The Renault ZOE has been recognised for the fourth consecutive year by What Car?  judges, being named ‘Best Electric Car’, as well as ‘Best Electric Car for less than £20,000’, with its all-electric ZOE Q90 Z.E.40 Dynamique Nav, at an awards ceremony in London this evening. 

The Renault ZOE, fitted with the new Z.E.40 battery, has been recognised by the What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2017 and was also a finalist in the Technology Award. The new Z.E. 40 battery provides almost double the previous storage capacity, delivering a 250-mile range (NEDC) whilst retaining fast charging times at an accessible price. 

Commenting on the decision to award the ZOE for a fourth consecutive year, Steve Huntingford, Editor, What Car? said: “Given the rate of progress in this class during the past 12 months, this win shows just how much this recent update has improved the ZOE. Realistically, it’s now possible to drive for 174 miles between each charge, up from the 106 miles of the previous battery. And Renault has kept everything that was already great about the ZOE: its practicality, tidy handling and standard kit. Plus, while range is up dramatically, price isn’t. And to include many of the latest comfort and infotainment features as well as fast charging at this price makes the ZOE a truly brilliant all-rounder.” 

“Having already won our Electric Car of the Year award, the latest Renault ZOE also impressed our Technology Award judges, because it represents a significant step towards overcoming ‘range anxiety’. The only other electric cars in the UK that are capable of travelling up to 250 miles between charges come from Tesla. But while the trendy Californian firm’s Model S costs from £64,000, our favoured ZOE can be yours for £18,595.” 

“Dynamique Nav trim is your best bet. It gets 16-inch alloys, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, auto lights and wipers and a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen with Bluetooth, sat-nav and a DAB radio. Our favoured Quick Charge (Q90) car can be charged to 80% in just 65 minutes on a 43kW fast charge,” added Huntingford. 

Paul Flanagan, Managing Director, Renault UK, said of the result: “The new 2017 model year Renault ZOE now delivers the best range of any mainstream electric vehicle which, along with interior and exterior upgrades, continues to prove that zero emissions vehicles can be stylish, practical and comfortable. We’re delighted that What Car? has recognised the ZOE’s talents for the fourth year in a row by naming it their best electric car of the year.” 

The ZOE is an all-electric, five-door supermini available in a choice of three trim levels and with two battery options. Despite its affordability, the entry level Expression Nav comes with a high level of standard specification including items such as climate control and the 7-inch touch screen R-Link 2 infotainment system with sat nav. In What Car?’s favoured trim level, Dynamique Nav, the features include hands free keycard, automatic lights and wipers and rear parking sensors. The all-new top-of-the-range Signature Nav trim provides buyers with features including supple leather upholstery, a seven speaker BOSE® audio system, heated front seats and a rear parking camera.  

With the new R90 Z.E.40 battery, ZOE’s range is 250 miles (NEDC) – Renault estimates that in real-world driving conditions that this equates to around 186 miles in summer and 124 miles in cold winter conditions. ZOE can charge from zero to 80 per cent full in as little as 60 minutes thanks to its patented Chameleon Charger™ that allows it to make the most of the widest range of power supplies and also keep charging times to a minimum. Renault’s Range OptimiZer technology ensures ZOE is highly efficient with its heat pump, a bi-modal braking system and Michelin ENERGY E-V tyres. 

Two new apps to make ZOE ownership an even easier experience, Z.E. Trip and Z.E. Pass, will be rolled out in the UK during 2017. Z.E. Trip makes long-distance driving a breeze in the ZOE by allowing drivers to locate all public charging points in many European countries and indicates their real-time availability. 

The Z.E. Pass app makes charging easier at many public charging points across Europe regardless of network . The driver can pay using the specific smartphone app or with an RFID card. They can also locate available charging points and compare prices at different points nearby using their smartphone or tablet without having to be a registered member of each network. 

ZOE is available to purchase in two ways. Firstly, under a battery hire scheme, where ZOE pricing starts at £13,995 (OTR) after the Government Plug-in Car Grant with battery leasing from £49 per month. New for 2017 is the ‘Unlimited’ option with no mileage cap, priced at £110 per month. 

You can also buy the ZOE outright. ZOE i ‘full purchase’ models start from £18,995 (OTR) after the Government Plug-in Car Grant, giving the buyer full ownership of the car and battery and no monthly battery lease payment. 

The What Car? award builds on ZOE’s other recent achievements that include a Which? ‘Best Buy’ 2016, ‘Best Electric Car’ CarBuyer, ‘Best Supermini’ Next Green Car Awards, ‘Overall Champion Winner 2016’ Green Apple Auto Awards and being named ‘Best Supermini’ and finishing second overall out of 183 vehicles in the Auto Express Driver Power Awards 2016 results. 

ZOE is the best-selling electric vehicle in Europe and more than 4500 ZOE have been sold since launching in the UK in 2013. ZOE is one of three models in Renault’s diverse electric vehicle range which also includes the Twizy quadricycle and the Kangoo Van Z.E.

Technical Information 

 Ownership Information & Pricing 

   *= plus monthly battery lease  

Ownership Information & Pricing – Full Purchase

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