The What Van? Road Test: Renault Zoe Van (2020)

Date: Monday, March 29, 2021

Rear 3_4

Operating

Our Zoe Van demonstrator qualified for the UK government’s Plug-in Van Grant, which at £6,420 in this case reduces the basic price (excluding VAT, delivery and the first registration fee) from £26,750 to £20,330.

Even with the grant, the Zoe Van does not come cheap, but at least it is cheap to run. Renault suggests that it will cost £0.03 per mile to fuel it in the summer rising to a still-modest £0.05 per mile in the winter.

A five-year/100,000-mile warranty is provided, with no mileage limit in the first two years. Three years’ roadside assistance forms part of the deal, the paintwork warranty runs for three years and the anti-corrosion warranty for 12 years.

The battery pack is warranted for eight years/100,000 miles, and service intervals are set at 12 months/18,000 miles.

Our demonstrator was finished in optional metallic paint. It seemed a pity there were no side rubbing strips to help protect it from harm.

A Category 1 alarm is included in the specification and all the doors lock automatically when the van is in motion.

A tyre inflator and sealer is provided rather than a spare wheel and is stowed under the cargo floor along with a medical kit. We’d much rather have a proper spare, even though it adds weight. Nevertheless, it is reassuring to see that a tyre pressure monitoring system is present.

Renault Zoe Van Business+ R110 Z.E 50 Rapid Charge

Price (ex VAT) £27,625**

Price range (ex VAT) £25,500-£27,625**

Gross payload 368kg

Load volume 1.0m³

Load length 1,205mm

Load width (min/max) 950mm/1,110mm

Load bay height 850mm

Loading height 711mm

Rear door aperture 965mm x 825mm

Side door aperture 800mm x 1,016mm

Gross vehicle weight 1,988kg

Braked trailer towing weight N/A

Residual value 30.2%*

Cost per mile 36.2p

Engine size/power 80kW (108hp) electric motor

Torque 225Nm

Gearbox 1sp

Range 239mls (WLTP)

Battery 52kWh

Warranty 5yrs/100,000mls

Service intervals 1yr/18,000mls

Insurance group 31E

Price as tested £28,091**

* after 48 months/20,000mls p.a – source – KWIKcarcost

** Before Plug-in van grant

Options

Metallic paint £466

Rivals

Nissan e-NV200

Price (ex VAT) £26,250-£31,350**

Load volume 4.2m³

Gross payload 631-705kg

Engines 80kW

Verdict: When we road-tested this model back in 2019, we described it as the most convincing electric van we had encountered to date. New rivals have come along since, but with a decent-sized cargo area and a claimed range of up to 187 miles, the e-NV200 remains in contention.

Peugeot e-Expert

Price (ex VAT) £32,965-£42,380**

Load volume 3.2-6.1m³

Gross payload 1,000-1,004kg

Engines 100kW

Verdict: The smallest electric light commercial in the Peugeot line-up until the new e-Partner arrives in November, the e-Expert is one of the most impressive medium-sized zero-emission panel vans on sale in the UK in terms of both range and carrying capacity. The same model is up for grabs as the Citroen e-Dispatch and the Vauxhall Vivaro-e.

Renault Kangoo Van Z.E

Price (ex VAT) £25,500-£28,900**

Load volume 1.3-4.0m³

Gross payload 605-640kg

Engines 44kW

Verdict: An established and popular player in the electric van sector, the Kangoo Van Z.E needs an upgrade to ensure it stays competitive. More power is a must given that the electric motor packs significantly less punch than the one fitted to the smaller Zoe Van. A new model is imminent, which is likely to pack more wallop. Note that the Kangoo Van Z.E is no more expensive than the Zoe Van, but it can carry more.

The Final Verdict

Design 7/10 – A cleverly thought out vehicle but the cargo area is a bit of an afterthought.

Cabin 8/10 – Stylish working environment with plenty of useful touches.

Ride 8/10 – Better than most small vans and seldom upset by the UK’s motorway surfaces.

Refinement 9/10 – Quiet, bar a small amount of road noise, and well put together.

Load area 6/10 – Small and not that easy to access, but it is of course a compact van.

Handling/performance 7/10 – Both are top-notch, but the van’s range will suffer if you have a heavy right foot.

Engine/transmission 8/10 – Well matched, but make sure you shift the transmission lever across to the maximum regeneration setting as frequently as possible.

Standard equipment 8/10 – No shortage of kit, and the 50kW DC onboard charger could prove invaluable.

Operating costs 8/10 – Day-to-day running expenses will certainly not break the bank.

What Van? subjective rating 8/10 – An impressive little van that makes for an ideal zero-emission local runabout.

Overall Rating: 77/100

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