Renault Ireland is getting ready to launch its four-strong zero emissions (ZE) range of electric vehicles. The five-seat Fluence ZE (€21,620 on-the-road after €5,000 Government grant) is perhaps the best-known and most recognisable model with the Kangoo van (and ‘Maxi’ van and passenger version), Zoe hatchback and innovative Twizy 2-seater quadra-cycle making up the numbers.
Renault's sister company Nissan has already stolen a march on the French giant with the award-winning Leaf, but Renault is not worried about playing catch-up. Renault will be the only manufacturer in the world to launch a range of electric vehicles within the next 12-month period with the production lines ready to meet any demand.
Renault is also going a different way than most carmakers by keeping ownership of the batteries used to power their ZE cars - customers will have to lease them. So, alarmingly with ZEs, you can't actually buy ‘all’ the vehicle: it's like Ford owning the engine of your Focus! This seems crazy at first but Renault assures me that in fact they offer their customers a better deal, as they promise to stand over the battery performance and to guarantee a minimum performance or they will replace them. For a monthly fee of around €79 you get a battery lease. For now, Renault Ireland has eight dealerships that will be comprehensive ZE 'Experts' and in time all their dealers will be able to sell and service ZE cars.
Renault insists that if the whole ZE concept is to work it must be affordable for all. Renault says customers can expect to pay roughly the same price for ZE cars as the equivalent mid-spec, diesel-engined version. Unlike an internal combustion-powered car or van, the ZE’s range is seriously curtailed with just battery power. Again, the research suggests that the majority of daily journeys are less than 60 kilometres - well within the average range of a ZE. Running costs are very low as are maintenance costs due to the dramatic reduction in parts needed to make the wheels turn. An electric motor has just a few components, unlike a conventional engine.
I took a Fluence ZE for a brief test drive (very brief as Renault is still finalising the car) and, as with my first test many months ago, I was impressed with its responsiveness. ZEs look and drive very well. Instead of an engine making a racket you get a slight turbine-like hum. Torque is available instantly so you can accelerate rapidly. Electric vehicles are far from perfect and won't fit into many people's worlds, but Renault, like Nissan, promises to be diligent and make sure that potential customers are matched to their vehicle. The company will not blindly sell ZEs to anyone. If you do high mileage, an electric vehicle is not for you. Renault is recruiting ZE ambassadors to work in its regional dealerships, who will specialise in matching customers to their ideal vehicle.
The whole electric car debate has been put on the back boiler of late - as have most green agendas - but Europe is still demanding a massive reduction in Ireland's CO2 output and ZE is certainly part of the answer. The Government still aspires to well over 200,000 electric vehicles on our roads by 2020. This is widely recognised as unachievable, but ESB and the carmakers are ramping up to deliver the vehicles and infrastructure to allow this to happen.
Michael Sheridan
