Renault ZOE
Electric motoring has never been this easy
The 2016 Paris Motor Show in October saw Renault unveil and start taking orders for the new ZOE. Thanks to its innovative new Z.E. 40 battery, the driving range of the new Renault ZOE has been doubled. It is now the mass-market all-electric vehicle that is able to go the furthest on a single charge. Europe’s bestselling electric car is consequently more versatile than ever yet it continues to come with a particularly affordable price tag. Equipped with the new Z.E. 40 battery, the new ZOE is further evidence of Renault’s proactive policy as Europe’s electric vehicle pioneer and number one electric vehicle manufacturer (see box below), seeks to step up the growth of zero emission vehicles1 on an even bigger scale.
Renault has developed a suite of bespoke, innovative connected services. To simplify journeys of all types, Z.E. Trip and Z.E. Pass both make it easier to charge batteries at public charging points. These connected services will be expanded in the first half of 2017 with the introduction of a new smartphone app that will notably incorporate door-to-door navigation. Meanwhile, the ZOE’s high level of connectivity enables battery charging to be scheduled as a function of the cost and carbon credentials of the electricity uses.
Renault has also modified the ZOE range’s equipment-level structure, including the launch of a new version – the ZOE EDITION ONE/BOSE2 – which targets customers on the lookout for an exclusive package. The model’s other equipment levels feature a selection of new appointments and styling enhancements.
2017 Renault ZOE
Renault, Europe’s number one selling electric vehicle manufacturer3
- There are more than 100,000 Renault electric vehicles on the roads of Europe today.
- Renault has been Europe’s best-selling electric vehicle brand since 2010.
- More than one electric vehicle in four on the road in Europe today is a Renault4.
- In France (Europe’s leading EV market in terms of vehicle numbers), more than one electric vehicle in two is a Renault4,
- The Renault ZOE is Europe’s best-selling electric vehicle.
- The Renault Kangoo Z.E. is Europe’s best selling electric utility vehicle.
- The Renault-Nissan Alliance is the world’s number one maker of electric vehicles, accounting for more than half of all EV sales.
Double the driving range
NEDC driving range of 400 kilometres available for all motorists now thanks to the Z.E. 40 battery
With double the driving range, the new ZOE covers a wider range of needs while remaining the market’s most affordable electric car.
Electric vehicles more versatile than ever
Fitted with the new Z.E. 40 battery, the ZOE delivers double the NEDC5 driving range compared with when it was first released, i.e. 400 kilometres. That’s equivalent to a real-world range of 300 kilometres in urban or suburban areas. Users no longer need to worry about charging their car as often and can put it to a wider variety of uses. The ZOE’s new driving range also removes the final psychological barrier that stands in the way of buying an electric car.
ZOE users can now travel more freely with double the driving range, taking longer trips than before and even unplanned journeys.
– Owners can travel twice as far on a single charge, which means they can now go away for the weekend in their ZOE without having to charge its battery mid-journey.
Ever since it was launched, the ZOE has provided a viable alternative to internal combustion-engined cars for short daily commutes. In fact, the average daily commute of 80 percent of European motorists is much less than 60 kilometres.
– For this type of journey, ZOE users now only need to charge their car half as often because the driving range has been doubled. This means a single charge will last for a whole working week, from Monday to Friday, for instance. The longest driving range of any currently available mass-market all-electric vehicle Renault was the first car maker in Europe to believe in fully electric vehicles and the ZOE was the first massmarket electric vehicle to deliver an NEDC driving range of more than 200km.
Today, Renault continues to be one step ahead of the competition: fitted with the Z.E 40 battery, the ZOE boasts the longest driving range of any currently-available mass-market fully electric car.
– The first new ZOEs will be on the road by the end of the year. The car is built at Renault’s Flins plant, near Paris, France. Order books opened on October 1 at the Paris Motor Show for all European countries except the UK, which began to take orders on November 1.
Electric motoring at its most affordable
Innovation only makes sense for Renault if it can be shared by everyone. This is even truer for electric vehicles because they need to be used on a large scale to effectively address today’s environmental challenges. In developing all-electric vehicles, Renault is breaking new ground in the car industry while introducing affordable technology for mainstream buyers.
In addition to being an electric vehicle pioneer, Groupe Renault still stands out as the only car maker to offer a full range of readily affordable all-electric vehicles. Its line-up covers a wide variety of uses, from the ZOE city car and the Kangoo Z.E. light commercial vehicle, to the Twizy urban quadricycle and RSM’s status-enhancing SM3 Z.E. saloon car in South Korea.
– The ZOE is in the same price range as equivalent internal combustion-engined models in many countries where tax incentives have been introduced to promote environmentally-friendly cars. It is also economical to run because of low electricity prices for charging and low maintenance costs.
– In the electric vehicle market, the new ZOE is very competitively priced, regardless of equipment level or country.
– With an NEDC driving range of 400 kilometres, the new ZOE offers unbeatable value for money, outperforming its competitors in many markets.
Charging times still just as fast courtesy of the CaméléonTM charger
The ZOE can be charged quickly thanks to the Renault-patented CaméléonTM smart charger which adapts to the different power levels available at charging points for maximum efficiency.
- It takes just 30 minutes on average to charge an extra 80 kilometres of driving range when the ZOE is plugged into one of the many public charging points available across Europe6.
- Using the Quick Charge feature, the ZOE can benefit from the fast charging points located notably along motorway corridors. The ZOE can be charged with an extra 120 kilometres of range7 in 30 minutes on average at fast charging points.
The CaméléonTM charger charges the ZOE at a rate that is two to six times faster than any other massmarket electric car at most of the public charging points available (with power levels of between 22 and 43kW).
The CaméléonTM charger is a built-in charger. Users simply need to plug the ZOE into the charging station from the car’s single charge point.
Harnessing advanced technology
The new battery, which was developed jointly by Renault and LG Chem, is largely responsible for achieving the NEDC driving range of 400 kilometres, together with the ZOE’s outstanding energy efficiency.
The market’s highest energy-density battery
The ZOE’s new Z.E. 40 battery boasts 41kWh of useful energy, equivalent to almost double the storage capacity of that of a standard battery (i.e. 22kWh of useful energy).
The energy density of the Z.E. 40 battery has been boosted – a major innovation developed in close partnership with LG Chem. This involved increasing the battery’s storage capacity without making it bigger or a lot heavier. The ZOE’s new battery has the highest energy density on the market.
Like a standard 22kWh battery, the Z.E. 40 battery has 192 cells and 12 modules, but almost double the storage capacity. This was achieved by improving the chemistry of the battery cells and adding active materials.
– The chemistry of the battery cells has been improved. Electrochemists varied the amounts of the different materials used to make the cells, adding more metals which store energy.
– The amount of active materials in the cells has been increased, while ensuring that each module stayed the same size. The engineers succeeded in increasing the active surface area by 10 percent by optimising the battery cell design. They also made the battery cells thicker and reduced the empty space between the cells. This new innovative battery doubles the ZOE’s driving range compared with when the model was first launched. However, it does not change the car’s structure or any other features, such as charging time, speed or compatibility with different charging points. It was also developed without sacrificing reliability or safety.
A highly energy-efficient car
The battery’s large storage capacity converts directly into extended range for the car. When fitted with the Z.E. 40 battery, the ZOE boasts one of the best NEDC driving range to battery storage capacity ratios.
Energy efficiency gains have been achieved thanks to the meticulous work that went into integrating the new battery in the vehicle, as well as to the ZOE’s fundamental technical qualities.
– An innovation previously developed for Scandinavian countries has been used to improve the battery’s thermal management to ensure that it operates efficiently even when it is very cold outside. The new air circulation system has been designed to maintain the temperature of the Z.E. 40 battery at a constant level, between 15 and 18°C, whatever the weather.
– The ZOE boasts a highly energy-efficient motor and an improved electronic management system for the battery which caps the car’s energy use during operation while delivering the same power. The R908 is an all- Renault motor which was released in early 2015, providing the model with an extra 30 kilometres of NEDC driving range.
– The ZOE embodies the group’s excellence in electric vehicle design and has spearheaded Renault’s Z.E. technology since its launch, benefiting in particular from regenerative braking and heat pumps to maximise driving range.
Testimony to Renault’s electric vehicle expertise
All the group’s mass-market electric vehicles are designed and developed by designers and engineers working out of the Renault Technocentre in Guyancourt near Paris. Its EVs are also all produced at group plants. Renault’s expertise in electric vehicles is mainly based in France, home to the make’s high value-added design and production operations. Renault is responsible for the design, development and production of the ZOE, as well as most of its mechanical components.
– More than 60 patents were filed during the development of the ZOE which was the first car in Europe designed exclusively to accommodate all-electric technology. The ZOE offers a range of innovative features to make motoring easier and more enjoyable.
– The ZOE is manufactured at Renault’s Flins plant, near Paris, on the same assembly line as the Renault Clio.
– The new Z.E. 40 battery and the existing 22kWh battery are also assembled at Renault’s Flins plant.
– 95 patents were filed for the ZOE’s new 100-percent Renault R90 motor. One of the motor’s major innovations is the miniaturisation of its Power Electronic Controller, a unit which is 25 percent smaller than the previous model and which includes the junction box, the power electronics unit and the CaméléonTM charger.
– The R90 motor is manufactured at Renault’s Cléon plant in Normandy, a flagship production facility specialising in high value-added engines and gearboxes (Energy engines, Renault Sport engines, etc.).
– The ZOE’s battery housing and front and rear suspensions are also 100-percent Renault components. They are produced at Renault’s Le Mans plant in central France and were designed and developed by Groupe Renault’s Chassis and Electric Vehicle Engineering Department.
Groupe Renault has gained substantial expertise in electric vehicles as the benchmark in the fields of both production and racing cars. In addition to its status as a pioneer and the leader of the electric vehicle market in Europe, Renault is a driving force behind the success of the FIA Formula E Championship which features allelectric single-seater cars racing in city centres around the world. Renault has been involved in the FIA Formula E Championship as a technical and sporting partner since the competition’s inaugural season in 2014/2015. In 2015/2016, in addition to securing the Drivers’ crown, it claimed the Teams’ title for the second year running with Renault-e.dams.
– With the goal of continuous improvement, the cutting-edge technology developed by Renault for motorsport can be carried across to Renault’s mass-market electric cars.
Driving enjoyment still unparalleled
Driving a Renault electric car is a surprising blend of punchy performance and peace and quiet. Acceleration and pickup are brisk from low speeds and there is no engine noise or vibrations.
The ZOE is responsive, easy to handle and enjoyable to drive, with a chassis tailored to the specific characteristics of electric vehicles and specially tuned steering, tyres and shock absorbers.
- The R90 electric motor instantly delivers maximum torque of 225Nm, producing brisk acceleration and pickup from low speeds. The car effectively accelerates from a standstill to 50kph – the normal speed limit in city driving situations – in just four seconds.
- Acceleration is smooth and linear with no gearshifts. Drivers feel like they have the best automatic transmission on the market.
Because the ZOE is an electric car, it is quiet and restful to drive, with no engine noise or vibrations. - The noise levels measured inside the ZOE’s cabin at speeds of between 40 and 75kph range from 60 to 65dB. That’s two to three times quieter than an equivalent internal combustion-engined car.
- The ZOE also offers a host of equipment dedicated to wellbeing, including pre-conditioning. Thanks to this feature, the cabin is just the right temperature (21°C) when the driver gets into the car. Other features include a toxicity sensor and an air ioniser for a more relaxing drive.
Extended connectivity
The ZOE is an inherently connected car and now features some new connected services to make the driver’s everyday life easier.
Z.E. Trip and Z.E. Pass facilitate access to charging stations across Europe
Z.E. Trip and Z.E. Pass make charging simpler at public charging points so the ZOE can be used for all types of trips – short, long, regular or occasional.
Using the ZOE’s navigation system to locate available charging points
The Z.E. Trip application allows drivers to plan trips in their ZOE in complete peace of mind. The service locates publicly accessible charging stations in the main European countries and provides real-time information about each station, such as availability, charging rates and plug types.
– Z.E. Trip is an application of the Renault R-LINK multimedia system fitted to the ZOE. Drivers can select a charging point and start navigation.
– Drivers can also access this information on the internet if they want to plan their trip ahead of time.
– Z.E. Trip indicates whether a charging point is available so there is no wait.
– Thanks to this application, ZOE drivers can also use the service to select charging points by charging type, charging capacity and speed.
Z.E. Trip will be released in Germany in December 2016. It will then be launched over the next few months in France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
Using the driver’s smartphone to pay for charging irrespective of the charging station’s operator or country The Z.E. Pass application lets drivers pay for charging their ZOE at most charging stations located along their itinerary in Europe.
– ZOE drivers can locate available charging stations and compare prices directly on their smartphone or tablet.
– At the vast majority of stations, they can pay ‘per charge’ and do not need to be a registered member of each network of charging points.
– The payment is made using the smartphone app or an RFID9 payment card issued by a dealership.
Developed in partnership with Bosch, Z.E. Pass was released in Germany in September 2016 and will be rolled out over the coming months in France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
A network of charging points that is still expanding quickly
Renault encourages the development of charging points in both public and private locations.
- The number of public charging stations has been growing each year by 30 to 60 percent since 2013. Charging infrastructure is expected to grow at a faster pace in the years ahead.
- There are currently more than 100,000 charging points globally, including 80,000 in Europe. In France for instance, the number of charging stations now stands at 15,000 and is expected to reach around 40,000 by the end of 2017.
In association with public authorities and other EV players like energy suppliers, Renault is involved in several projects to install fast charging points along Europe’s main motorway corridors and trunk roads. These stations can charge the ZOE with between 80 and 120 kilometres of range in 30 minutes10.
There are about 2,300 fast charging points in more than a dozen European countries. Renault is involved in EU-funded projects to increase their number, including the following:
- As part of the Corri-Door pilot project, nearly 200 fast charging stations have been installed in France – one charging station every 80 kilometres.
- The Fast-E project aims to install 241 charging points in Germany by mid-2017, plus 37 in Belgium by the end of 2016.
- A similar project will see the installation of an additional 30 charging points in the Czech Republic and Slovakia by the end of 2017.
The development of public charging points has a key role to play in boosting the growth of the electric vehicle market.
Even though most people’s main charging point is at home, the increase in the number of public charging points is a way of promoting the use of electric vehicles. It is also reassuring for motorists who are still hesitating to buy an electric vehicle.
New functions for the Z.E. smartphone application to simplify everyday motoring
From the first half of 2017, drivers will benefit from a more advanced connection between their vehicle and smartphone.
Door-to-door navigation
The existing features of the Z.E. smartphone application will shortly be boosted by the addition of ‘door-to-door’ navigation.
Thanks to this facility, ZOE drivers will be able to programme and follow an itinerary from start to finish, both via the car’s navigation system when they are behind the wheel of their vehicle and via their smartphone when on foot.
– Users select their destination via the dedicated smartphone application, which in turn communicates it to the ZOE’s navigation system, Renault R-LINK. This means that upon entering the vehicle, the driver’s chosen itinerary has already been automatically pre-programmed.
– The application also enables drivers to locate where they have parked their ZOE and guides them to their vehicle.
– Once the ZOE is parked, the driver’s smartphone takes over from the on-board navigation system to guide them through the remaining metres on foot to their destination.
Journey management
The Z.E. smartphone application will be enhanced further by a variety of new features designed to supply the driver with connected information relating to previous journeys.
As a result, ZOE drivers benefit from a veritable on-board computer on their smartphone, which displays the following information:
- Average energy consumption, average speed, distance covered, tyre pressures, notification of dashboard warnings, etc.
They also have access to information linked to Renault’s in-car R-LINK technology:
- An accurate history of journeys completed over the course of the previous 30 days,
- Their eco-driving scores courtesy of the Driving ECO2 system, as well as advice on how to improve their skills.
Controlling the vehicle remotely
There are already functions that connect the ZOE to its user’s smartphone, particularly in terms of helping them to manage battery charging remotely. This enables drivers to take full advantage of every moment that their vehicle is parked for charging purposes.
Thanks to the ZOE’s remote charging information service, drivers benefit from information in real time.
– This includes the vehicle’s level of charge, estimated remaining range, time left until charging is complete (when the ZOE is plugged in), etc.
– Drivers receive alerts notifying them of when charging begins and ends.
With the ZOE’s remote monitoring service, drivers can interact with their vehicle from a distance by:
- Programming battery charging.
- Programming the cabin’s preconditioned temperature, particularly when the ZOE is charging in order to make full use of the vehicle’s operating range once on the move.
Smart charging projects to favour the growth of electric vehicles
For several years, Renault has been active in a number of innovative projects in the realm of smart charging in association with various partners from the energy and electric mobility sectors in Europe. Examples include The Mobility House in Germany and LomboXnet and Jedlix in the Netherlands. These projects control and optimise electric vehicle charging, in particular by taking advantage of the ZOE’s first-class connectivity.
Low-cost and low-carbon charging
The projects developed by Renault and its partners allow for the vehicle to be charged at the optimum moments, when electricity is at its lowest cost. In the vast majority of cases, low-cost electricity also means lowcarbon electricity.
– Charging begins when the cost of electricity is low, which essentially corresponds to a significant degree of electricity production via renewable energy (wind, solar, etc.).
These projects yield concrete and immediate results for the user.
– By way of example, the results of the experiment conducted jointly in Germany by The Mobility House and Renault revealed that ZOE drivers halved their battery charging-related electricity costs in a single year. Since the beginning of 2016, they have charged their vehicles using almost 9MWh of green electricity, thereby avoiding the atmospheric emission of the equivalent of 4.7 tonnes of CO2. What’s more, 98 percent of them profess themselves satisfied, as these savings are achieved without impacting upon either comfort or ease of use.
Electric-vehicle ecosystem benefits
Building upon the results of these pilot projects, Renault and its partners are exploring a more complex level of smart charging. Innovative solutions allow the system to exchange even more information with the vehicle – such as its charging status – while at the same time retrieving important data from the national electricity network, like the levels of supply and demand and cost. By cross-referencing all of this, the smart charging system is able to establish a battery charging schedule and typology.
By providing its partners with relevant information about the vehicle in real time, Renault enables electricity network managers to optimise the balance between supply and demand, which in turn enhances the network’s technical and economic efficiency.
– This provision of information translates into financial savings for ZOE users, further reducing running costs which – thanks to Renault’s research which enables charging to take place when electricity is cheaper – are already impressively low.
Smart charging is essential to ensure the continuing expansion of electric vehicle use, while guaranteeing an efficient and competitive national electricity network.
– In using the network outside of peak consumption, electric vehicle charging does not result in any congestion and does not require the introduction of additional electrical infrastructure.
Finally, smart charging has a role to play in the acceleration of energy transition. Due to its intermittent nature, it is difficult for electricity networks to manage renewable energy. Thanks to smart charging, however, this is no longer a drawback, since it enables supply to be matched to demand.
– The large-scale expansion of smart charging is likely to encourage the production of green energy, which means the CO2 emissions associated with electric vehicles – as with any electricity-consuming sector – will be significantly reduced.
More choices and enhanced finishes
The launch of the new ZOE has been accompanied by developments across the model range, offering customers greater freedom of choice and enhancing travelling comfort.
An exclusive version: the ZOE EDITION ONE/BOSE
Renault has introduced a new version of the ZOE, with key features being its premium leather upholstery and BOSE® audio. This version will be marketed in France as the limited-edition ‘EDITION ONE’, while the ZOE ‘BOSE’ will be an equipment level in its own right elsewhere in Europe.
Elegant styling
Designed primarily for customers looking for exclusive features, the ZOE EDITION ONE/BOSE places the focus firmly on style and elegance.
– In addition to the other body colours available for the model, the ZOE EDITION ONE/BOSE can be specified in an exclusive Yttrium Grey finish.
– The version sports 17-inch Techrun wheels in France, and new 16-inch diamond-effect Shadow Black wheels elsewhere in Europe.
– The interior benefits from premium leather upholstery featuring a soft, smooth finish that is the fruit of a painstaking selection process. The elegant finish of the Pailleté Brown hide (gussets on the cushions and seat backs, top-stitching, hot-stamped embossed driver’s headrest, etc.) further enhances the seats’ smart look.
– The gold-hued dashboard trim contrasts with the gloss Fumé Grey metallic finish of the air vent surrounds, R-LINK console, interior door handles, loudspeaker surrounds, gear lever baseplate and steering wheel insert. The door panel inserts are trimmed in Fumé Grey, while the front arm rests are covered in a pleasing Metallic Brown fabric. Front door sills engraved with the name of the version and plush carpet mats round out the exclusive package.
The last word in comfort
Conspicuously free of any engine noise or associated vibrations, the ZOE’s cabin is the ideal environment in which to enjoy BOSE® quality sound. The premium BOSE® audio system of the ZOE EDITION ONE/BOSE comprises seven harmoniously distributed loudspeakers.
– The four high-performance loudspeakers ensure a rich, enveloping sound: two neodymium bass speakers – specially developed for their light weight – are built into the front doors, with two full-range loudspeakers similarly incorporated into the rear doors.
– Located in the dashboard, the two 2.5cm tweeters ensure clear, balanced sound reproduction.
– The subwoofer can be found in the boot and generates deep bass notes. It benefits from BOSE®’s waveguide speaker technology, which – notwithstanding the subwoofer’s compact dimensions – spreads the sound throughout the vehicle for clear, precise playback of even the very lowest notes.
The ZOE EDITION ONE/BOSE also places the accent on thermal and postural comfort.
– Its heated front seats offer three different temperature levels for immediate comfort.
– The driver’s seat is equipped with lumbar support that can be manually adjusted to suit all builds.
New features for other equipment levels
The new ZOE range includes two new body colours and new features for the INTENS version.
New body colours
For added choice, the ZOE is now available with two new exterior colours, namely Intense Red and Titanium Grey.
INTENS equipment level upgraded
The INTENS equipment level now includes electrically-folding door mirrors and new 16-inch two-tone aluminium alloy wheels.
Its interior design is darker than before.
– Black is used extensively throughout the cabin, notably for the new upholstery.
– The version’s predominantly dark interior includes chrome highlights for the R-LINK console surround, dashboard, door handles and gearshift knob, while the steering wheel insert and air vent and loudspeaker surrounds are all picked out in black.
– Laser-finished dashboard strip with subtle decorative motif.
Customers can alternatively opt for a more contrasting interior, courtesy of a blue interior pack available as an option.
In conjunction with the black, blue is employed for the upholstery (centre panels of the front and rear seats, topstitching) and features like the dashboard beading, gear lever baseplate and air vent and front loudspeaker surrounds).
Finally, the arm rests built into the front door panels benefit from a new pleasant-to-the-touch fabric.
