Photo: Renault
The electric van isn’t an all-new concept. The 1966 GM Electrovan, for example, turned hydrogen into electricity during an era when color photography was still in its infancy. In 2017, though, the closest thing to an EV van is the Renault Kangoo Z.E.
Released for retail sales in 2011, the Kangoo Z.E. predates the Nissan e-NV200 by three years. As one of the oldest model of the Renault Z.E. lineup, the French manufacturer found it right to give the Kangoo Z.E. a bigger range. For the 2017 model year, the small LCV is gifted with 50 percent more range than the current Kangoo Z.E. thanks to a new motor and battery.
Renault has yet to announce the capacity of the all-new battery, but chances are the 22 kWh pack has been swapped for a 41 kWh unit, the same battery found in the 2017 Renault Zoe Z.E. 40. Thanks to it, the small van’s range increases from a measly 170 kilometers (106 miles) to 270 kilometers (168 miles). The automaker highlights that the NEDC figure translates to 200 kilometers (124 miles) in the real world. Not much, but reassuringly enough.
For small businesses that rely on low maintenance costs, the Kangoo Z.E. seems like a sweet deal. Pricing has yet to be made public, but changes are Renault will charge more for the 41 kWh Kangoo Z.E. than the current model and its 22 kWh battery. As in more than €21,050 before taxes, incentives for zero-emissions vehicles, and without accounting for the “battery hire.”
On that subject, a yearly mileage of 40,000 kilometers (24,855 miles) for the Kangoo Z.E. will set owners back €186 per month, which works out at €2,232 per year. On the upside, if anything goes wrong, Renault is much obliged to replace a defective battery at no cost to the owner. For better and for worse, the “battery hire” is what makes Renault stand out from the crowd.
Renault has yet to announce the capacity of the all-new battery, but chances are the 22 kWh pack has been swapped for a 41 kWh unit, the same battery found in the 2017 Renault Zoe Z.E. 40. Thanks to it, the small van’s range increases from a measly 170 kilometers (106 miles) to 270 kilometers (168 miles). The automaker highlights that the NEDC figure translates to 200 kilometers (124 miles) in the real world. Not much, but reassuringly enough.
For small businesses that rely on low maintenance costs, the Kangoo Z.E. seems like a sweet deal. Pricing has yet to be made public, but changes are Renault will charge more for the 41 kWh Kangoo Z.E. than the current model and its 22 kWh battery. As in more than €21,050 before taxes, incentives for zero-emissions vehicles, and without accounting for the “battery hire.”
On that subject, a yearly mileage of 40,000 kilometers (24,855 miles) for the Kangoo Z.E. will set owners back €186 per month, which works out at €2,232 per year. On the upside, if anything goes wrong, Renault is much obliged to replace a defective battery at no cost to the owner. For better and for worse, the “battery hire” is what makes Renault stand out from the crowd.
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