Renault supplies 55 ZOE hatchback Zero Emission cars to Europcar for the city-based Deliver & Collect service.

• Renault delivers its biggest ever single UK order of the 100 per cent electric Renault ZOE
• Award-winning supermini to be used by Europcar to support its city-based Deliver & Collect service
• Significant order to contribute to Europcar UK’s goal of five per cent of its vehicles to be electric by 2020
• Renault ZOE chosen for its ease of use and driver feedback
• Zero emissions in use hatchbacks will also benefit customers of the all-electric E-Car Club
• Renault ZOE awarded a Which? Best Buy in 2016, voted What Car? ‘Best Electric Car for less than £20,000’ for the third consecutive year and number two overall out of 150 vehicles, in the 2016 Auto Express Driver Power ownership survey

Renault has delivered its biggest ever UK order of the all-electric Renault ZOE, with 55 of the innovative supermini having been supplied to Europcar UK for use in the delivery and collection of hire vehicles in major UK cities.

With zero emissions in use and offering the benefits of smooth and instant pulling power, the award-winning Renault ZOE is ideally suited to the busy urban-based role. 

While supporting Europcar’s Deliver & Collect service, which ensures that customers of the leading mobility player enjoy a highly convenient and flexible hire car experience, the Renault ZOEs will also contribute to Europcar’s continued efforts to be at the forefront of reducing vehicle emissions and introducing customers to new technologies.

Europcar is committed to five per cent of its total UK vehicle fleet being electric by 2020.

Ease of use and environmental compatibility were key factors in Europcar choosing the ZOE. The firm’s decision to invest in Europe’s best-selling EV was also influenced by the positive customer feedback it has received from those who have experienced the Renault ZOE through its rental fleet.

In addition to enabling Europcar employees to deliver rental vehicles to customers at their home or workplace, the Renault ZOEs will provide support to E-Car Club – the all-electric car club that Europcar has a majority stake in and the acquisition of which represented the first ever exit of a crowdfunded start-up. 

With E-Car Club attracting more and more private and business customers and working to grow its locations, which span from East London to the Outer Hebrides, the Renault ZOEs will ensure that E-Car Club can quickly access additional cars to meet customer demand.

The 55 Renault ZOEs all feature the Expression Nav level of trim. As standard, the comprehensive specification includes automatic climate control, electric front windows, keycard entry with push button start/stop function, cruise control and speed limiter, ESC (Electronic Stability Control) and ETC (Electronic Traction Control), 4x20W Renault R-Link Multimedia system incorporating a 7-inch touch screen, TomTom LIVE satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectivity and voice control.

All have been supplied and prepared by DSG Renault, Morecambe, the dealership having vast experience of Renault’s versatile electric vehicle (EV) range.

Gary Smith, Managing Director, Europcar UK Group said: “Our Deliver & Collect service aims to enhance the rental experience for our customers – taking the time and hassle out of collecting a vehicle at the start of the hire and having to go back to our branch at the end of the journey. 

And the addition of the Renault ZOEs at many of our city branches, enabling our employees to get to and from our branches without expending any emissions, makes the Deliver & Collect service all the more environmentally friendly.”

Chris Morris, Managing Director and Co-Founder of E-Car Club, added: “We are delighted to add to our existing fleet of Renault ZOE; a very popular choice amongst E-Car members. This acquisition of vehicles will help support our forthcoming expansions, particularly in Scotland, where we have significant deployment plans within the next six months.

“Our strategic partnership with Renault continues to grow from strength-to-strength, with the ZOE and Kangoo Van Z.E now making up a significant proportion of the E-Car fleet. We look forward to building on this partnership into the future.”

Nick Tame, Sales Director, Groupe Renault UK, said: “We are exceptionally pleased that Europcar has chosen the Renault ZOE as the most suitable vehicle to support its collection and delivery service, and also make a significant contribution to meeting its environmental ambitions. 

The significant size of the order illustrates the rapidly-increasing popularity of the Renault EV range in the UK and the vast appeal of the ZOE’s superb all-round package, which has seen it recognised by What Car? as the ‘Best electric car on sale for under £20,000’ for the last three consecutive years and also being voted ‘Best Supermini’, and number two overall out of 150 vehicles, in the 2016 Auto Express Driver Power ownership survey.”

Ben Fletcher, Electric Vehicle Product Manager, Groupe Renault UK, added: “With its exceptional ease-of-use, the Renault ZOE is ideal for its varying roles with Europcar and E-Car Club. As the businesses have already discovered, i

t’s an immensely simple, relaxing and rewarding car for anyone to drive, with motorists adapting to its advanced technology just seconds after getting behind the wheel. With no gears to worry about and a variety of convenient charging options, it’s simply a case of get in and go with the absolute minimum of fuss.”

The ZOE is an all-electric, five-door supermini available in three trim levels that comes with a high level of standard specification, including items such as climate control and sat-nav. 

ZOE also has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and was recently awarded the title of What Car? ‘Best Electric Car for less than £20,000’ for the third consecutive year, and ‘Best Electric Vehicle’ in the Auto Express Driver Power 2015 survey. In 2016, ZOE was awarded a Which? Best Buy.

ZOE is fitted with a patented Chameleon™ charger that, unlike other EVs, always allows ZOE to make the best use of whatever charging supply is available in order to speed up charging times. ZOE Dynamique Nav Rapid Charge can charge at up to 43kW, meaning that 0 to 80 per cent full can be achieved in as little as 30 minutes. 

For retail customers with a domestic address and off street parking, a 7kW Homecharger will also be fully installed free of charge enabling ZOE to be charged from flat-to-full in just 3-4 hours.

The model’s official NEDC range, depending on version, is up to 149 miles – Renault estimates that in real-world driving conditions that this equates to around 106 miles in summer and 71 miles in winter.

ZOE is available to purchase in two ways. Firstly, under a battery hire scheme, where ZOE pricing starts at £13,945 after the Government Plug-in Car Grant with battery leasing from £45 per month. Benefits include a lifetime performance guarantee for the battery and 24/7 roadside assistance – even if you run out of charge.

You can also buy your ZOE outright. ZOE i ‘full purchase’ models start from £18,945 after the Government Plug-in Car Grant, giving the buyer full ownership of the car and battery and no monthly battery lease payment.

Renault offers a range of electric vehicles to suit private and commercial requirements. In addition to the ZOE hatchback, the Renault EV range comprises of the innovative, two-seater Twizy city car, 

Twizy Cargo that offers a load area of 180 litres and a useful 75 kg payload, and the Kangoo Z.E and Kangoo Maxi Z.E vans that combine the same generous load capacity and options as the equivalent diesel versions with ultra-low running costs.