Discussion
Hello everyone.
I am on the cusp of replacing my London commuter car, a fiat 500 Abarth, with an ev. I drove and really liked the size/ range/ funky looks of the Zoe. Although I understand the battery lease makes these less attractive than a Leaf for some people, for me the savings on congestion charge etc outweigh this by far. I'd love an i3 but honestly feel more comfortable spending 15k than 30k as a new technology adopter.
So I am just curious as to what you other folks think of the Zoe and perhaps why there is very little mention if them on this forum.
Thank you!
I am on the cusp of replacing my London commuter car, a fiat 500 Abarth, with an ev. I drove and really liked the size/ range/ funky looks of the Zoe. Although I understand the battery lease makes these less attractive than a Leaf for some people, for me the savings on congestion charge etc outweigh this by far. I'd love an i3 but honestly feel more comfortable spending 15k than 30k as a new technology adopter.
So I am just curious as to what you other folks think of the Zoe and perhaps why there is very little mention if them on this forum.
Thank you!
Fair enough, but, the manufacturer most committed to ev tech with twizy, fluence, Zoe and vans all available today. There have been some really good reviews of the Zoe. I love the I3 and its engineering and design, but a high price to pay quite early in the game.
The Zoe has clever charging tech onboard, and, can now be charged from a 3 pin plug using a granny cable in addition to all other powers/ speeds using mennekes plug.
The Zoe has clever charging tech onboard, and, can now be charged from a 3 pin plug using a granny cable in addition to all other powers/ speeds using mennekes plug.
Email sent to patient dealer, I used one of those online brikerage sites and received price offers usefully below list (about 1k saving) so an all in price for proper spec of around 14k. Will be interested to see how quickly I will get it as they have 4 or 5 unregistered at their import centre.
Regarding residuals- I was impressed to see lots (prob10) 12mth old dealer demos sell quickly for between 11 and 12k, over the last month or so I have had my eyes peeled.
Regarding residuals- I was impressed to see lots (prob10) 12mth old dealer demos sell quickly for between 11 and 12k, over the last month or so I have had my eyes peeled.
Tophatron said:
EVs have to win on a cost-of-ownership basis at the moment. If they're seen to be significantly cheaper to run, people will hopefully start to take the plunge.
It is, for me, even with the battery lease. Daily congestion charge free for starters, free parking in Westminster etc etc etc...I think of the battery lease as cheap insurance for a significant component.
I have not bought the car on cost or running grounds anyway. Something of a novelty and technology. And as a replacement for my 500 Abarth, it's cheap. Alternatives circa 20k (new mini cooper etc)
Tophatron said:
squirejo said:
It is, for me, even with the battery lease. Daily congestion charge free for starters, free parking in Westminster etc etc etc...
I think of the battery lease as cheap insurance for a significant component.
I have not bought the car on cost or running grounds anyway. Something of a novelty and technology. And as a replacement for my 500 Abarth, it's cheap. Alternatives circa 20k (new mini cooper etc)
Out of interest, how long are you planning on keeping it? One of the issues I realised is that the battery lease would only cover a replacement if the battery capacity dropped under a certain percentage. However the 5 year battery warranty would also cover a replacement under the same circumstances..I think of the battery lease as cheap insurance for a significant component.
I have not bought the car on cost or running grounds anyway. Something of a novelty and technology. And as a replacement for my 500 Abarth, it's cheap. Alternatives circa 20k (new mini cooper etc)
Saw a Zoe and a Leaf on the M4 on Friday. Great to see them out and about.
Greg_D said:
How are second and third owners going to feel about being committed to a battery lease (of £70/month?)on a car that should nominally be worth a few grand (4 year old small renault) i would personally run a mile from that or does the lease end and the battery get transferred over to the vehicle at a certain point - details are sketchy, HTP to hopefully clarify....
->>Dunno, but in 2 or 3 yrs, like leafs now, this should still be very good technology, proven, for peanuts at a time when the free charging infrastructure has really kicked in a petrol prices have risen another 25%
eta: once you factor in the battery at £2,500 for 3 years then that puts it at £17,500 against £25k for a basic i3 (does the Zoe qualify for the full £5k rebate? i have a suspicion that it doesn't - that could make a material impact on costs)
->>Yes it does. The grant is 25% up to £5k
so for an extra C.£7k you have a premium car, with innovative CFRP construction that is a TON faster (and yes.......with the right badge) with no second hand value destroying grenade ticking in the form of battery leases. it isn't snobbery, the BMW still makes sense.
->>Not quite. Earlier in the that someone who knows a lot more about i3 specs than me noted the charger and have technology of the Renault as standard being much better or optional upgrades on the i3. But however I take your point, albeit there have always been different ways to buy a car- cash, lease, finance, new, used. There are pros and cons for every circumstance which is why the market operates all price points.
The price differential is significantly smaller than any 'normal' comparable BMW and Renault. Call it inverse snobbery if you will!!!!
->>Dunno, but in 2 or 3 yrs, like leafs now, this should still be very good technology, proven, for peanuts at a time when the free charging infrastructure has really kicked in a petrol prices have risen another 25%
eta: once you factor in the battery at £2,500 for 3 years then that puts it at £17,500 against £25k for a basic i3 (does the Zoe qualify for the full £5k rebate? i have a suspicion that it doesn't - that could make a material impact on costs)
->>Yes it does. The grant is 25% up to £5k
so for an extra C.£7k you have a premium car, with innovative CFRP construction that is a TON faster (and yes.......with the right badge) with no second hand value destroying grenade ticking in the form of battery leases. it isn't snobbery, the BMW still makes sense.
->>Not quite. Earlier in the that someone who knows a lot more about i3 specs than me noted the charger and have technology of the Renault as standard being much better or optional upgrades on the i3. But however I take your point, albeit there have always been different ways to buy a car- cash, lease, finance, new, used. There are pros and cons for every circumstance which is why the market operates all price points.
The price differential is significantly smaller than any 'normal' comparable BMW and Renault. Call it inverse snobbery if you will!!!!
Edited by Greg_D on Tuesday 22 April 10:14
Greg_D said:
don't forget to add in the fact that the Renault doesn't qualify for the full EV grant, you only get £3,750, instead of the £5k of the i3, so add another £1,250 to the comparator cost. You're realistically looking at less than £5k difference, like for like.
sorry that's not correct. The list price of an intens is 20k. the govt grant is 25% up to a limit of 5k. Irrespective, like with all cars, deals can be done and I don't care who is paying the downdraft. I am all in for 14.5k.
http://www.renault.co.uk/cars/electric-vehicles/zo...
The battery lease debate will run and run, but they have now introduced a much cheaper tarrif for low mileage (up to 3k a year) owners. Perfect for me then. £45 a month.
As for the customer service - he clearly had a shocker. So did the chap in the US with a dodgy 911 and so have all the 991 GT3 owners. Doesn't seem to have impacted sales yet.
In my particular case I have dealt with a london dealer who has supplied about 30 cars, knows exactly what he is doing and is responsive to emails. Shocked?! I was....
Only time will tell whether the car performs as well. I pick it up on Friday so I'll soon be able to judge. in the mean time, they have finally released a granny cable to allow charging from a boggo domestic socket.
Picked the car up today. 20 miles home, dual carriage way and urban stop start. Blooming marvellous. Super smooth drivetrain, more than fast enough (rather sprightly 0-40). So much kit included- touch screen, sat nav, good stereo, Bluetooth inc music streaming, reversing sensors, reversing camera, voice command, auto headlights and wipers, cruise. And the thing I think I will love the most on hot/ cold mornings- remote hvac activation from keyfob or iPhone.
As first impressions go, this has been a very good one. Wonder what will happen when I need to charge it.
As first impressions go, this has been a very good one. Wonder what will happen when I need to charge it.
Always easy to find excuses for a drive with a new car. Been out and about, all urban. I had read the step off regeneration can be harsh but not on mine- very smooth. While I had time on my hands I also went to a public charger (source london) to make sure it worked an I knew what to do. Easier than filing up with petrol. Plug into car and charger, wave source london card at charger and away you go. It feels quite strange driving past petrol stations knowing they are redundant....
Edited by squirejo on Saturday 10th May 15:17
Just a brief update. I am on holiday this week and don't have the Zoe with me, proving that it will remain my urban wheels. Its just not feasible yet to venture into unchartered charging waters!
On that note, like all EV owners and including PH staff (see Tesla S review) I have had a few mixed experiences with on street chargers of late. The good news is the one local to home remains reliable and fast, as is one in a local shopping centre. However I was less successful at a charger near work (which already had a hateful g wizz plugged into the 3pin socket- could that have affected it?) and so far my new evse lead will not work with any standard socket I have tried.
Moral of the story I think is to top up as and when its convenient,rather than working from full to empty like a petrol car.
This would be very easy if I had a charger at home....
Otherwise the car remains excellent. Its very swift round town- quite the Q car in many ways- and impressed 3 previously sceptical colleagues on a trip across London. I also like driving round in something unusual.
All the stuff works well, but I have found the satnav takes a while to wake up when you first start the car, which is just when you need it to respond to your inputs! Too clever for its own good I think, as it checks traffic conditions.
In summary, 3 weeks and 250 London miles completed and I still like it. A lot. Getting used to different chargers and managing for the occasional disappointment is key.
On that note, like all EV owners and including PH staff (see Tesla S review) I have had a few mixed experiences with on street chargers of late. The good news is the one local to home remains reliable and fast, as is one in a local shopping centre. However I was less successful at a charger near work (which already had a hateful g wizz plugged into the 3pin socket- could that have affected it?) and so far my new evse lead will not work with any standard socket I have tried.
Moral of the story I think is to top up as and when its convenient,rather than working from full to empty like a petrol car.
This would be very easy if I had a charger at home....
Otherwise the car remains excellent. Its very swift round town- quite the Q car in many ways- and impressed 3 previously sceptical colleagues on a trip across London. I also like driving round in something unusual.
All the stuff works well, but I have found the satnav takes a while to wake up when you first start the car, which is just when you need it to respond to your inputs! Too clever for its own good I think, as it checks traffic conditions.
In summary, 3 weeks and 250 London miles completed and I still like it. A lot. Getting used to different chargers and managing for the occasional disappointment is key.
HTP99 said:
You don't have an external wall charger at home, why not, part of the package when purchasing a ZOE is having one installed?
Because like most Londoners, I don't have off street parking. As per other threads anyone can have a charger installed with govt grants. The 7kw one, provided with a Zoe, would be a £95 supplement without.
Just google ecotricity and / or electric highway. They accept the source london card, or, you can get a ecotricity card. From memory it's a tenner.
Not sure what car that is you have- but it does look like a kennels connector. Not all cars can accept a v fast charge- the Zoe can with its "chameleon" charger.
Most on street chargers you need your own cable. These high power ones have a tethered cable, so you just plug in and go for your coffee.
Not sure what car that is you have- but it does look like a kennels connector. Not all cars can accept a v fast charge- the Zoe can with its "chameleon" charger.
Most on street chargers you need your own cable. These high power ones have a tethered cable, so you just plug in and go for your coffee.
bertiedee said:
I'm quite interested in 1 of these. What have you found to be a realistic range, now you've
been running it for a couple of months? My daily commute is 60 miles round trip....mostly on a slow A road. I'm up in Cumbria, and haven't yet seen a public charging point, so would be charging every night at home.
Hi therebeen running it for a couple of months? My daily commute is 60 miles round trip....mostly on a slow A road. I'm up in Cumbria, and haven't yet seen a public charging point, so would be charging every night at home.
60-70 miles of London stop start traffic. Only done a few 'longer' journeys including Heathrow and back and used less 'fuel' on the range meter than the distance covered, as one might in a normal car used to doing the urban grind.
Suggest asking on the myrenaultzoe.com forum where there seem to be loads of folks using one as you might.
Perhaps an extended test drive could be arranged?
kentish zoe said:
Nice choice of car squire. Couple of points : no need to pay £10 to source london for card that expires in december just get source east for free ! And battery lease is just new way to do things try to get over comparing to monthly petrol and just treat as part of running cost of a car which is less than half the price of the i3, put the money you save on a leaf in the bank and use that to pay lease each month with no battery worries.
oh yes and if you don't have off street parking for a home charger you can ask your council to put one in outside under olev scheme.
Re council / Olev. Tried that. Mine doesn't participate. Odd.oh yes and if you don't have off street parking for a home charger you can ask your council to put one in outside under olev scheme.
Edited by kentish zoe on Sunday 31st August 15:48
Will be interesting to see how source London develops with the new guys in charge.
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