Renault Zoe EV Spied With Temporary Number Plates In Chennai. Does That Make It India-bound?

• Pre-facelift Renault Zoe spotted in Chennai with TC number plates.

• Facelifted Zoe was showcased by Renault at the Auto Expo 2020.

• First Renault EV in India is supposed to be a mass-market offering based on the Kwid’s CMF-A platform.

• Renault is aiming for a 2022 launch for the upcoming Kwid-based EV.

• If by chance, the Renault Zoe EV ever makes it to India, a sub-Rs 20 lakh pricing would make sense.

A Renault Zoe EV finished in a shade of white has been spotted in Chennai bearing TC registration plates. Does that mean it’s headed to a Renault dealership near you? Fat chance. At least not yet.

Reasons? First of all, this is a pre-facelift model whereas the Auto Expo 2020 saw the facelifted model on display which is on sale in Europe. This particular Zoe might serve Renault’s purpose of testing how conducive the Indian conditions are for their EV that’s scheduled for a 2022 launch. That said, we still can’t discount a launch possibility of the Renault Zoe but it’s unlikely to happen anytime soon.

The latest Renault Zoe is available in two power options: 108PS/225Nm and 135PS/245Nm. It can provide a WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure) range of 395km for the lower-spec model and 385km for the higher-spec model.

A 52kWh battery pack is standard which can be fully juiced up from zero in 9 to 10 hours through a 7.4kW wall box charger. You can cut down on that time by using a 50KW fast charger which can fill up 80 per cent power in just 1 hour and 10 minutes.

A top-spec Renault Zoe is equipped with LED headlamps, 16-inch alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors, rear parking camera, 9.3-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, auto-dimming IRVM and blind-spot warning. If Renault decides to bring the Zoe EV, then a sensible price tag would be anything under Rs 20 lakh. It will then take on the Tata Nexon EV, and the upcoming Tata Altroz EV and the Mahindra XUV300 EV.

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