Renault has launched its latest Zoe version, with a new 41kWh battery that promises 186-miles (real world) range, 124-mile worst case range and 250-mile official NEDC range. The new car also introduces new motor and charging options plus new colours and trim levels including BOSE sound system.
Meanwhile, the ever-enjoyable Twizy continues to provide on road open-air thrills (via a lack of windows) and a great way to travel the Cotswolds.
“I spotted a Renault Zoe and thought it would make the ideal rally car.”
Hardly conventional thinking, but then Ellya Gold isn’t your average enthusiast. He’s the brains and force behind eRally, which is working towards creating the world’s first electric rally championship.
We caught up with Ellya and the eRally team at a demo run with Josh Hislop at the wheel as part of the Grant Construction Stages Rally at Knockhill Circuit. The compact Zoe makes the perfect base for a number of reasons.
Firstly, the championship is aimed at drivers aged 14-17 entering the world of rallying for the first time, so the car needs to be affordable to run alongside the existing Formula 1000 series.
It also has to be something that’s competitive, which has been proved in tests of the prototype car you see here. So far, it’s put in stage times quicker than a Ford Fiesta ST200.
Read more: Piston Heads
The first Emirates Electric Vehicle Road Trip (EEVRT) concluded at The Sustainable City in Dubai last week, successfully opening nine new charging stations in the UAE and further driving electric vehicle adoption in the country.
The new, free-to-use electric vehicle charging stations, supplied by ENGIE, were opened at three AccorHotels, including Marjan Island Resort & Spa in Ras Al Khaimah (three), the Novotel Fujairah (four), and at the Sofitel Corniche in Abu Dhabi (two).
Accelerating the transition towards a sustainable low-carbon future, the four-day event took place from 29th January to 1st February 2017 when 11 electric vehicles left Dubai and traversed more than 700km across the UAE. The charging stations installed have opened up a whole new stretch of electric vehicle driving for the UAE.
“The UAE has already come a long way in moving towards taking a more environmentally friendly stance when it comes to vehicles, and we hope that this event showed people how much of a difference it can make.
Thank you to everyone who made the Emirates EVRT possible. It was a truly momentous event for the region and one we are extremely proud of,” says Ben Pullen, Founder and Managing Director of Global Electric Vehicle Road Trip who brought the event to the UAE.
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The response from participants and event partners who experienced the event for the first time was overwhelmingly positive. Intrigued by how the electric cars would perform during the longer drives to Jebel Jais and Fujairah, the participants were pleasantly surprised by the acceleration and range of the new Renault Zoe and Tesla vehicles.
One of the most interesting experiences was to witness the regenerative braking which is a technology that allows the batteries to re-charge when driving down hills.
Through driving down Jebel Jais the Renault Zoe Long Range model was able to achieve around 50km of extra range.
“As pioneer and leader of 100% electric vehicles in Europe, Renault was glad to support the Emirates EVRT initiative that is developing the awareness of pure sustainable mobility in the UAE. We have shown through the use of the new Renault ZOE with 400km autonomy that autonomy was no longer an issue to move freely in the seven Emirates,” says Emmanuel Guiffault, Marketing Director of Renault Middle East.
Read more: Emirates 247
