SPY PICS: Renault Zoe EV

Taking a Leaf from Nissan, Renault is well on the way towards introduction of its electric city car, the cutely-named Zoe.

To be based on the Clio-size Zoe Preview concept car first shown ay the 2010 Paris motor show, the little five-door hatch, photographed by the
Carparazzi team somewhere in a European deep freeze during winter testing, will use the drivetrain of Nissan’s Leaf EV.

There is plenty of camouflaging, but the lines indicate Renault’s promise that the production car will represent 90 per cent of the Paris show car is not likely to be an empty one.

With a power output of 60kW and a maximum torque of 222Nm, the zingy Zoe is said to have a cruising range of around 160km.

It is expected the production car will offer the same charging alternatives as the Zoe Preview: Full charge taking from six to eight hours depending on the power source; Quick charge in either 10 minutes for a 50km range; a 30 minute charge taking battery capacity up to 80 per cent, or a “Quickdrop” three-minute battery exchange.

Renault executives have announced a higher-power version of the Zoe with something like 100kW and 271Nm will follow, probably in 2013. The company has also said the up-powered Zoe, which has been developed basically alongside the 60kW version, won’t be compromised a lot in terms of cruising range.

The “regular” Zoe will precede the gutsier version with a European introduction happening before the end of this year. The car will be built at Renault’s Flins plant in France.

Renault will have its family-size EV, the Fluence ZE, on sale in Australia within the next few months – the first electric car of its size to arrive in the country.

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