Renault ZOE 2023: Info, Photos, and Price of the Compact Electric Car

The pioneering electric city car Renault ZOE has significantly evolved since 2013 and remains in the catalog in 2023. What are the prices, features, and information on this model?

At its launch in 2012, the Renault Zoé was a source of pride for Carlos Ghosn and the French group. Two years after the Nissan Leaf, the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance introduced for the first time a 100% electric city car with modern technology.

Underwent a major technical update in 2019 along with a significant facelift, it remains in the lineup. In early 2022, the brand revised the range and improved the equipment, while lowering the base price.

City car size with a large trunk

The Renault Zoé measures 4.09 meters long, 1.79 meters wide, and 1.56 meters high. It fits into the B segment city cars with a size similar to the Clio, Peugeot e-208, and other Volkswagen Polo models.

With a trunk capacity of 338 liters (or up to 1,225 liters with the rear seats folded down), it is among the most spacious electric models in its segment. For comparison, a Peugeot e-208 claims 311 liters.

Two motors, but only one battery

Under the hood, the Zoé offers a choice between two power levels (R110 and R135), with 110 and 135 horsepower respectively. Regardless of the motor, it is connected to lithium-ion batteries with a capacity of 52 kWh supplied by one of the largest producers LG Chem. A rather generous battery size compared to competing city cars (50 kWh for a Peugeot e-208 / Opel Corsa-e, 35.5 kWh for a Honda e, 32.6 kWh for a Mini Electric).

It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 11.4 seconds in its R110 version and in 9.5 seconds in the R135 variant, while weighing a bit over 1,500 kg (compared to 1,455 kg for a Peugeot e-208). Its rival from the lion brand completes this in 8.1 seconds.

Renault ZOE range

Thanks to its large batteries, the Zoé boasts an impressive maximum range: 386 km according to the WLTP cycle in the R135 version and even 395 km for the R110. Although this figure will inevitably decrease if you drive at the maximum allowed highway speed (or if it’s very cold), no other city electric offers as good a range.

Expect a bit over 200 km of autonomy at 130 km/h. Regarding consumption, it’s possible to go below 16 kWh/100 km with gentle driving. Note that the battery comes with an eight-year or 160,000 km warranty, replaced free of charge if capacity drops below 70% during this warranty period.

How to recharge the ZOE?

Standardly, the Renault Zoé can be recharged on alternating current up to 22 kW, via the port behind the front logo. A relatively rare feature on current electric cars, which is a real strength: only three hours are needed to go from 0 to 100% charge. Otherwise, it will take 9.5 hours on a 7.4 kW wallbox or 6 hours on an 11 kW wallbox. Or 19 hours on a standard enhanced socket at 3.7 kW. But, how much does it cost to recharge a Renault ZOE?

For rapid charging, however, you will have to pay €1,000 to be able to charge at 50 kW in direct current. In this case, it takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes to fill 80% of the battery. On this point, competitors like the e-208 perform better thanks to a fast charging capacity of 100 kW.

Prices and versions

For the 2022 model year, the Renault ZOE saw a significant increase in its prices. From €32,100 at the beginning of the year, the range increased to €33,700 for the R110 version in the Equilibre trim in March, then to €35,100 in the fall. At this price, you get manual air conditioning, cruise control, a touchscreen with multimedia system, and LED headlights. It costs €36,900 for the same motor in the “evolution” trim, adding features such as automatic air conditioning and a rearview camera. If you want the 135 horsepower, you’ll need to opt for the top trim (“techno”) at €38,300.

The Peugeot e-208 starts at €34,800 (Finish Allure). The two French electric cars are very close in price. In long-term rental (LLD), the monthly payment starts at €149 for a 37-month contract, excluding a €9,000 deposit.

Remember that, like all other electric cars costing less than €47,000, this Zoé benefits from the ecological bonus, set at €5,000 until December 31, 2023 (€7,000 for low-income drivers). The ZOE is still manufactured at the Flins plant in France. It was overtaken in 2021 by the Tesla Model 3 as the best-selling electric vehicle in the market. However, the small diamond-shaped car remains competitive against rivals like the e-208 or Fiat 500.

The end of Renault ZOE in 2024?

The Renault 5 will retire the ZOE, which will forever be the pioneer among French mass-market electric cars. Its successor will be based on the CMF-B EV platform, a much more modern platform than that of the Renault ZOE, which dates back to the early part of the previous decade.

Plans from Renault’s new CEO are likely to end the lengthy career of the Renault ZOE. Expected in 2024, the completely new Renault 5 electric will adopt a much bolder approach in style and positioning. It will continue to be manufactured in France but not in Flins (Yvelines), instead at the new “Electricity” plant in Douai (Nord).

The ZOE in photo gallery

Renault ZOE technical sheet

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