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Weekend roadtest : Renault Kangoo ZE
publication date: Dec 10, 2011
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author/source: David Miles
Renault's ground-breaking Kangoo ZE
new plug-in all electric van has just been voted
International Van of the Year 2012 by a jury of 22 European journalists
specialising in light commercial vehicles.
This is the first time an electric vehicle has won this
award competing against numerous internal combustion engine vehicles. The all-electric Leaf from Renault's
production partner Nissan pulled off a similar victory in the Car of the Year
|  | awards last year and has just been voted Japanese Car of the Year 2011-2012. The Kangoo Van Z.E. in the UK has also
just been voted What Van? magazine's Van of the Year and it went on sale this month.
Kangoo Van Z.E.
(Zero Emission) is the world's first affordable, 100% electric van produced by
a mass market vehicle manufacturer. Available in standard length with two seats
and a five-seat Maxi version it offers the same user-friendly functional
features as the internal combustion-engined versions with a load capacity
ranging from 3 to 4.6m3, a payload of 650kg and the same levels of
comfort.
Kangoo Van Z.E.
also offers a silent, versatile driving experience with maximum torque
available from start-up, seamless acceleration thanks to the absence of gear
changes, low running costs and zero tailpipe emissions. With a range of up to
106 miles on a fully charged battery, Kangoo Van Z.E. is more than capable of
covering the majority of day-to-day journeys made by the UK's compact van
drivers.
Renault has also
devised an innovative battery hire business system which alleviates any
customer concerns over battery longevity or replacement cost, simply by signing
up to a monthly battery hire contract, similar to a mobile phone plan, which
can be adapted to customer requirements in terms of mileage and annual
duration. And with its UK energy infrastructure partner British Gas it is
helping deliver safe and efficient charging products for the workplace and the
home.
Renault say Kangoo
Van Z.E. is competitively priced and has the potential to deliver significant
savings in terms of energy costs - particularly where customers can make use of
lower tariff off-peak electricity - and lower maintenance bills, thanks to
there being fewer parts to service or replace.
Including VAT,
Kangoo Van Z.E. prices start at £21,038 for the two seat, standard wheelbase
version up to £23,078 for the five seat
Maxi longer wheelbase, fully glazed version. Maxi models have twin sliding side doors as
well as the usual rear door. In addition the customer has to hire the battery
and there are contract hire periods from 12 to 60 months and annual mileage
parameters ranging from 6,000 to 15,000 miles.
Prices range from £60 to £105 per month depending upon the contract
length and annual mileage covered.
| | Renault UK never
forecast sales of new models but they did say that Renault is planning an
annual build of 15,000 units for European markets. In the UK sales of conventionally powered
Kangoos are 5,000 units a year, 70 per cent of which are the standard wheelbase
version. Potential customers
for the electric Kangoo range from the
obvious gas and electricity supply
companies, businesses who make city and town deliveries, local health
authorities, postal deliveries and the taxi and private hire trade where the five seat fully glazed Maxi version seems very
suitable. With its boxy shape and
relatively well equipped cabin the Kangoo Van Z.E. couldn't be simpler to drive. |  | Switch on, check
the battery range, select full power or eco drive modes, select forward or
reverse gear and press the accelerator to go.
Power from the 60hp electric motor is more than adequate but it's the
torque of 226Nm (166lb ft) from instant movement that gives the vehicle ‘real
nip' for a swift move away from standstill.
It is so easy to
drive. In addition to the usual plug-in
to charge the under load-bed positioned batteries, the vehicle has energy
capture through braking and on the overrun. |  | Take the foot off the accelerator
and the harvesting of power is very noticeable and slows the vehicle quite
rapidly minimising the braking needed to slow down. Top speed is 81mph
and zero to 62mph takes 20.3 seconds but it feels much more rapid than
that. All this takes place without the
normal drone of a diesel engine so it's near silent drive as well but of course
pedestrians might not hear it coming so
that should keep drivers awake. However insurance cover is relatively
cheap with a group 13E rating.
The 106 mile range
on a full charge will be more than adequate for town and city use. In real
terms Renault says their conventional Kangoo 1.5-litre dCi diesel vans used for
commercial use by fleets and businesses in urban environments only average 30
miles a day so the plug-in electric version would seem to have no drawbacks as
far as operational requirements go. | On to the thorny
issue of CO2 emissions the Kangoo Van Z.E officially has a zero figure which
means no VED road tax but nominally the figure is around 70g/km in the UK
because 70 per cent of our electricity is still produced by fossil fuels. In
France the vehicle has 2g/km of CO2 emissions because most of their electricity
comes from nuclear power stations.
More nuclear power,
less visually polluting wind farms for the UK would seem to be the answer. | | | MILESTONES.
Renault Kangoo Van
Z.E. Standard, Maxi and Maxi Crew
models.
Price: £21,038 to £23,078, battery hire depending on
period/mileage £60 to £105 a month. Power: Plug-in electric, Lithium ion
22kWh
battery, 60hp electric motor with 226Nm (166lb ft) of torque, range 106
miles
on a single charge, 81mph, 0-62mph 20.3 seconds, CO2 emissions zero from
the
vehicle, 70g/km nominal figure from electricity production depending on
the time of day charging takes places. Payload: 650kg. VED
road tax £0.
|  | For:
Cheap to run, easy to drive,
cost effective running costs for delivery, or potential taxi/private hire,
transport for towns and cities, no CO2 emissions from the vehicle, no VED road
tax.
Against:
Purchase price and battery hire costs need to be considered but look
affordable although not available to buy using the Government's £5,000 electric
vehicle purchase subsidy, increases the demand for electric power from the
national grid which pushes up CO2 emissions at source. ©David Miles |
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