The Zoe is back, and with improved range and residual value forecast, can it prove itself as a fleet favourite in the EV sector?

It may feel like yesterday that the Renault Zoe burst onto the scene, but in electric car years, being born in 2012 makes you pretty ancient.

Renault has already given the Zoe a few nips and tucks, but noticing the fast-paced electric vehicle (EV) market evolving, it was time for a refresh.

The revised Zoe has been given a fresh new look, consisting of a tweaked nose, more chrome, and full LED lights front and rear, plus new wheels and colours. It has also been given a bigger, bolder Renault logo (which hides charging ports), and from the front, you could quite easily confuse the Zoe’s more grown up look with the Clio.

Battery boost

It may not come as a big surprise that the main focus of this upgrade is increased battery capacity; the Zoe now offers up to 245 miles of range on a single charge, depending on spec and wheel size. That is around a third more than the previous model could manage, and is a necessary update if the Zoe wants to keep up with rivals.

This new update brings with it the option of a rapid DC charging upgrade, although it is worth mentioning this is a £750 option. We can’t help but feel this is an odd decision by Renault, and perhaps something that should instead be standard. Opting for this means you can conveniently charge from 0-80% in just over an hour using a 50kW DC rapid charger. A regular roadside charger with 22kW will give you 100% in three hours, while an at-home wallbox can do it in about nine and a half hours.

There is also a choice of two electric motors: the Zoe’s existing 109hp unit – badged the R110 and carried over from the previous model, – or this brand new R135 with 135hp and 245nm of torque.

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