ranges. Those in the market for a cheap EV should consider the Zoe.

By driving an EV like the Zoe, the average electric car driver can save over £800 a year in fuel each year vs a petrol car. Assuming an electricity cost of 16.3p/kWh, a full charge on the Renault Zoe Z.E. 50 R110 costs around £8.50. That's an energy cost of only around 4.3p per mile, which is 70% less than the average cost of petrol of 15.8p per mile.

The Zoe's 50 kWh battery can achieve an 80% charge in as little as an hour on a rapid 50kWh charger (often found in motorway service centers)—if you've paid an extra £1,000 for the Rapid Charge option. If you expect to make regular long journeys then paying for the Rapid Charge feature could be a lifesaver. No one wants to sit at a charging point for over an hour and a half—there are only so many cups of coffee you can drink.

In the interest of saving energy, you might not be looking for quick acceleration from your fully electric car. Even so, be aware that the R110 is one of the slower EVs available in the UK, taking 11.4 seconds to bring the car up to 60 mph. If you're after a faster car, you can upgrade to the R135 (0-60mph time of 9.5 seconds) or opt for one of the UK's Fastest Electric Cars.

Renault Zoe Key Features

Range & Battery

The Renault Zoe now has a 50 kWh battery that delivers around 200 miles of charge on average, depending on speed and temperature. For example, the Zoe can drive an average of 230 miles in summer and 165 miles in colder winter months. Those driving primarily in the city will achieve even higher ranges while those spending most of the time on the motorway will get less range from their car.

Charging

A Renault Zoe will charge at different rates, depending on the type of charging point you plug into and whether or not you bought the Rapid Charge option. The type of charge point determines the speed at which electricity flows into the car. For example, a 2.3 kWh domestic socket takes roughly 20 times longer than a rapid 43 kWh charger, commonly found at motorway service centers.

The Rapid Charge option is available as an upgrade at a cost of £1,000. You can see approximate times to achieve an 80% charge in the table below.

With the Zoe, you'll receive a free 7 kWh Chargemaster Homecharger (i.e., a "wallbox"), subject to conditions. Renault is able to supply this wallbox thanks to the OLEV (Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme) subsidy of £500.00 (including VAT).

Ports

The Zoe's Chameleon Charger™ is compatible with various power sockets and sources, enabling charging between 3 kWh and 22 kWh, with the option of 50kW DC rapid charging. Using the Chameleon Charger you should be able to charge at most charging points you'll encounter in the UK.

Trim

The Renault Zoe comes in three trim levels: Play, Iconic and GT Line. You can see a selection of some features that come as standard with the different trim levels in the table below. Each model includes features of the model above, plus additional features. For complete details, you can find the Zoe brochure here.

Prices

You can get behind the wheel of a Renault Zoe Play for as little as £26,195, but other Zoe trims levels cost a few thousand more. The following table includes "on the road" (OTR) prices for the various Zoe trim options, net of the £3,000 government grant.

Battery Hire

Renault has stopped offering battery hire as an option to reduce the purchase price of the Zoe.