Renault launches Zoe electric car here

Renault has launched its Zoe electric supermini in Ireland at a starting price of €17,490 plus a monthly battery lease from €49, writes Brian Byrne.

The car will be available on a monthly PCP payment from €179 plus the battery.

It's the first EV in Ireland which can be charged in three modes — home charging in 8 hours, advanced charging in one hour, and Fast charging in 30 minutes for 80 percent.

Renault's experience with EV passenger cars is that up to 90 percent of users charge at home.

The battery comes with a lifetime warranty, and there's also a 'collect me' service in the event of an owner running out of charge.

The €49/m battery lease has a limit of 5,000km a year, while an owner doing 15,000km will be charged €86 a month.