Short test: Renault Zoe ZE 40 R90 Bose

Zoe's official range with the new battery is 400 kilometers, but the NEDC standard that manufacturers must follow is completely useless.

This is one of the reasons why, at the presentation of the Zoe with the ZE 40 battery, the people from Renault calmly told us that the daily range is 300 kilometers.

Wait? Yes and no. Yes, if you are economical while driving and use all the functions of the electric drive at all times. This means learning to control and predict traffic, slow down early enough and only with regenerative braking, learn the mode in which Zoya accelerates most efficiently and, above all, that there are practically no motorways in your path - and, of course, drive in Zoya. Eco mode with less performance. As such, the trio is easily accessible, and we have no doubt that there will be many buyers among buyers of the new Zoe who will also commute to it regularly.

Then there are the average drivers - those who drive moderately economically but don't try to be as economical as possible, drivers who also drive on the highway (and quite a lot). They are also modeled by our standard layout, which also includes about a third of the highway where we maintain the prescribed speed of 130 kilometers per hour. That's just 10 mph short of Zoe's top speed.

Normal consumption stalled at 14,9 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometers, which is an excellent result considering the temperature (25 degrees Celsius), air conditioning and the fact that we were not driving in Eco mode. That means a good 268-mile range.

In addition to the new battery, some of the credit also goes to the new powertrain. The R90 means a completely new engine compared to its predecessor (with new control and charging electronics), and according to the standard circuit results, it is about 10 percent more efficient than the old one you still get in the Zoe with the Q90 Label. Of course, there is no free lunch, as the Americans would say. The R90 does not have the ability to charge at its full 43 kilowatts, but can charge up to 22 kilowatts. This means that charging at fast charging stations will cost you almost twice as much as with the Q90 version (yes, Petrol insists on stupid charging based on the elapsed time, regardless of the electricity consumed). If you rarely go on long trips, you too will survive with the R90, or it will come in handy even more because of the range of about 20 percent, but if you drive several times on the highway on routes in excess of 100 kilometers (at 130 kilometers per hour) a it is the Zoe R90 that consumes about 28 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometers, so its range on AC is about 130 kilometers), but eat a shorter range and go to the Q90.

However, the new Zoe is also an electric vehicle that you can (at least for now, with so many electric vehicles and charging stations) even if you can't charge it at home. At public charging stations, it charges in about two hours, which means that the average Slovenian driver will charge it every two to four days. If you have a charging station at hand, there are no problems, otherwise you will have to put up with charging from a regular outlet (for example, at home or in a service garage), which will take you about 15-20 hours, unless you have a more powerful three-phase connection, which, when a suitable power can be easily achieved, 7 kilowatts, reducing the charge to several hours.

The rest of the Zoe is the same: a little overly plastic, with cute digital gauges that can't show the battery percentage (other than the charging period), and the poor R-Link infotainment system, which TomTom navigates is not entirely clear. electric drive system and poorly predicts the attainability of the goal. However, Zoya has now become a car that, if your wallet allows, you can also consider it the first car in the family. Also the R90, although we would recommend the Q90 fast charging model.

final grade

With the new battery, the Zoe has become an everyday and useful car for almost everyone. It only lacks a slightly cheaper price and the ability to buy without renting a battery.

text: Dusan Lukic

photo: Sasha Kapetanovich

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Basic data

Base model price:	28.090 €
Test model cost:	28.709 €

Costs (per year)

Technical information

engine:	synchronous motor - maximum power 68 kW (92 hp) - constant power np - maximum torque 220 Nm from 250 / min. Battery: Lithium-Ion - nominal voltage 400 V - capacity 41 kWh (net).
Energy transfer:	front-wheel drive - 1-speed automatic transmission - tires 195/55 R 16 Q.
Capacity:	top speed 135 km/h - acceleration 0-100 km/h 13,2 s - energy consumption (ECE) 10,2 kWh / 100 km - electric range (ECE) 403 km - battery charging time 100 min (43 kW , 63 A, up to 80%), 160 min (22 kW, 32 A), 25 h (10 A / 240 V).
Mass:	empty vehicle 1.480 kg - permissible gross weight 1.966 kg.
External dimensions:	length 4.084 mm - width 1.730 mm - height 1.562 mm - wheelbase 2.588 mm - boot 338–1.225 l.

We praise and reproach

infotainment system

consumption

front seats

materials

meters