Renault has officially announced that production of its pioneering electric car, the Zoe, will come to an end on March 30, 2024. While the decision was expected due to the absence of plans for a new Zoe generation, the company has now set a definitive date for the conclusion of production at the Flins plant. Having paved the way for electric mobility, the Zoe will now make room for an exciting new generation of Renault electric cars, with the upcoming launch of the electric Renault 5 and the innovative Mobilize Duo.
The Zoe, known as an electric Renault pioneer, has been a trailblazer since its inception in 2012. With around 420,000 units produced to date, it has played a significant role in popularizing electric vehicles in the B-segment category. However, customer interest in the Zoe has been gradually declining, with 12,182 units sold last year, almost half of what was sold in 2021. In comparison, the competing Peugeot e-208 achieved higher sales, selling around 19,000 units in the same period.
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Renault has revealed that alongside the Zoe, the production of another French electric pioneer, the Twizy electric microcar, will also come to an end in September 2023. It will be replaced by the Mobilize Duo and its cargo variant, Bento. The company’s focus on the circular economy and innovative approaches to the car as a revenue platform signals an exciting shift in the electric vehicle market.
The spotlight is now turning to the highly anticipated electric Renault 5, which is set to be unveiled as a production model later this year. Production of the Renault 5 will take place in Douai, northern France, instead of the Flins plant, which had been the manufacturing hub for the Zoe.
One of the notable features Zoe brings to her successors is the pioneering vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. The Zoe participated in multiple V2G pilot projects, and the new Renault 5 will also be V2G-capable, marking a first for Renault and the electric vehicle industry at large.
To complement the market launch of the Renault 5, Renault’s mobility brand will introduce the Mobilize V2G service, complete with a smartphone app enabling bidirectional charging programming. This service will allow users to set desired battery levels and scheduling based on vehicle usage, and it will be expanded to include other Renault electric vehicles in the future, all thanks to the groundwork laid by Zoe.
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With the sun setting on the Zoe’s production, Renault’s focus on a new generation of electric vehicles promises exciting innovations and a continued commitment to shaping the future of electric mobility. The transition signifies Renault’s dedication to staying at the forefront of the electric vehicle revolution and meeting the evolving demands of environmentally conscious consumers.