Renault ZOE — The Unexpected European Summer Champion

I keep writing biased articles. First it was Fastned, then the Citroën MPV, and now my current love and daily driver, the ZOE.

When lounging with our CEO in the penthouse gardens on top of CleanTechnica World Headquarters, we realized that the world is sometimes different from what we expect. It was one of those moments when you are surprised because you think you know how the world looks. The best selling BEV in the first half of 2020 was never in doubt — only it was another BEV.

June was a record-breaking month for our #RenaultZOE, with more than 11,000 customer orders in Europe! ⚡🇪🇺🏆 France, the largest market for @Groupe_Renault's 100% #electric city car, also broke records with 3 times as many orders as in June 2019. A big thank you to all of you! pic.twitter.com/kBClfedUOq

— Groupe Renault | Electric (@GroupeRenaultEV) July 2, 2020

Last year, the Renault ZOE got a make-over. Nicer face, sexy back, soft leather seats, stronger motor, bigger battery, and about a hundred other little and not so little improvements. But still, it is an eight-year-old model with a face-lift. It is not the next generation of this car. That one is expected in 2022.

The ZOE is not a very impressive car. Its range is just under 400 km. It is not a cheap car. And there are a lot of new competitors, like Mini, Honda, MG, Peugeot, Opel, etc. But the looks are modern, like those new kids on the block. The performance is above average, the price is below average, and it is known. It has a great reputation.

In markets where there is demand for a city car with limited range, the ZE40 R90 is available. For those that like more range, there is the ZE50 R110. And the really demanding can get the ZE50 R135.

And still no explanation why this oldie appears as this year’s summer champion.

Another card up its sleeve is the battery leasing option. Many people expect the same degradation and early retirement from EV batteries as they have experienced with laptop and telephone batteries. It lowers the list price (by a lot) and replaces a big risk by peace of mind.

It is like all the pieces are coming together. The ZOE offers choice, attractive looks, reasonable price, decent performance, no-risk battery, all at once.

ZOE started the year great by tripling its sales year over year to 9,782. Then its markets closed due to that tiny visitor from the Far East, the coronavirus. Now it is back again with a vengeance. In June, it scored well over 11,000 registrations in Europe, a new record for the car.

It makes one wonder what to expect the rest of the year from the ZOE and its many competitors.