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Renault Fluence ZE road test

The Fluence, a model which retails on the European continent, is about to arrive in the UK for the first time, as an electric vehicle. Essentially a Megane in saloon body shape, it was previously deemed unnecessary for the UK market thanks to our preference for hatchbacks. However as part of Renault’s ground-breaking Z.E range, the electric version of the Fluence will be the third of four battery-powered models the car maker plans to launch over the coming year, following the Kangoo Z.E and Twizy Z.E. How UK consumers will take to this Nissan Leaf rival will depend largely on whether we prefer to buy our cars outright or adapt to Renault’s idea of leasing the battery separately.

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Performance

If you are in any way familiar with electric cars then you’ll have heard before about how smooth they are to drive and about the instant torque. In fact, from low speeds, electric vehicles are so competent that there is scarcely a combustion vehicle to compare to them. That story is repeated with the Fluence, which, fitting to its name, glides effortlessly and coolly forward. Max torque stands at 226 Nm, top speed is 84mph and 70kW battery range is limited to 100 miles per charge. There is no jerky gear changes to bother you and as long as you’re not travelling the length of the country everyday, then the Fluence can provide you with a beautifully quiet and effortless motoring solution. Having said that with 95bhp, the Fluence isn’t as powerful as the 108 bhp Nissan Leaf; its main rival. This difference in power may tell when it comes to powering up to motorway speeds but as the Fluence was road tested on central London’s congested roads, it is really hard to say. Our guess is that the Fluence will offer adequate power for the needs of likely users although an official 0-62 mph time has yet to be announced, but expect a slower time than the Leaf’s 11.9 seconds. The Fluence top speed is maxed at 84 mph while the Leaf can do up to 90mph. However a word of caution; the Leaf is around £8,000 more expensive so it’s hardly a fair comparison. The Fluence will suit more pockets than Nissan’s offering.

Ride & Handling

Tailored to European roads like its combustion counterpart, the Fluence holds the road well and is adequately insulated from the road to avoid too much shattering feeling when hitting a pothole. The weight of the battery actually helps keep the EV version gripped to the road. One note of caution is that this model was road tested on the congested inner city roads of London so we had little opportunity to really throw it into the corners, but as electric car models are expected to appeal mainly to suburban and inner city dwellers, we can’t think that this car needs to be able to cope with anything too demanding in terms of terrain.

Build Quality & Reliability

The interior of the Fluence looks solid and smart and well-very Megane like. The dash is simply laid out, with only minor alterations made to reflect its EV powertrain technology. As such vital information such as battery charge level and estimated range is easy to access. As a yet untested model in its EV form, it is really hard to comment on reliability. However, unlike Nissan, Renault will lease the battery separately to you, while you pay for the car. That means even if there are any problems, Renault will take care of the most expensive part of the car anyway. The reputation of the Renault-Nissan Alliance rests on the success and reliability of first EV models like the Fluence, so you can bet that the care package will be comprehensive.

Safety & Security

Euro NCAP has yet to test any of Renault’s Z.E range at the time of writing, but the Nissan Leaf, developed under the same alliance, scored five stars. Although some motorists may be arrested by the thought of being electrocuted by the high voltage batteries in the event of a crash, the reality is that cars like the Fluence have the proper safety measures in place and the batteries can be isolated. Renault is also working with the emergencies services to ensure that they have the know-how to deal with an electric car should one be involved in a crash. In terms of kit, the Fluence Z.E comes with ABS with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution) and brake assist, ESP with ASR (Anti-skid regulation), driver and front passenger airbags, front lateral airbags and ISOFIX points for the rear seats. Remote central locking and deadlocks are also included.

Space & Practicality

Despite taking on an electric drivetrain complete with cumbersome battery pack, Renault has made an excellent job of retaining the interior space, with a sensible 317 litre boot and room for five. This has been achieved through a combination of creating a compact battery pack situated behind the rear seats, and stretching the model 13cm to compensate for the loss of boot space. Its rival, the Nissan Leaf however is slightly more flexible in accommodating passengers or luggage thanks to its hatchback form, which has always been a popular body shape for UK models. The rear seats offer plenty of space for four people; although five is a bit of a squeeze unless we’re talking about children. While space might be reasonably catered for, the question of practicality depends on your driving needs. With a range limited to 115 miles per charge, a fast charger is the only way to avoid a long wait for a recharge. However with the Government estimating that 95 per cent of our journeys are less than 25 miles, then for the vast majority, it seems that the Fluence can manage our needs twice over. In fact, findings from the UK’s largest EV trial, CABLED, which released its full-year findings in July 2011, discovered that participants typically only needed to charge every two to three days, such was the brevity of their average journeys. If you do power down then, the important facts include that a standard charge will take six to eight hours to completely recover the battery, while a 400 V quick charge can give the car enough power in 10 minutes to cover 30 miles.

Ownership & Value

Renault has chosen a different method in retailing its electric vehicles compared to its rivals such as Peugeot and Nissan. While Peugeot has chosen to lease its iON model, Nissan opted to retail the whole vehicle, but Renault decided to lease the battery and sell the car. There is some split opinion among the experts over the effect this will have on the residual values of Renault’s EVs. CAP has suggested ahead of their launch that this make the models too complicated to give accurate residual estimates while Glass’s said this should boost values, by reassuring consumers that they won’t have the expense of replacing the battery when the time comes. Either way, with a price of £17,850 (after a £5,000 Plug-in Car Grant), the Fluence is a long way more affordable than the Leaf (£25,990 including the plug-in grant) and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV (£23,990), undercutting even the latter by more than £6,000. If Renault was hoping to make EVs affordable then it is a valiant effort even if it is still a premium over the staring price of a standard fuel-drinking Megane hatch (£15,690). Still businesses and fleet management firms will likely be convinced by the Fluence Z.E, because as an electric car it qualifies for London Congestion Charge exemption, road tax exemption and means no Benefit-in-Kind tax for five years. Plus many firms like to showcase their green credentials and the Fluence can help them do that without costing a bomb.

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