Renault Zoe, would you buy it ?

September1

Deleted User wrote: »

The renault clio auto would cost another 1500 extra and making the cost 3k more than the zoe. The zoe is a high spec car after all and is similar to an auto, in the fact there are no gears to change lol

I don't even see an auto version of the clio diesel on renaults site!

The road tax would also be around another 100 euro's!

I think there is very small market for me high-spec automatic Clio's and I think EVs want to be mainstream...

johnos1984

September1 wrote: »

I think there is very small market for me high-spec automatic Clio's

I would argue that there is in fact a huge market for high specced small cars such as the Clio from owners downsizing

September1

September1 wrote: »

I think there is very small market for me high-spec automatic Clio's and I think EVs want to be mainstream...

I'm sure there is, but I was making the comparison between the zoe and the more expensive diesel clio, because it's not fair to compare the Cheaper clio diesel to the zoe, just for some to keep arguing that zoe is far more expensive.

And even at that, the zoe is a higher spec again to the highest spec diesel clio!

And I know ev's have no gearbox and drive like auto's in the sense there is no clutch or gear stick. So I like to compare an e.v to an auto, because buying an auto will cost at least €1500 more.

September1

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm sure there is, but I was making the comparison between the zoe and the more expensive diesel clio, because it's not fair to compare the Cheaper clio diesel to the zoe, just for some to keep arguing that zoe is far more expensive.

And even at that, the zoe is a higher spec again to the highest spec diesel clio!

And I know ev's have no gearbox and drive like auto's in the sense there is no clutch or gear stick. So I like to compare an e.v to an auto, because buying an auto will cost at least €1500 more.

It is totally fair - in this market of daily commute cars in sizes mini to compact where Zoe, LEAF and i-Miev reside people do not want to spend money on factory satnav or bluetooth for whatever insane amount is being charged by dealer. Your calculation on fuel costs suggest that EV may be good way to save money, so it is rational to compare cheapest Clio to cheapest Zoe version as we are looking on how to cheaply travel.

September1

johnos1984 wrote: »

I would argue that there is in fact a huge market for high specced small cars such as the Clio from owners downsizing

You mean that Irish consumer buy new cars of low class but with maximum spec? They must then drive those cars to death as so little hit the market. Who bought new those cars that are on carzone and donedeal, you know the basic spec ones? Is it a conspiracy, dealers when trade-in they remove leather and a/c and factory satnavs? 32 of 674 Fiestas on carzone are titanium, 7 out 429 Clios are automatic? Can you check on your GPS if you are located in Ireland?

johnos1984

September1 wrote: »

You mean that Irish consumer buy new cars of low class but with maximum spec? They must then drive those cars to death as so little hit the market. Who bought new those cars that are on carzone and donedeal, you know the basic spec ones? Is it a conspiracy, dealers when trade-in they remove leather and a/c and factory satnavs? 32 of 674 Fiestas on carzone are titanium, 7 out 429 Clios are automatic? Can you check on your GPS if you are located in Ireland?

The car market is bigger than Ireland

And might I add the success of the Mini and 500 proves my point

September1

September1 wrote: »

It is totally fair - in this market of daily commute cars in sizes mini to compact where Zoe, LEAF and i-Miev reside people do not want to spend money on factory satnav or bluetooth for whatever insane amount is being charged by dealer. Your calculation on fuel costs suggest that EV may be good way to save money, so it is rational to compare cheapest Clio to cheapest Zoe version as we are looking on how to cheaply travel.

You can't compare the zoe to the cheapest clio diesel, I know what you are saying, regardless of what Irish people may or may not buy, the kit in zoe far exceeds anything the average clio would be getting!

Due to vrt, Irish people for years had to sacrifice basic kit that other countries got as standard, today the same applies, but not to the same extent, cars are just a lot more expensive, they come with more kit due to competition, but vrt still applies on all but e.v's.

Even the basic clio diesel would be a lot more expensive with the kit in zoe. Remote heating or cooling for instance, only found in luxury vehicles costs around 1500+ in the like of Audi's, or Mercedes.

Zoe comes with dual zone climate , key less entry, cruise, bluetooth, multimedia tablet, remote pre heating and cooling. I got to tell you, if that kit were available on the diesel it would be more than 22 k

In actual fact if I could afford a new car this minute and had a choice between the zoe or the clio diesel I would without doubt choose the zoe, especially given the fact it's almost as cheap to run. And diesel prices are only going in one direction!

In fact I would choose it more than any other car next to the leaf!

Oafley Jones

I could be persuaded by the likes of the Zoe, but the battery rental model just absolutely kills it for me. It may be an entirely irrational decision, it may well prove to be more cost effective in the long term, but I can't deal with the downsides of the technology without any real upside such as "free" motoring.

Oafley Jones

Oafley Jones wrote: »

I could be persuaded by the likes of the Zoe, but the battery rental model just absolutely kills it for me. It may be an entirely irrational decision, it may well prove to be more cost effective in the long term, but I can't deal with the downsides of the technology without any real upside such as "free" motoring.

well the battery rental is the only way Renault could have made Zoe cost so little upfront and decided that anyone who wants an e.v to make it as affordable to the diesel as possible by making the battery rental like the diesel that people would be paying for and they really do deserve credit for that, they take the risks and they loose a hell of a lot of money until they can make it back again over the life of the battery, it's an incredibly brave and risky move for Renault! You would think I work for Renault, I don't lol !:D

I've absolutely no objection to anyone continuing to drive an ice, apart from the cancer causing exhaust, but people will drive what they can afford and that is not their fault, we could have had ev's years ago but due to corruption, we were denied the technology!

The Zoe is the first real affordable e.v for anyone that would normally buy the diesel.

Why Irish people are so anti lease is beyond me!

Lon Dubh

I saw a piece on TV3 news last week (friday I think) where researchers in the US are working on a wireless system of charging where the car could charge as it was being driven along the road. They would put some sort of units on the road itself, and another sort of unit on the bottom of the car, which would mean the car could charge wirelessly as it was being driven along. We are probably ages away form this being put into practice because of cost (and they are still working on the research), but if this happens in the future it would make electric cars potentially a viable option for anyone using major roads, even if they wanted to travel long distances regularly.

Lon Dubh

Lon Dubh wrote: »

I saw a piece on TV3 news last week (friday I think) where researchers in the US are working on a wireless system of charging where the car could charge as it was being driven along the road. They would put some sort of units on the road itself, and another sort of unit on the bottom of the car, which would mean the car could charge wirelessly as it was being driven along. We are probably ages away form this being put into practice because of cost (and they are still working on the research), but if this happens in the future it would make electric cars potentially a viable option for anyone using major roads, even if they wanted to travel long distances regularly.

Not a new idea by any means, the cost would be enormous. But maybe 100 meters from traffic lights in areas where traffic tends to queue. It would make better sense for trucks and buses which would need a lot more energy than cars.

Most people will still charge at home. we will have faster charging in a few years. There are buses that fast charge in a few seconds, but don't have huge range but can charge at bus stops which are not that far apart.

oppenheimer1

Compton wrote: »

I can't see anyway an ev will be cheaper than driving a normal car even with the taxes involved.

Famous last words.

Thomas Watson IBM wrote:

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers"

He allegedly said that

He did indeed say something like that.

I remember they said that it was at one time inconceivable that anyone would have a personal computer.