The Renault Zoe is a 4 door, 5 seat hatchback in the Australian ‘small’ car category. The model on offer here is the ZE40*.
Available in Europe since 2013, the larger (41 kWh) battery version became available in Australia in late 2017.
It has been the best-selling EV in Europe since 2015 and was voted the ‘WhatCar? best electric car’ of the year for 2017.
The Australian ZE40 Zoe was originally offered in two trim levels (Life and Intens), however the vast majority of ZE40 Zoes here are the Intens version. Later in the model run here only the higher spec Intens version was offered.
In August 2020 Renault discontinued bringing the Zoe to Australia, citing poor sales and lack of federal government support for EVs.
Note:
*Production of the ZE40 was discontinued in September 2019. The ZE40 has been replaced in Europe with the ZE50. Features of the ZE50 include a 52kWh battery and optional DC charging at 50kW.
Renault Zoe ZE40 Variants
| Variant | Battery (kWh) | WLTP Range (km) | EPA Range (km) | Power Output (Nm) | Maximum Torque (Nm) | Plug Types (AC/DC) | Max Charge Rate (AC/DC) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZE40 | 41 | 400 | 300 | 68 | 225 | Type 2 | 20 | $49,990+ |
DRIVING RANGE
The ZE40 Zoe has a quoted range of 300 km under the new European WLTP test cycle# and 400 using the current Australian mandated (NEDC) test cycle.
Renault helpfully quote their real-world driving range as being in the vicinity of 300 km in summer and 200 km in winter.
Note:
# WLTP range figures are not yet mandated in Australia.
CHARGING SPEEDS/REQUIREMENTS
Charging port
The Zoe ZE 40 is fitted with a Type 2 AC charging socket. It can charge on either single or three phase AC EVSEs (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment).
Note: the Zoe can be charged at any Type 1 or Type 2 AC EVSE, however an adaptor will be needed to use EVSEs fitted with Type 1 plugs.
AC charging
The Zoe is fitted with the 3 phase type 2 AC socket, and can charge at up to 7.2kW single phase and up to 22kW on three phase capable AC EVSEs.
General charging note:
Charging speeds vary on the capacity of the EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) it is connected to and the vehicle battery size. Charging times for the ZE40 Zoe are shown in the table below.
DC fast charging
The Renault Zoe does not currently have a DC fast-charge option, however with three phase AC charging it can achieve respectably quick recharging times.
Renault Zoe ZE40 Time to Charge (hrs)
| Battery size (kWh) | 15A socket (2.4kW) | 16A 1 phase (3.6kW) | 32A 1 phase (7.2kW) | 32A 3 phase (22kW) | DC Fast Charge (min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 20h | 14-16h | 7-8h | 2h40 | N/A |
HOME CHARGING CONSIDERATIONS
Home charging considerations
General
To take good advantage of the efficiencies of the Zoe’s inbuilt ‘Chameleon’ charger, it would be best to install a 32A (7kW) capable mode 2 EVSE.
Important note:
Renault have released the following warning against charging the Zoe primarily with a low power portable EVSE plugged into a 10A outlet:
“Renault advises customers not to use a portable charger as the primary charging option as it may detrimentally affect the battery resulting in costly repairs”.
If you have three phase supply available (and your switchboard and incoming supply can support it) you can gain significantly faster charging speeds by installing a three phase EVSE. (See charging speed table for details).
15A power point charging note:
The Zoe can be trickle charged using a 15A power point, (see note above re Renault recommending against this as the primary charging option) but you will need to buy an aftermarket portable EVSE as Renault do not provide one with the Zoe.
Renault Zoe ZE40 Specifications
| Cargo space (litres) | Cargo Space with rear seats folded (litres) | Length (mm) | Width (mm) | Width with mirrors (mm) | Height (mm) | Tow Rating (braked / unbraked) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 338 | 1225 | 4084 | 1730 | 1945 | 1562 |
