Renault cuts cost of E-mobility

UK's first 'affordable' electric car will be available from June

The UK’s first “affordable” electric car will be available from June. The Renault Zoe is the first electric vehicle with a price tag similar to that of a comparable car with an internal combustion engine. 

A £5,000 incentive from the government’s plug-in grant brings the on-the-road price of the vehicle down to around £14,000, although customers will have to rent the lithium-ion battery from Renault for at least £70 a month.

Speaking at the launch of the Renault Zoe in Lisbon, group chief operating officer Carlos Tavares said: “Our responsibility is to bring to market products that have 0% emissions. Once you get to 0% you can’t get overtaken. It gives you the competitive edge to be there first.”

The car features a series of innovations to help improve its range on a single battery charge. Regenerative braking recovers kinetic energy from deceleration and turns it into current that recharges the battery. A heat pump warms the cabin. It traps, compresses and warms air from outside the vehicle and directs the heat into the car. Renault said the heat pump uses three times less energy than a conventional system. And energy-efficient tyres are designed to reduce the high energy losses associated with rolling resistance.

Depending on the weather conditions, the car can travel between 60 and 90 miles on a full battery in suburban areas.

Tavares said: “The automotive industry and the energy industry are working towards the same goal. Even if the two industries are not moving at the same pace, they are moving in the same direction, to sustainable renewable energy.”