Renault ZOE Electric Review
Together In Electric Dreams

If you’re the kind with a saving Gaia sort of green consciousness, but you’ve also got an inner demon that wants to floor the accelerator, then the new Renault ZOE is the perfect car for you. With the ZOE—like the ‘80s hit song by Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder—both sides of your personality can be brought Together in Electric Dreams.

While it may not have been my dream to own an Electric Vehicle (EV), the Renault ZOE certainly offers a dream of a drive.

I can see why the car has been the bestselling EV in Europe since 2013 with more than 100,000 units sold across the continent. Clearly, Renault’s pedigree with their experience and success in Formula E racing (Renault won the Drivers’ title in 2015/2016 as well as the Teams’ title for three consecutive years) has been applied to the ZOE.

Engineered with the new Z.E. 40 battery, the New Renault ZOE delivers a real-world range of up to 315km. That’s the longest driving range for mass market EV passenger vehicles in Singapore. Its regenerative braking technology harnesses kinetic energy that’s generated every time you brake and puts that energy back into the battery.

The New Renault ZOE is also one the fastest charging EVs today. It can be charged from 0 to 100% in just 2 hours and 40 minutes thanks to its built-in Caméléon™ smart-charger. It’s also compatible with the more common Type 2 AC three-phase chargers that can found all over Singapore (but charging will take longer with these chargers; up to 9 hours).

Based on the current electric tariffs of $0.2413/kWh*, one full charge on the ZOE costs just $9.89. That’s less than the cost of 5 litres of RON 95 fuel at today’s pump prices.

When you buy a ZOE, you also save on your car servicing costs. The recommended servicing intervals are at 30,000kms, and each servicing will set you back about $200. In any case, Renault offers free servicing for 5-years or up to 75,000km, whichever is earlier. And as a zero emissions vehicle, the ZOE qualifies you for a $20,000 VES rebate.

There’s also a hint of ‘sportiness’ from the car. The rear door handles are hidden to give it the look of a 2-door hatch, and the flat-bottomed ‘MOMOesque’ steering wheel also adds to the ZOE’s sporty vibe.

The ZOE has the largest boot space in its class at 338L. That’s more than adequate for groceries, and it’s big enough to pack in luggage for a family of four for a trip to Malaysia.

In terms of safety, the ZOE comes with 4 Airbags and a host of driving aids including Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) with Traction Control, Hill Start Assist, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) as well as Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD).