Go Electric With New Renault E-Tech Range
Published Date: 5th Oct 2020
Whether you are looking to dip you toe in the water with your first self-charging hybrid, want to go full electric or are looking for a plug-in hybrid, Renault has you covered with is tried and tested full electric Zoe and it’s new range of E-tech hybrid models:
- Renault Zoe - Full electric car with a range of up to 245 miles
- Renault Captur E-Tech - Compact SUV plugin hybrid with a range of 30 miles in full electric mode
- Renault Mégane Sport Tourer E-Tech - Plugin hybrid estate car with low tax band
- Renault Clio E-Tech - Self charging hybrid with low running costs
- Renault Akarna E-Tech - New Coupe-SUV model to go on sale in 2021 will further boost Hyrbid range
Renault Zoe - Full Electric
The Renault Zoe is one of the most affordable full electric cars on the market right now and with a range of up to 245 miles, it ticks two boxes that most people will have at the top of their checklist when buying an electric car.
You also get an 8-year battery warranty and a free 7kW wallbox charger installed at your home, meaning it is a perfect choice for first time electric car buyers, making the transition to electric a smooth one.
The Zoe has also been around since 2014 so you are buying a tried and tested formula that has seen regular updates and improvements.
The latest 2020 Renault Zoe benefits from improved performance with two power outputs, R110 models can do 0-62mph in around 11.4 seconds and the more powerful R135 models (not available with entry-level Play trim) are almost 2 seconds quicker from 0-62mph.
The Zoe can optionally be equipped for use with 50kW rapid charging points which should you give you an 80% charge in around 70 minutes. The free 7kW home wallbox charger should give you a full charge overnight in 9-10 hours.
There are three trim-levels, entry-level Play models get 15-inch ‘Flex’ wheels which are essentially teel wheel with smart looking covers, electrically adjustable door mirrors, front electric windows, 7-inch touchscreen and manual air con.
Our advice is to skip the entry-level Play model, it does not include the fast charging option and the next grade Iconic is worth the extra outlay. It offers a fast charging option and adds alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, automatic air con and the 7-inch touchscreen infotainment is upgraded to include native navigation. There’s also additional driver tech too, including lane departure warning, lane keep assist and traffic sign recognition.
Top grade GT Line models get a larger portrait 9.3-inch touchscreen with navigation, part synthetic leather interior, front/rear parking sensors, rear parking camera and blind spot monitoring.
The new Renault Zoe is one of the most affordable full electric cars available right now and with a range of 245 miles it’s got you covered for long journeys.
Renault Captur E-Tech PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid)
The Captur is Renault’s eye-catching compact SUV that offers great customisation options, one of the best-in-class interiors and generous levels of equipment across the range.
The all-new Renault Captur E-Tech is the new PHEV (plug-in hybrid) model to hit the showrooms as Renault expands its hybrid and full electric car range. The E-Tech badge is something you’ll see on other Renault models to signify hybrid technology under the hood.
The E-Tech Captur combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine with a 9.8 kWh battery, a 49kW electric motor and a smaller integrated starter-generator.
In full electric mode it has a range of up to 30 miles, so if a lot of your travelling consists of daily commutes that falls within the 30-mile round trip bracket, then running costs could be super-low.
Renault say the new Captur E-Tech can deliver economy figures of up to 188mpg (WLTP) and CO2 emissions as low as 34g/km.
You get a choice of three trim-levels, the entry-level Play, Iconic and top-grade S Edition models.
Entry-level Play models are well equipped with auto headlights and windscreen wipers, 7-inch touchscreen with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay and automatic climate control. There are also decent levels of driver tech including cruise control, traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning and lane keep assist.
The downside with the Play trim is there are no additional interior and exterior customisation packs instead you need to look at the Iconic or S Edition if additional customisation is a must. There are no alloy wheels instead you get what Renault call Flex wheels which are steel wheels with upmarket wheel covers, alloys are available as an optional extra.
Renault Captur Iconic models get the option of additional interior and exterior colour customisation packs, 17-inch alloy wheels, roof rails and tinted rear windows. Inside the infotainment system gets an upgrade with integrated navigation and additional driver tech includes rear parking sensors.
Top grade S Edition models add plenty of extra driver tech including blind spot monitoring, auto high beam, and a rear-view camera. Inside you get part synthetic leather upholstery, ambient lighting in a choice of 8 colours and a leather steering wheel.
The Renault Captur is one of the best compact SUVs available and should be on your shortlist if you are making the switch to a plug-in hybrid.
Renault Megane Sport Tourer E-Tech Plug-in Hybrid Estate
Looking for a good size family car or working vehicle but don’t want to go down the SUV route? The Renault Megane Sport Tourer could fit the bill as a traditional estate car equipped with Plugin Hybrid technology. With almost 450 litres of boot space it should provide a good amount of space for luggage and other large items.
The E-Tech Megane Sports Tourer is powered by two electric motors combined with a 1.6-litre petrol engine. The larger of the two motors is used to power the front wheels when you set off to give the car some pep. The engine produces 160bhp and it can take you from 0-62mph in a fraction under 10 seconds which is respectable.
Equipped with the same 9.8 kWh battery found it the Renault Captur E-Tech it should have a similar range of 30 miles in full electric mode. If you drive economically and do mostly short daily round trips, it could mean running in electric mode almost all the time and seriously low running costs. Renault also say you can get around 215mpg under WLTP testing and CO2 emissions can be as low as 30g/km. All this makes for a very appealing company car or fleet of cars.
You get three drive modes Pure EV mode, Sport or MySense, the latter balances the car in hybrid mode for the best efficiency. Sport obviously sets the car up for more pep, while pure EV mode speaks for itself.
The model line-up has been simplified for E-Tech models, there is effectively no entry-level model, instead you get the choice of the well-equipped Iconic model or the sportier RS Line trim.
Inside the mew Megane Sport tech has been updated with a 10.2-inch driver display and large 9.3-inch touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay as standard. There is plenty of standard driver tech too including cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition and auto high beam.
The RS line model adds some sporty touches like interior carbon inserts, detail-stitching, aluminium sports pedals and Alcantara seats.
The new Renault Megane Sport Tourer E-Tech should make a great family car and economy figures and tax bracket means it’s an extremely proposition as a company car too. You should also be eligible for a free home wallbox charger if you purchase one.
Renault Clio E-Tech Self Charging Hybrid
Although the new Renault Clio hybrid shares the same E-Tech badge as the Captur and Megane it doesn’t come as a plugin hybrid, instead it is a self-charging hybrid that recharges the battery itself during coasting and with a little extra help from brake regeneration technology.
If you’re not fully confident to make the switch to a plugin, then a self-charging hybrid may the perfect solution to dip your toe into the electric car scene with a view to a plug-in further down the line.
The Clio E-Tech uses the same 1.6-litre petrol engine and twin electric motors found in the Megane Sport Tourer and Captur with a smaller 1.2kWh lithium-ion battery. Full electric driving can be achieved at speeds of up to 27mph, meaning a large portion of your around town driving can be achieved in full electric mode.
Renault say fuel economy can be up to 64.2mpg and CO2 emissions are as low as 98g/km meaning it trumps some of its close rivals falling into one tax bracket lower. It still generally feels punchy enough and accelerates smoothly, 0-62mph can be achieved in a snip under 10 seconds.
When choosing a trim level our advice is skip the entry-level Play model which lacks what some may consider essentials like a touchscreen infotainment systems and rear parking sensors. It still does pack a fair amount of other driving aids in though like cruise control, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. lane keep assist and traffic sign recognition. There are no alloy wheels instead you get something called Flex wheels, which are steel wheels with posh covers.
The Iconic trim is very well-equipped, it adds to the Play trim with rear parking sensors, traffic sign recognition with over-speed warning, rear tinted windows, 16-inch alloy wheels, fog lights and the 7-inch touchscreen with integrated sat nav and smartphone mirroring.
The S Edition trim further adds 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic air conditioning and additional driver tech like automatic high beam, front and rear parking sensors, and rear-view camera. You also get the impressive larger 9.3-inch portrait touchscreen (pictured left) infotainment with navigation and smartphone mirroring.
The RS Line adds some sporty touches with chrome exhaust, 17-inch diamond cut alloy wheels with black inserts and unique beehive lower grille. Inside there’s aluminium pedals and unique RS Line badging and upholstery with red detail stitching.
The new Renault Clio E-Tech is a welcome addition to the Clio range and the makes a perfect entry into hybrid car ownership for those that aren’t ready to make the jump to a plug-in.
New Renault Arkana E-Tech Hybrid To Go On Sale in 2021
A new Renault coupe-SUV will go on sale in 2021, named the Renault Arkana, the new model will also be available as an E-Tech hybrid model, further bolstering Renault's hybrid and SUV offerings.
The new Arkana will share the same CMF-B modular platform underpinnings as the new Clio and new Captur compact SUV.
The new coupe-SUV will feature a low sweeping roof, rear coupe design with a strong rear bumper and the same C-Shape LED headlights seen on new Renault models.
You can read more about the all-new Renault Arkana here.