The Renault Zoe was originally launched in 2012
Pioneering electric supermini makes way for retro Renault 5, having sold nearly 400,000 examples in Europe
The Renault Zoe has been removed from sale in the UK after 11 years, with production of the brand’s small electric car set to end for good in March 2024.
The final version of the Zoe will be built on 30 March, with production of the Smart Forfour-based electric Twingo, which was never sold in the UK, ending at the same time.
A Renault spokesperson told Autocar that production of the Zoe was coming to an end to effectively make way for the new Renault 5 electric hatchback, which will be revealed in production form at the Geneva motor show in February.
It was confirmed back in 2022 that the Zoe would not be replaced, despite its position as the best-selling electric car in its home country.
The Zoe remained technically competitive against its rivals well into its production run, offering a 52kWh battery and a range of 238 miles on a single charge. Incidentally, the new Renault 5 will also be equipped with a 52kWh battery, offering 248 miles of range.
The Zoe sold over 30,000 units in the UK and over 380,000 in Europe altogether. It was the top-selling EV in Europe for two years, topping the sales charts in 2015 and 2016. Over 100,000 sales were in France alone.
In 2021, the updated Zoe made headlines for becoming just the third car in history to be handed a zero-star NCAP rating, following a five-star verdict for the original car in 2013.
Renault’s product performance boss Bruno Vanel recently told Autocar it would be expensive to update the Zoe to comply with new, upcoming GSR2 crash safety standards.
“There are new regulations coming into place,” Vanel said. “It would have been quite costly to reinvest in an update – but more important than that, because we’re introducing the Renault 5.”
Renault’s approach will focus on a mix of hybrid and electric models, which will co-exist for the foreseeable future.
The Zoe was Renault’s only dedicated electric car for several years, but it now sells the Mégane E-Tech hatchback and will add the 5 supermini, 4 crossover and Scénic in 2024.
