When someone drives an electric car for the first time, they usually notice the unique feel of its motor right away: the immediately available torque provides a very particular sense of responsiveness, which is enhanced by its silence, lack of vibration and the way it picks up speed smoothly without shifting gears.
The question then becomes how to build on these qualities to offer the driver optimal pleasure and comfort, without compromising on the car’s functionality or affordability. Find out the answers with New ZOE, unveiled by Renault on June 17.
New ZOE ushers in the era of the 100 kW motor, nicknamed R135 in reference to the equivalent power of a combustion engine: 135 hp. It has 245 Nm of torque, compared to the 225 Nm provided by the R110 motor launched in 2018. This increase in power means a big boost to the car’s road performance. A ZOE equipped with an R135 motor accelerates from 80 to 120 km/h 2.2 seconds faster than one with an R110.
Why focus on that speed range, instead of 0 to 100 km/h? “The immediately available torque already provides very satisfying acceleration at low speeds. Rather than trying to be flashy, we concentrated on performance that actually matters to drivers”, says Emmanuel Bouvier, Commercial Director for Electric Vehicles. New ZOE thus benefits from particularly punchy handling when passing, accelerating or merging on motorways.
Rather than trying to be flashy, we concentrated on performance that actually matters to drivers.
Emmanuel Bouvier, Commercial Director for Electric Vehicles - Renault
Introduced for the first time with New ZOE, B mode makes driving easier by limiting reliance on the brake pedal. What’s actually going on? It intensifies the effect of the motor brake, meaning the car decelerates more sharply as soon as the driver takes their foot off the throttle. B mode was specifically designed to make driving in cities easier, and for congested stretches of your journey where slowdowns require you to always have your foot on the brake.
The driver can engage B mode on demand with a simple push on New ZOE’s electronic gear lever. Returning the engine brake to normal, unlocking the car’s inertia, is as easy as switching back to D mode. In both cases, New ZOE still converts as much kinetic energy into electricity as possible through regenerative braking.
The joy of driving electric also depends on your comfort behind the wheel! On that front, New ZOE is equipped with a fully modernised cockpit, centred around a 10-inch digital instrument panel included even at entry-level specifications. Drivers will still find the econometer there, which encourages eco-driving, along with GPS directions, but a new addition is the different visual warnings linked to New ZOE’s many advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), such as high speed alerts.
With improved performance, flexibility and several new additions focused on increasing your comfort and safety, New ZOE firmly establishes itself as a dynamic and user-friendly city car!
Copyrights : OHM, Frithjof – Agence : Frithjof Ohm INCL. Pretzsch, Renault Marketing 3D-Commerce