Renault Zoe 2021 electric car owner review

Graham Castle drives a Renault Zoe R135 GT Line 2021.

This is Graham’s first electric car, he’s owned the Renault Zoe 3-4 years and drives 10,000-15,000 miles annually. The current mileage of the car is between 30,000-40,000 miles and he achieves 170 miles from a full charge.

Why did you choose the Renault Zoe R135 GT Line?

We bought the car new in 2021 and wanted an EV from a proven manufacturer with considerable EV experience. That meant Nissan, Tesla or Renault. Couldn’t afford a Tesla and Nissan only had air-cooled batteries so plumped for the Renault.

Positives

It’s an absolute joy to drive, quiet, comfortable and stress-free (no messing about with gears and a clutch). It’s the only car we’ve owned where it’s a race between the wife and me to see who can get in the driving seat first.
It costs peanuts to own compared to an ICE car.
We live in NE Scotland (polar bear country) so the ability to precondition the car from the warmth and comfort of home is most welcome as is the instant heat from the heater, no freezing while ICE engine heats up. Toasty!

Negatives

The glove box is miniscule
That’s it really!

Compared to when you first bought the car, does your battery still charge at the same rate & do you still get the same range?

Yes, I’ve not noticed any perceptible battery degradation. The range can vary greatly according to many variables including temperature, type of road (motorway, country road and even who is driving!).

Have you experienced any faults with the car? If so, what have they been?

None, its been totally reliable.

What are the standout technological features of the car?

Being fully EV automatic it’s so easy and stress free to drive, it’s actually a delight to drive.
The air source heat pump is great, barely makes any difference to range when being used for heating or cooling and its operation is instantaneous.
Automatic handbrake, automatic lights including dipping main beam, automatic wipers and hill start all make driving effortless.
The Renault App is very good and reliable. You can precondition car, manage charging and many other tasks simply from the App.
The sat nav including EV charging stations and giving you feedback on availability and maintenance status of chargers is really quiet useful.
The driver display is hugely customisable and gives you all the information you need on the screen. No messing about with tablet screens. This made the transition to an EV much easier for us.

Tell us something people wouldn’t readily know about this electric car

It’s surprisingly nippy. You can easily outpace Audi and BMW drivers in a traffic light grand prix. Turn of speed also quiet useful when being tailgated on motorway, watch them disappear in your rear view mirror.

What’s the biggest or funniest myth you’ve heard about EVs?

They cause carparks to collapse.

What electric car(s) are you interested in next and why?

Next car will definitely be an EV probably again from a proven European manufacturer. Also one that is built on a dedicated EV chassis so we get space benefits. Not interested in ICE vehicles factory-converted to EVs. We will certainly check out the Renault 4 and 5.

Home charging unit

Wallbox Pulsar Plus – Ownership has been faultless, so much so I never give it a second thought. It updates itself and I haven’t had to touch it in over three years of ownership. Plug in and forget.

Electricity supplier & tariff

Octopus Energy (Intelligent Octopus Go) – 100% renewable energy and first-class customer service. Can’t fault them.

What public charging networks would you recommend to others and why?

I avoid Shell and bp as both are greenwashing climate change.

Living in Scotland I mostly make use of ChargePlace Scotland. An extensive charging network throughout Scotland including the Outer Hebrides where we toured a couple of years ago. Good rates compared to commercial charging networks, typically half the price. Chargers are getting quite old now and could be more reliable but excellent customer service.

Insurer

LV= I’ve been with them for years and haven’t had any problems. The Zoe cost the same to insure as our previous Hyundai i20, so no EV premium charged. Last year’s insurance cost went up approx. 40% which seems excessive though.

Please itemise where you’re saving money (or not) owning & running a Renault Zoe

Fuel saving of £150 to £200 a month. It costs peanuts to charge to Zoe at home, less than 2p per mile.
Annual service £100, saving another £300 p.a.
No road tax saving £170 p.a.
Saving £200 to £350 monthly, the Zoe is paying for itself.
Nothing is more expensive than on our last ICE car!