Any new Renault Zoe owners out there?

Any new Renault Zoe owners out there?

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Discussion

HughG

3,566 posts

243 months

Tuesday 26th September 2023
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I've just agreed to buy my Zoe out of it's lease with 6months left. Total costs including all lease payments, purchase and early termination fee is £16,440.

I get the impression that over the last 5years or so list prices have become inflated to encourage customers towards finance products. Surely not to the extent that Arval can have made any money on a car with a list price of £~32k? If anyone has insight into the discounts, margins, or figures they can share please do.

HTP99

22,768 posts

142 months

Tuesday 26th September 2023
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Apart from circa 80 new ZOE's in the UK network ZOE is now finished in the UK.

M1C

1,841 posts

113 months

Tuesday 26th September 2023
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HTP99 said:
Apart from circa 80 new ZOE's in the UK network ZOE is now finished in the UK.
Interesting! Is there anything coming next? I feel like this is too soon to be related to the govts recent decision.

I think they look like a bit of a bargain on the used market.

HTP99

22,768 posts

142 months

Tuesday 26th September 2023
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M1C said:
HTP99 said:
Apart from circa 80 new ZOE's in the UK network ZOE is now finished in the UK.
Interesting! Is there anything coming next? I feel like this is too soon to be related to the govts recent decision.

I think they look like a bit of a bargain on the used market.
I think it's hanging around for a bit longer over in mainland Europe but only through Q1 2024, R5 will be next, this is somepoint 2024 in Europe, likely towards the end and the UK is early 2025 as it is currently but no doubt will change.

Nope not related to the government's recent announcement, sales dropped off a cliff due to A) the zero NCAP score and B) the general downturn in electric purchases starting around this time last year and I also think just generally it was time, it's a circa 10 year old design with the inhernat flaws of such an old design, it was old.

Dealers had been saying for sometime that ZOE needed to go down to 1 decent spec with good pricing and offers, to give it a fighting chance, but of course Renault being Renault they knew best and soldiered on with the most recent, 3 specifications, none really differing much from each other but overly confusing and pointless.

They are a great 2nd hand buy, pick up one registered no later than end of year 2022 and it'll have the 5 year warranty too.

dgswk

Original Poster:

902 posts

96 months

Wednesday 27th September 2023
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This is a post from the past! Coincidentally, after 3 years our Zoe went back last Friday with 38k miles. A very cheap 38k miles. Outside of the lease, cost us £300 in servicing, still on original tyres (borderline 2mm on the fronts). With off peak electric, it has cost buttons, and as a second car, couldn’t recommend highly enough.

Wife’s commute dropped to 2-3 miles a day this summer, so made no sense to lease, we bought a 10yo manual
Fiat 500 for £2.5k to replace it.





Toaster Pilot

14,632 posts

160 months

Monday 9th October 2023
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Stick the reg into the DVLA mot history tool, if it has “rapid charge” in the model name then it should have CCS.

The “EV 50” seems to come from that model name too:


The ZE50 has a different front bumper to the older ZE40, I don’t think you can get those confused.

Edited by Toaster Pilot on Monday 9th October 21:30

HTP99

22,768 posts

142 months

Monday 9th October 2023
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Pedaller said:
Looking for a bit of help in my search for a Zoe for my partner please. I think what I want is extremely simple - I want it to have the 55 kWh (52 kWh usable) battery and rapid charge capability (i.e. the CCS connector). That is all. Some great deals out there now IMO - 2 year old 52 kWh cars with CCS and circa 20k miles for £12-13k.

But there are an overwhelming number of Zoe variants and so many codes such as R110, R135, EV50, ZE50 and so on. They seem to have been continuously changing the car and R110, R135 etc doesn't always tell you what the battery and charging connector spec is? Autotrader seem to do a decent enough job saying what the battery size is and whether it has rapid charge, but there is no hope on Renault's own used car website. It'll tell you the most pointless information like it has a driver's airbag, but doesn't have the most important information to most buyers which is the battery size and charge speed. I just wish everyone selling a Zoe would take a photo of the charging connector so I can at least see if it has CCS!

This sounds a bit demanding but is the easiest way I can see to lay it out. Can someone tell me if the following are correct please? This is what I have deduced.

1. All R135 models have the 52 kWh battery with rapid charging capability.
2. The R110 can be 41 kWh or 52 kWh.
3. The R110 can be had with or without rapid charging capability.
4. The only place I can see EV50 mentioned is on Autotrader. I think this is actually referring to the ZE50 model?
5. EV50 / ZE50 is always an R135 and never an R110.

On Autotrader some of the cars are "R110" while some are "E R110". Are these the same thing? Likewise there are "R135" and "E R135". Again, I think these are the same as eachother?

It appears to be that an R110 could be both 52kWh and have rapid charging but actually working out if a given car for sale has both of these things is incredibly difficult.

confused
1. R135 are all 50kWh battery, available with both CCS and non CCS
2. Yes, either battery size, only the 50kWh is available with CCS charging.
3. Yes R110 was available with CCS or not but only in the 50kWh battery version
4. Yes most likely EV50 will be referring to the 50kWh battery version
5. No 50kWh version is available in either 110 or 135, see point 3.

Dont know what the "E" means, maybe "Eco".

Merry

1,390 posts

190 months

Monday 9th October 2023
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Pedaller said:
Thank you both. Really, really helpful.

What a minefield though that the R135 still isn't 100% fit CCS!

Below is typical of Renault's used car website. This one is simply listed as a "Renault Zoe".

https://www.usedcars.renault.co.uk/used-cars/16576...

Comes up as "RENAULT ZOE I ICONIC ZE 50" on the MOT search so probably a 52kWh battery without rapid charging, and 136bhp so looks like an R135. I think I am getting it smile
We've just bought one, I'd go with looking for a R135 GT Line , with the Rapid Charge. They don't really command much of a premium over the Iconic and more seemed to have been specced with the rapid charge. Nearly all post facelift appear to be 52kwh batteries.

Generally we found if they have a rapid charge it says so in the title. In fact I've just done an MOT check on ours and it's on the vehicle model there.



Pretty happy with ours, it's a 2021 with 22000 miles on it and was £12600. Not bad considering there's still a good chunk of warranty on it. Only downside is it's white. All the ones in decent colours were a good £500 more. Solid 180 mile motorway range judging by a recent trip, at 'normal' motorway speeds too.

Don't mention euro ncap though. The key is bloody huge too.

Merry

1,390 posts

190 months

Monday 9th October 2023
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Pedaller said:
I think it's a lot of car for the money really. You've basically bought at the price level I'm looking at. I don't mind the white really, it's that pale metallic blue that I absolutely despise. I think it looks awful on every car though.

Euro NCAP - I understand it got 0 just because it lacked active safety features? Not looked into it since the headlines. I bet it's safer in a crash than her 2010 Yaris that she drives at the moment.
Wife quite liked the blue to be fair hehe (it's her car). I'd have preferred the red really.

That's kind of what our opinion on the ncap thing was. They removed an airbag which makes it weak on side impacts with a pole. They also lacked the active safety stuff as standard (things like auto braking and lane assist) although this is present on most GT Line model after 2021, though you do have to check carefully if its something you want as it was fitted sporadically due to the chip shortage.

But yes in terms of safety I have no doubt it would be just as safe if not better than something of a similar size a decade ago, Euro ncap moved the goalposts a little.

dgswk

Original Poster:

902 posts

96 months

Thursday 12th October 2023
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Pedaller said:
Just realised that "I think I am getting it" sounded like I was buying it. I meant that I am starting to understand what the specs are now! Definitely going for one with rapid charging, as my partner's parents are 150 miles away, 120 miles of which is motorway. Good to hear 180 miles on motorway is possible at this time of year but in the dead of winter she might need to stop for a short rapid charge on that journey. She is onboard with electric cars in general, and she is familiar with my i-pace, so if she has to do a 20 minute rapid charge in winter I think she'd be OK with it.

Good to see the MOT check is reliable. I checked a few and it seemed to align with the ones that say "Rapid Charge" on Autotrader.

I think it's a lot of car for the money really. You've basically bought at the price level I'm looking at. I don't mind the white really, it's that pale metallic blue that I absolutely despise. I think it looks awful on every car though.

Euro NCAP - I understand it got 0 just because it lacked active safety features? Not looked into it since the headlines. I bet it's safer in a crash than her 2010 Yaris that she drives at the moment.
We used to get 140 easily out of ours in the winter, 180 summer is about right. I pushed it to 210-215 on one journey, but taking it very steady. -10 winter back in 2020/1 we occasionally dropped to 120ish. Get a CCS / Rapid Charge one and you're good. They still only charge at 50kw, so a bit slow, but its fine for the occasional zap. Regularly did a 200 mile commute during Covid with a 15min stop, and have done a few 235 mile Cornwall trips with a longer break, then left it on a 3 pin at the holiday place for a couple of days....

The NCAP standards have moved on, Zoe is an older platform. But relatively cheap as chips. Ours cost barely anything bar the lease cost over three years.

Wife is using more in petrol for 250 miles a month than she did in electric for 1,200 miles a month... If you can pick one up for £12-13k its a no brainer to me.


Bannock

5,254 posts

32 months

Thursday 12th October 2023
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I'm thinking about getting one of these too. As another poster up the thread has found, the model designations are an utter minefield, aren't they? Just wanted to add my thanks to everyone who has posted explainers.

I'll be after an R135 Rapid Charge I think, as a replacement for a now-ageing Leaf 30kwh. Seems I can pick them up for £13k, or under. The other nearest comparable alternative seems to be the Vauxhall E-Corsa. I am a bit discombobulated by the NCAP thing with the Zoe, if there wasn't that question I think I'd clearly prefer one over the Vauxhall, but it is making me pause for thought.

What's the real life experience of rear seat room for passengers? I've got a 6'2" passenger I need to ferry around in the back sometimes, does the panel think they'd be fine in a Zoe?

dgswk

Original Poster:

902 posts

96 months

Thursday 12th October 2023
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Bannock said:
I'm thinking about getting one of these too. As another poster up the thread has found, the model designations are an utter minefield, aren't they? Just wanted to add my thanks to everyone who has posted explainers.

I'll be after an R135 Rapid Charge I think, as a replacement for a now-ageing Leaf 30kwh. Seems I can pick them up for £13k, or under. The other nearest comparable alternative seems to be the Vauxhall E-Corsa. I am a bit discombobulated by the NCAP thing with the Zoe, if there wasn't that question I think I'd clearly prefer one over the Vauxhall, but it is making me pause for thought.

What's the real life experience of rear seat room for passengers? I've got a 6'2" passenger I need to ferry around in the back sometimes, does the panel think they'd be fine in a Zoe?
Used to ferry my 6"2 son around to sports matches in it on a Sat, it was 'okay', headroom a bit limited but never had any complaints, but equally never really asked. Wife is 5"4, so if we did, I'd have swapped them biggrin: He was probably only in it 20mins a week though.

My wife and I have both said, if we needed one car and didn't have oddball commutes, the Zoe would be all the car we'd ever need, more so now the kids have moved on. We only let ours go as the lease was up and we've scaled back to a £2k 10yo Fiat 500.

As my post above, the Zoe is an old platform now, so of course the NCAP thing is going to catch up with it as it hasnt got the latest whizzbang collision avoidance stuff etc.

Merry

1,390 posts

190 months

Thursday 12th October 2023
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dgswk said:
As my post above, the Zoe is an old platform now, so of course the NCAP thing is going to catch up with it as it hasnt got the latest whizzbang collision avoidance stuff etc.
Except some models do, particularly post 2021 GT Lines. It didnt get tested cause it wasnt standard.

I'm a bit more miffed about the removal of the airbag to be honest. That makes no sense, but then if they hadn't gained a bit of a reputation they wouldn't be so cheap.

We tested a Corsa E. It was alright but nowhere near as efficient as the Renault so the range was quite a bit less. Boot was quite pokey too.

Merry

1,390 posts

190 months

Sunday 22nd October 2023
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The steering is a bit lightweight.

I seem to recall the iconic is the bottom one. For what it's worth, like I said earlier, I'd just look for a Gtline. The price premium isn't that much over the lower specced ones. Just be aware that heated seats weren't standard on the Gtline. We made that mistake!

We did a bit of a range test with ours last week, we did 140 miles up the motorway and back at 'normal' motorway speeds. It returned 3.6 miles per kwh, had 20% left in it when we got back, was pretty mild though at about 15°c.

So yeah, still moderately pleased with ours. It's a bit dull but it does the job.


dapprman

2,366 posts

269 months

Sunday 22nd October 2023
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I still have a digital copy of the brochure from when the Zoe50 was launched (and I got my GTline). (Pedaller - message me and I can send it to you the file (it is 8Mb though).

At the launch (when CCS was an optional extra even on the GTLine) the model order was Play -> Ionic -> GT Line
The Play just had the 90kW/107 BHP motor, the GT LIne just had the 100kW/135 BHP motor.




Note in time, I think before the version names/levels changed, CCS charging became standard on the GT Line, not sure when though. Before it became standard there was a blanking plate over the lower port so it can be quite hard to tell the difference between the two just from photos.

HTP99

22,768 posts

142 months

Sunday 22nd October 2023
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Play, Iconic, S-Edition, Gt-Line, when the ADAS camera was removed the range became Iconic, SE-Edition, Gt-Line +.

All bar Play have sat nav, CCS became standard on Gt-Line +, optional on Iconic S/SE-Edition and Gt-Line. 110 on Iconic 110/135 on S/SE-Edition, 135 Gt-Line and Gt-Line +.

About this time last year the range as re-jigged yet again, specification names were changed to "allign with the rest of Europe" Techno with optional CCS (I think all 135), Iconic became top spec with standard CCS and 135 motor. Where it gets more pointless and "why the fk did they do that" core equipment level on both Techno and Iconic were identical, only differences being, CCS standard on GT-Line, larger and darker alloys and weird gold detailing, apart from that, no differences.

Dealers pleaded for 1 high spec ZOE to simplify things, good offers and pricing, of course what did we know!

There are likely to be other minor changes along the line but the above pretty much covers it, I think the ADAS radar reappeared at some point but the naming remained as if they didn't have it, go figure.

Ref if a car has CCS or not, if you can get a look at the charging port, whether a photo or physically, if the CCS bit at the bottom has two "++" moulded into the cover, it doesn't have CCS charging.

Edited by HTP99 on Sunday 22 October 10:46

Merry

1,390 posts

190 months

Monday 23rd October 2023
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Pedaller said:
-No auto emergency braking (a little bit bothered by that) (optional)

Edited by Pedaller on Monday 23 October 18:51
This is a bit of minefield. It was fitted pretty sporadically even when it was specced due to the chip shortage apparently. The only way to know if its been fitted or not is to look behind the front bumper and check for the option in the drive settings.

Personally I'd look the blindspot detection, anything that makes you more aware of what's around you can't be a bad thing, though it's not like the car is particularly hard to see out of.

HTP99

22,768 posts

142 months

Monday 23rd October 2023
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Pedaller said:
Main differences with the Iconic vs GT seem to be:
-No rear camera (don't need) (optional)
-No front parking sensors (don't need) (optional)
-Smaller screen but same features as the larger one (optional)
-No auto emergency braking (a little bit bothered by that) (optional)
-No blind spot warning (don't need)
-No electric folding mirrors (nice to have but not a problem)

With some of those being optional, we may find them on an Iconic.
IIRC, none of those were optional on Iconic save for front sensors which would have been fitted either at dealer or the import centre as an accessory, perhaps very early days into ZE50 ZOE they were options in the brochure then Covid hit and Renault went for a more streamlined "that specification has this, the other has that, if you want more then move up to the higher spec, the only option being a different colour"

The Rotrex Kid

30,704 posts

162 months

Monday 23rd October 2023
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HTP99 said:
Pedaller said:
Main differences with the Iconic vs GT seem to be:
-No rear camera (don't need) (optional)
-No front parking sensors (don't need) (optional)
-Smaller screen but same features as the larger one (optional)
-No auto emergency braking (a little bit bothered by that) (optional)
-No blind spot warning (don't need)
-No electric folding mirrors (nice to have but not a problem)

With some of those being optional, we may find them on an Iconic.
IIRC, none of those were optional on Iconic save for front sensors which would have been fitted either at dealer or the import centre as an accessory, perhaps very early days into ZE50 ZOE they were options in the brochure then Covid hit and Renault went for a more streamlined "that specification has this, the other has that, if you want more then move up to the higher spec, the only option being a different colour"
Pretty sure you couldn’t option them. Seem to recall you could only add winter pack and Bose on GT Line at the beginning, that’s it.

GT Line+ is the pick. All the spec, better interior, heated seats and wheel. Iconic spec is just a bit basic and for the small price increase the GT line+ is a better car

HughG

3,566 posts

243 months

Monday 23rd October 2023
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Pedaller said:
Had a good look at brochures and realising the Iconic is actually pretty well specced. I don't think we need to go any higher up the range. It looks like the S-Edition was on sale for a very, very short amount of time? I don't think it was even around long enough to make it into a brochure. Well I can't find it anyway. It looks like the brochures went from Play / Iconic / GT Line in 2021 straight to Techno / Iconic in 2022.

Main differences with the Iconic vs GT seem to be:
-No rear camera (don't need) (optional)
-No front parking sensors (don't need) (optional)
-Smaller screen but same features as the larger one (optional)
-No auto emergency braking (a little bit bothered by that) (optional)
-No blind spot warning (don't need)
-No electric folding mirrors (nice to have but not a problem)

With some of those being optional, we may find them on an Iconic.

I prefer the fabric seats in the Iconic compared to the "leather" in the GT, and I've had diamond cut alloys before which just corrode, so happy to lose those too. The fabric has a kind of BMW i3 "loft" spec about it. And IMO there is much less need for a heated seat when they are fully fabric. And they burn through the range wink

Edited by Pedaller on Monday 23 October 18:51
I agree with most of that, particularly the cloth seats. The only 4 extra things I’d like to have on my Zoe ZE50 r135 iconic are:
- an outside temperature gauge on the cluster (a crazy omission as when using CarPlay it isn’t visible on the central screen)
- heated seats (it’s supposed to use less electric to warm a seat than the air in the whole car).
- rapid charge
- adaptive cruise (not sure if it even an option, but I think this would be much more useful in an EV than a ICE car)


Edited by HughG on Monday 23 October 21:34