Update: Some of the specs in this article & title were initially incorrect. They have been updated and should be correct now.
The Renault Zoe is the best-selling electric car in France and the second best-selling electric car in Europe behind its cousin, the Nissan LEAF. Later this year, a restyled and updated version will begin production at the Renault factory in Flins where capacity is being boosted from 220 cars a day to 440 cars a day. The new Zoe will feature a battery pack with new cell chemistry and a more powerful 109 horsepower motor. Range using the new WLTP standard is given as 250 miles, according to a report by French news source L’Argus.
Appearance-wise, the new car will closely resemble the current model with some styling cues taken from the Zoe e-Sport as driven by Fully Charged in 2017. New interior appointments will closely resemble the upcoming Renault Clio 5. “Like the Clio 5, the Zoe will offer level 2 of autonomous driving with Lane Keeping Assist, Active Cruise Control and a Traffic Jam system that will allow it to stop and restart without the intervention of the driver,” says L’Argus.
Eric Feuteun, director of the electric car program for Renault, says the new Zoe will have an onboard 3 phase 22 kW charger and will be compatible with CCS Combo chargers with up to 100 kW of power.
The Zoe currently starts at €33,000, but L’Argus expects the new car will list for €30,000 in order to compete successfully with the new Volkswagen ID branded electric car expected to go on sale in Europe later this year, which is expected to start at €28,000. Also, PSA group has a new electric Peugeot 208 arriving this fall as well.
No further details about the new Zoe are available at this time, although Renault may have more to say about the car at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Two things stand out in what we know so far. One, the price of batteries must be coming down if the new car will sell for less than the current model but have more range.
Two, WLPT is better than the old European standard but is still optimistic compared to EPA ratings. If the Zoe ever crossed the Atlantic to America, which is unlikely, its EPA range would probably be more like 220 miles of range. Still, an updated, peppier car for less money is a good thing and proof that the electric car revolution continues to move in the right direction.
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