IF you want something different by Australian standards, how about a Zoe?
It’s Renault’s all-electric littly and anyone with close on $50,000 can now have one.
The cars, which look like somewhat like the offspring of a Clio, is popular in Europe where its sales have sparked up 44per cent for a 24per cent of the Euro electric car market.
It’s a product of the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance, which says it is the world leader in electric vehicles and Groupe Renault has been the leader in Europe for the past four years.
Globally, one in every five electric car sales is a Renault and at last count 170,000 people had bought a Zoe.
Its proper name is the Renault ZE, the letters standing for Zero Emission.
Guess the marketing folk decided to put an ‘o’ in the middle to avoid terms like ‘look, zere goes a a Renaultze’ or ‘’ave you seen ze new automobile from Renault? It does not have ze engine.’
In fact, nine years ago a a French lass named Zoe Renault, tried to stop the company from naming their little electricar the Renault Zoe.
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She couldn’t bear the thought of people saying their “Zoe is being overhauled” or that “Zoe has broken down.” Maybe also “Zoe is being charged.”
Despite her anguish, Renault went ahead and the supermini is all over the show in Europe these days.
It’s been available to Australian fleet owners since 2017 and Renault Australia has now expanded its electric vehicle dealer network so that private buyers can also get a taste of silent, fume-free driving without the need to ever worry about the price of petrol, or diesel.
“We look forward to being at the forefront of the inevitable move towards electric vehicles,” Renault Australia’s Andrew Moore said.
“Our sales to fleets this year have surpassed our initial projections.
“We’re now seeing demand from a passionate group of buyers who would like to buy a Renault electric vehicle and we’re thrilled to now be able to offer this.”
What’s the downside?
Well, you can get a Clio Life for $16,490, the Zen is $19,990, the Intens $22,990 and the pocket rocket RS 200 Cup costs $32,490. All rather lovely, but all use petrol engines of 1, 1.2 or 1.6litre capacity.
The Zoe Life, by contrast, is $47,490 and the Intens $49,490.
Your choice.
