Renault had previously unveiled under the Zoe name a number of different concept cars. Initially in 2005 as the Zoe City Car and later as the Zoe Z.E. electric concept was shown in two different versions in 2009 and 2010 under the Renault Z.E. name. A production ready version of the Zoe was shown at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show with sales expected by Autumn 2012.[2]
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| 'Renault Zoe City Car 2005 |
1 Concepts
1.1 Zoe City Car Concept (2005)
1.2 Zoe Concept (2009)
1.3 Zoe Preview (2010)
2 Production version
3 Name controversy
4 References
5 See also
6 External links
[edit]Concepts
Zoe City Car Concept (2005)
'Renault Zoe City Car 2005
The Renault Zoe City Car concept (or Z17) was shown at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show[3] featuring 3 seats, the 3.45m long open top vehicle was proposed as an urban focussed car.[4] This Zoe had no connection with the later electric Zoe concept to follow four years later.
Zoe Concept (2009)
Renault Zoe Z.E. Concept 2009
The Renault Zoe Concept was shown to the public in 2009 at the Frankfurt Motor Show to show the company's vision for a Clio sized electric car.[5] It was powered by a 95 bhp (71 kW; 96 PS) electric motor (mounted at the front) and lithium-ion batteries (under the seats). It was estimated it would have a With range of 100 miles and a top speed of 90 mph (140 km/h), and could be charged at a conventional 230 V socket, or fast-charged from a high-voltage supply to 80 per cent in only 20 minutes. A third innovative option was to swap the batteries for a new pack at a Renault Quickdrop centre.[6]
The design was tear-drop shaped featuring a see-through roof features solar panels which run the air-conditioning system [7] and gull-wing doors. A new climate control system was also shown. developed with L'Oréal, which could spray essential oils into the interior to cut out harmful exterior smells, or rehydrate the interior to prevent skin drying out.
Zoe Preview (2010)
Renault Zoe Preview 2010
The Zoe Preview was a substantially revised version of the Zoe concept was shown to the public at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, and was claimed to be a near-definitive representation (90% showroom ready) of the car that will make production in 2012. Many of the existing design features of the 2009 concept model were discarded such as the gull-wing doors.
The technical specifications had changed from the 2009 version with the power of the electric motor reduced to 79 bhp (59 kW; 80 PS), a reduced top speed of 84 mph (135 km/h), but still with a 100-mile range.[8] It was suggested that the Zoe ZE would be priced from €15,000.
A planned Renault battery plant near Paris that will supply batteries for the vehicle was delayed due to technical constraints. Construction will start in the second quarter of 2012 and production of batteries is expected to be delayed to 2014 or 2015. Instead, Renault will have to buy batteries from a joint venture between Nissan Motor and NEC, and from LG Chem of South Korea.[10]
Production version
The production version of the Zoe was announced in March 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show. Similar to the 2010 version and the design credited to Jean Semeris, it is a five-door supermini at 4080mm long, a little longer than the Renault Clio.[11] The Renault Zoe is schedule for market launch in France by the third quarter of 2012. In France the Zoe starts at €20,700(US$27,250) before applying the existing €5,000 (US$6,580) tax incentive, plus a monthly fee for the battery. The cost of leasing the battery for 36 months starts from €79/month (US$104/month) for an annual distance travelled of 12,500 km (7,800 mi) and includes comprehensive breakdown assistance.[1]
The Zoe is powered by a 22 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, driving a 87 bhp (65 kW; 88 PS) synchronous electric motor. Maximum torque in 220 N·m (162 lb-ft) with a top speed of 135 km/h (84 mph). The NEDC cycle range is 210 km (130 mi). Renault estimates that in suburban use, the Zoe can achieve around 100 km (62 mi) in cold weather and 150 km (93 mi) in temperate conditions. The car features a charging system called “Caméléon” charger that allows the Zoe to be charged at any level of power, taking between 30 minutes and nine hours.
