Renault Zoe R135: Why You Should Drive One Before Buying Your 1st EV

November 25, 2024

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The 2nd generation Renault Zoe R135 has become a forgotten EV, but still serves an important purpose in Malaysia.

It seems every month a new EV is being launched. Malaysians are being exposed not only to new model nameplates with no history, but often also new brands with no history. That doesn’t seem to be an impediment to success in the EV game though, as specifications and value for money seem to matter more.

It’s in this market environment that the Renault Zoe finds itself without any popularity to speak of despite coming from a brand with over a century of car making experience, and over ten years in the electric vehicle game.

Few even have the Renault Zoe in their shortlist of EVs to consider, but it actually has some significant positives going for it. For one, it’s probably the least expensive EV to feature 22kW AC charging. This means that you could fill the battery up at home in about 3 hours with the right wall box. It’s not ‘fast charging’, but it’s a LOT better than the industry standard 7kW or 11kW that requires between 6 – 12 hours for a full charge up at home.

Besides that, it’s also quite nimble and fun to chuck around a corner thanks to a relatively low weight of 1500kg and some really well-tuned suspension. The steering also offers really good feedback. Plus, being such a small and conservatively styled hatchback, it’s actually very easy to maneuver around a tight car park.

In terms of equipment, there’s enough boxes ticked to satisfy the average consumer. Apple Carplay, some ADAS, electric parking brake. Even its range of 386km is acceptable. I had it over a weekend and racked up about 170km of driving under harsh weather conditions and still had 100km left in the tank when I returned it without stopping for a charge up once. As a runabout EV, it’s perfectly usable.

So, why hasn’t the Zoe been successful in Malaysia? Well, it’s because the car costs RM180,000 and at that price there are options like the BYD Seal and you’re not far off from Tesla’s offerings too. Equipment and value aside, is there a price where the Zoe starts to make sense? I actually don’t think so unless they can bring it in below RM100,000. That’s because the key thing the Renault Zoe is missing is a sense of ambition.

I’ll put it this way – it feels closer to a Perodua EV than a BMW EV, and the same can’t be said about most sub-RM200K Chinese EVs on sale in Malaysia today. So, does the Renault Zoe have a purpose in Malaysia?

I think yes. First, the shows customers what a Perodua EV experience might end up feeling like. It feels a lot like a regular car, just fully electric. And that leads to its second use – as a way for potential EV buyers to try the experience.

You see, the Renault Zoe is available through the GoCar app as a short term lease. If you’re still on the fence about buying an electric vehicle as you’re unsure of how the transition to EVs will affect your lifestyle, I suggest you set aside a few hundred Ringgit to lease a Zoe or any other EV they have for a week.

Renault Zoe rear three quarter view from PJ

Make sure it’s a relatively busy week, so you are forced to factor in a charge up in between. This will give you a pretty good idea for whether or not you’re ready to fully commit to an EV for yourself.

Yes, leasing a car sounds like a waste of money, but think about it as an insurance policy. At best, you learn about the charging locations near your common route for when you buy your own EV. At worse, you spend about RM1,000 on the lease and a few charge ups and avoid losing tens of thousands of Ringgit in resale value and interest if you decided halfway through an EV hire purchase that the transition is just not working for you.