The Fluence has been priced at £17,850 after the deduction of the
£5,000 Govt. subsidy. That is $28,560 US for a classy EV.
The Leaf claims a 90 mph top end and 100 mile range powered by a
24 kWh pack. The Coda claims an 80 mph (129 kph) top speed and
a 105 mile (129 km) range. Interestingly, the Coda has close to
30% more energy storage (33.8 kW) than the Fluence or the Leaf.
All three vehicles are within around a hundred pounds of each other
in weight. It will be interesting to see the real world mileage results.
However, it appears that the Fluence Z.E. concept car body may not
be the one actually produced. It looks like the specs for the production
car will remain the same as the concept car.
The Renault Zoe specs are similar to the Fluence Z.E. The Zoe
concept includes a solar panel blended into the roof. The concept car
has a distinctly futuristic look. The interior sports cutting edge touch screen controls. Additionally, the Zoe boasts 21-inch styled wheels.
The third of the new Renault electric cars is the restyled Kangoo Express Z.E.The Kangoo first saw production in 1997. It has been offered in several versions since then, including a 4-wheel drive and hybrid. The Z.E. offers the same interior dimensions as the gas powered version.
Considering that as of mid-2010 model zero Renault EVs had been sold, Renault has ambitious sales plans for these electric cars. The company estimated sales of 200,000 units by the year 2015. Nissan has estimated global EV sales at 500,000 by 2013!
Renault is however now taking reservations for the 2012 Fluence Z.E. in Israel and Denmark. Israel is offering battery switching stations as part of a larger EV experiment in 2011. Renault Z.E. owners should be able to change batteries in the same time frame that gas powered Renaults now fill up the tank.
The company is hoping to sell 100,000 Renault electric cars in Israel and Denmark. Renault plans to open markets in North America and the greater EU before 2015.
For performance people, Renault has a new concept EV named DeZir, something like Desire in English. The DeZir keeps it light at 1,830 pounds empty, and fast at 5 seconds 0-60 mph.
Renault is now showing the Twizzy Quadricycle for 7,000 pounds English. This little 900 pound EV can hit 46 mph/74 kph and be parked like a motorcycle. The cycle is the third cheapest in the UK, and goes on sale in March of 2012.
Renault Sales
As of April 2013, Renault had sold some 24,688 battery electric cars. The count: 2,530 Zoe, 3,487 Fluence Z.E., 8,760 Kangoo Z.E., and 9,911 Twizy models.
Renault in China:
Feb. 2012 -Renault is planning to begin making some of these
electric cars in China
Renault on the Road:
Twizzy drive report is all positive...check here.
There are three different Renault electric cars in the works. The cars include the Fluence Z.E, the Zoe, and the Kangoo. All are part of the Renault Z.E. (zero emissions) program. Here is an an overview of the cars with links to specifications. All three cars share a similar power train and battery pack.
Renault is the number one electric car maker in the EU with 28 percent of European EV market share in 2012. Renault EVs feature quick recharge capabilities and battery switching technology.
First up is the Renault Fluence Z.E. - a modified, zero emissions version of the popular gas powered Renault Fluence. Performance specs for the Fluence EV are similar to the Nissan Leaf and Miles Coda. The 22 kWh battery pack is reported to propel the car to a top speed of 90 mph (145 kph) with a range of around 100 miles.
