2017 Renault Zoe

Renault has introduced a new Z.E. 40 battery for ZOE. At the same, ZOE owners can benefit from a range of new connected services and equipment upgrades. Order books for the new ZOE line-up are open. The new ZOEs fitted with the new Z.E. 40 battery are made at Renault's Flins plant in France and will be available for delivery before the end of 2016.

Double the range for even longer journeys

As the pioneer of all-electric mobility and Europe's number one seller of electric vehicles, Renault has stepped up its innovation programme and the deployment of its Zero Emissions strategy.

Fitted with the new Z.E. 40 battery, the Renault ZOE now delivers a record NEDC driving range of 400km, which is twice the distance delivered by the model at the time of its original launch.

The new Z.E. 40 battery has a real-world range of 300 kilometres in urban or suburban areas, for example.

The range permitted today by the ZOE is the longest of any mainstream all-electric vehicle and motorists can take advantage of this step forward now.

The ZOE is the best-selling electric vehicle in Europe and provides a real alternative to internal combustion-engine cars, since average daily commuting distances are well within the ZOE's capabilities.

The new battery removes the final psychological barrier that stands in the way of buying an electric car since ZOE users can now travel further and enjoy a wider variety of driving situations without worry about charging. This makes weekend trips a real possibility.

The Z.E. 40 battery's charging rate is similar to that of the standard battery, so 'topping up' doesn't take long at all. For example, just 30 minutes are required on average to charge the battery for an extra 80 kilometres of driving range when plugged into one of the many public charging points in operation in Europe. The ZOE continues to be equipped with the Quick Charge function to take full advantage of the maximum capacity of fast charging points located predominantly along motorway corridors.

An innovation that doubles battery capacity with no increase in size

The ZOE's new Z.E. 40 battery boasts 41kWh of useful energy, equivalent to almost double the storage capacity of the ZOE's standard battery (22kWh of useful energy).

Developed in close partnership with LG Chem, the battery uses high-energy density lithium-ion technology.

Renault and LG engineers have succeeded in increasing storage capacity without making the battery any bigger or a lot heavier. It was optimised by working on the chemistry of the cells in order to increase their energy density, rather than stacking additional battery modules, a commonly used technique.

This major new technology has been developed while ensuring the battery's reliability or safety.

The battery's large storage capacity ensures longer range for the ZOE thanks to the meticulous work that went into integrating the battery in the vehicle. The electronic management system of the battery optimises the ZOE's energy use on the move, while the new air circulation system maintains the temperature of the ZOE's battery at a constant level, making the car economical to run in very hot or very cold weather.

The ZOE: designed and made entirely by Renault

Just as it conceives and manufactures the majority of its powertrains, Renault designed and makes the ZOE, thanks not only to the expertise it has acquired as a pioneer in the world of electric-vehicles mobility and as Europe's number one electric-vehicle brand, but also to its technical and sporting partnership roles in the FIA Formula E Championship. Groupe Renault's know-how is chiefly rooted in France where its high added-value vehicles and components are essentially designed and produced.

Like the 22kWh battery, the new Z.E. 40 battery is assembled at Renault's Flins plant, near Paris.

The same factory is responsible for the production of the Renault ZOE, alongside the Renault Clio. The ZOE was designed and engineered at the Renault Technocentre in Guyancourt, also near Paris.

The R75/90 motor is made at Renault's Cléon factory in Normandy, a flagship facility in the field of engine and transmission production for the group. Launched in the spring of 2015 and originally known as the R240, this motor was entirely developed by Renault and led to the filing of 95 patents.

The housing that permits the battery's integration in the ZOE, as well as the model's front and rear suspension systems, were all conceived by Groupe Renault's Chassis and Electric Vehicle Engineering Division and are manufactured at Renault's Le Mans plant.

Z.E. Trip and Z.E. Pass: two new services to simplify charging at public charging stations in Europe

About 80,000 public charging stations are in operation across Europe. To provide ZOE owners with easy access to them, Renault has released two free services: Z.E. Trip helps customers to locate charging points, while Z.E. Pass gives access to a high number of charging stations.

Z.E. Trip: using the R-LINK navigation system to locate all charging points

Z.E. Trip makes long-distance driving a breeze in the ZOE by allowing drivers to locate all public charging points in some of the main European countries. Z.E. Trip can be accessed directly via the Renault R-LINK navigation system using the steering wheel-mounted controls or via the internet to prepare trips in advance. The service indicates the real-time availability of each charging point, as well as its type and whether it is compatible with the car. The driver can select a charging point based on its charging capacity so the speeds suit their requirements.

Z.E. Trip was made available to ZOE customers in Europe in September 2016.

Z.E. Pass: a single access and payment solution for most public charging points

The Z.E. Pass app makes charging the ZOE easier at most public charging points in Europe even though they are owned by various operators. The driver can pay using the smartphone app or with an RFID badge. They can also locate available charging stations and compare prices at different stations nearby using their smartphone or tablet without having to be a registered member of each network.

Developed in association with Bosch, the service was released in Germany in September 2016 and will be rolled out over the next few months in France, the UK, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

Z.E. smartphone app enhanced to include door-to-door navigation

New features will be added to the Z.E. app in the first half of 2017 to make journeys in the ZOE even easier, including door-to-door navigation.

Thanks to this feature, the user can enter his or her complete trip using their smartphone app and then forward it to the ZOE's navigation system (Renault R-LINK). Once in the car, the driver can access their pre-programmed itinerary automatically.

After parking, the app takes over from the ZOE's navigation system to indicate the final part of the journey on foot. The driver can also use the app to help find where they parked their ZOE or to look up their trip history and any other information in their trip computer.

Remote battery charging management

The Z.E. smartphone app keeps ZOE drivers connected to their car, even when they are not driving, in order to optimise battery charging.

ZOE owners can remotely:

·         Check information, such as the car's charge level, the estimated remaining range, the time remaining until the vehicle is fully charged, etc. It also receives messages when charging begins and is completed.

·         Operate some of their car's functions, including the cabin's pre-conditioning system (cabin temperature) and activating the battery charging process, as well as taking advantage of off-peak electricity rates and different CO2 footprints depending on type of generation.

Equipment levels: more choice and features

The ZOE Edition One / Bose: a new version offering exclusive features Renault has launched a new version of the ZOE that targets customers seeking exclusive features.

It stands out notably through its premium leather upholstery, heated front seats and a BOSE® audio system. The new version has been released as the Edition One limited edition in France and a Bose equipment level in other European markets.

The ZOE Edition One / Bose is available with an exclusive Yttrium Grey finish.

New design features on other equipment levels

The ZOE is now available with two new body colours, Intense Red and Titanium Grey.

There are new interior appointments for the ZEN version to provide an even brighter abin: a chrome R-LINK console surround, a geometric pattern for the dashboard trim and a gloss metallic Fumé Grey finish for the gear lever trim, speaker surrounds, etc.

The INTENS version now comes with electrical folding door mirrors and new two-tone 16-inch aluminium wheels. There is added refinement inside the cabin, too, thanks notably a new black finish for the upholstery and different materials around the cabin. A new elegant and vibrant blue Interior Pack is also available for Intens versions.