Renault’s Zoe Z.E. 40 has won the What Car? Electric Car of the year award, taking the overall EV prize and the sub-£20,000 category. The Zoe was joined by the BMW i3 94Ah and Tesla Model S 75D as winners of the £20,000-£40,000 and more than £40,000 categories respectively.
With no great surprises in the Electric Car category, all three models are worthy winners, with only Hyundai perhaps unlucky to have missed out on a prize because of the arrival of the longer-range BMW in 2016.
It is the fourth consecutive year that the Zoe has won the ‘Best Electric Car under £20,000’, with the new model now able to offer a range of 250 miles (NEDC) on a single charge. The Zoe Z.E. 40 was also a finalist in the Technology Award – which was won in the end by Peugeot’s 3008 i-Cockpit.
Steve Huntingford, Editor at What Car? said: “Given the rate of progress in this class during the past 12 months, this win shows just how much this recent update has improved the Zoe. Realistically, it’s now possible to drive for 174 miles between each charge, up from the 106 miles of the previous battery.
“And Renault has kept everything that was already great about the Zoe: its practicality, tidy handling and standard kit. Plus, while range is up dramatically, price isn’t. And to include many of the latest comfort and infotainment features as well as fast charging at this price makes the Zoe a truly brilliant all-rounder.
“Having already won our Electric Car of the Year award, the latest Renault Zoe also impressed our Technology Award judges, because it represents a significant step towards overcoming ‘range anxiety’. The only other electric cars in the UK that are capable of travelling up to 250 miles between charges come from Tesla. But while the trendy Californian firm’s Model S costs from £64,000, our favoured Zoe can be yours for £18,595.
“Dynamique Nav trim is your best bet. It gets 16-inch alloys, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, auto lights and wipers and a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen with Bluetooth, sat-nav and a DAB radio. Our favoured Quick Charge (Q90) car can be charged to 80% in just 65 minutes on a 43kW fast charge.”
Paul Flanagan, Managing Director, Renault UK, said: “The new 2017 model year Renault Zoe now delivers the best range of any mainstream electric vehicle which, along with interior and exterior upgrades, continues to prove that zero emissions vehicles can be stylish, practical and comfortable. We’re delighted that What Car? has recognised the Zoe’s talents for the fourth year in a row by naming it their best electric car of the year.”
You can see all the What Car? winners here.
