MBR SEPTEMBER ALL LR

Malta Business Review
AUTO REVIEW
The new Renault Zoe –
enjoyable and hassle-free
by George Carol
This supermini-sized electric car is an EV that
has been designed as one from the ground
up, with Renault’s glamourising the design,
and manufacturing a fantastically affordable
EV. Normally electric cars tend to be on the
high side, this time Renault have made the
price as the key USP.
If there is to be a global transition from
combustion-engine to electrically powered
cars, it has not thus far proved quick, smooth
or particularly profitable for the car makers
leading the field. However, with the Renault
Zoe, this difficulty has been avoided. The
Renault Zoe has been conceived as an
electric vehicle from the outset. After driving
Renault’s titchy eco-warrior for a few hours
around the suburbs of Mosta, Mdina and
Rabat, it’s much easier to believe that it makes
perfect sense even for business organisations
requiring an economically reliable company
vehicle. Maybe enough for a working week if
the owner cannot be bothered plugging the
Type 2 charge cable into the socket behind
the Zoe’s frontal Renault badge. The Zoe is a
remarkably pleasant car to drive. As with any
EV there is that initial moment of eeriness
when you turn the key, or press the start
button. It comes equipped with GPS satellite
navigation system and there is no noise and
no vibration. Initial acceleration is as strong
as could be needed for a city commuter and
Renault reckons the Zoe will hit 50km/h from
standstill in 4.1 seconds, although it takes
longer to wind-up to the next bit and zero to
100km/h is a 13.2 second wait.
What is far more impressive is the almost
total silence in which this all happens and
the smooth building of speed without
any mechanical vibration at all. To protect
pedestrians from having a Zoe creep and
skittle them, Renault have added what it calls
a “ZE Voice”, in fact a roiling, humming note
similar to Luke Skywalker’s waving lightsabre.
The electric motor turns into a generator to
charge the batteries when the driver backs
off the accelerator pedal or brakes, but there
is very little of the disconcerting retardation
caused by heavy power regeneration some
EVs can exhibit. The rear hatch reveals quite
an amount of luggage space and overall a
smooth ride is guaranteed.
My conclusion: no other electric car drives as
enjoyable and hassle free as the Zoe. MBR
Renault Zoe comes highly equipped and includes amongst other things; ABS, climate
control, front and rear electric windows, automatic lights and wipers, 16”alloy wheels, touch
screen with navigation system and R-Link, ISO FIX seats and day time running lights. The
Zoe is now covered by 5 years warranty or 100,000km whichever comes first and includes
a wall box for easy charging at home. As I write this, there have been further changes to the
government subsidies on electric vehicles and plug in hybrid. So, in addition to the existing €
5,000 subsidy and € 3,000 if you choose to scrap a car then you will benefit from removal of
registration tax and free road licence for 5 years. The purchase price now hovers in between
€20,000* with all subsidies deducted to €23,000* (without scrappage scheme). The other
advantages of owning a Zoe includes low cost of ownership and reduction of your carbon
footprint which is becoming a major consideration for everyone.
*Prices are approximate calculations
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