Renault’s electric runabout has been on the market since 2012 – with a big update in 2016 – so time has come for the Zoe to make the transition to a thoroughly revised version. Judging solely by the exterior styling, some would be tempted to say it’s more of the same, but in reality, the zero-emissions city car has gone through quite a few changes to better rival new competition coming from the Peugeot e-208 and the Opel Corsa-e.<br /><br />Growing from a 22-kWh battery pack of the original version to a 41-kWh setup of the Zoe Z.E. 40 launched a couple of years ago, the Zoe is now getting an even larger 52-kWh pack. Known as the Zoe Z.E. 50, the pint-sized EV can travel for as much as 390 kilometers (242 miles) on a single charge based on the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), which is 20 percent more than before.<br /><br />To “fill up” the battery pack, the charging socket remains hidden behind the Renault logo on the front grille where you’ll find both the type-2 socket for AC charging and the two-pin connector for DC charging for up to 50 kW. A full recharge takes 9 hours and 25 minutes from a 7kW wallbox or 8 hours if you estimate around 306 kilometers (190 miles) of charge will be enough for your next trip.
