Renault have unveiled the second generation Zoe fully electric two-door hatchback overnight, boasting a boosted range, a refined design, and a host of new features.
The biggest update to what is Europe's best-selling electric car is to its powertrain. It now comes with a quicker 'R135' motor in certain models, which pushes out 100kW of power and 245Nm of torque. That's enough to compress the little Zoe's 0–100km/h sprint to 10 seconds while top speed increases to 140km/h.
Renault claims the biggest improvement with the new motor is the 80–120km/h acceleration time (hello passing lanes), which is now 7.1-seconds — 2.2 seconds quicker than with the old 'R110' motor from the last-gen Zoe.
That said, the R110 motor is scheduled to remain in the line-up. For now, at least.
Along with a new motor option, the new Zoe also gets a 52kWh battery. This helps boost the hatchback's WLTP-certified range to 389km on a full charge — a 30 per cent increase despite being the same dimensions as the old battery.
Renault claim that 30 minutes of 50kW DC charging will give the Zoe approximately 145km worth of range, while plugging it into a public 22kW charger for an hour will give it 126km of range. A full overnight 7kW home charge from zero to 100 per cent is said to take just over nine hours.
All versions of the Zoe gain a new 'B mode' drive mode. This is the Renault's 'single-pedal driving' mode, similar to that featured in the new Nissan Leaf.
This in theory allows for heavy regenerative braking, with the driver able to drive around town with limited use of the actual brake pedal. However, those jarred by regenerative braking can however stick to a traditional standard 'D mode' drive mode.
Visually, not a lot has changed to the Zoe's exterior. Instead, most of the change is inside. A new dashboard layout is said to feature improved material choices. At its centre is a whopping new 9.3-inch infotainment screen and 10-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel.
The Zoe's tech also includes a new app, which allows owners to operate things like the air conditioning remotely from their smart phones. Owners can also do thing like pre-plan long journeys or check their car's range through the app.
As you'd expect, gimmicky tech features are complimented by a reasonably comprehensive suite of safety features. The Zoe gets Active Emergency Braking, lane departure warning and lane keep assist, sign recognition, blind spot assist, and more.
While the Zoe is Europe's best selling electric car, it's so far been a relatively unseen fixture on New Zealand roads. Key to improving its success here is making it more affordable. The new Zoe will need to land here for a cheaper price than the current base figure of $68,990 if it wants to be competitive.
Local pricing and availability has yet to be confirmed. But once it is, we'll keep you posted.
