Zoe Delivered Without Occasional Charging Cable

Zoe Occasional Charging Cable (Image: Renault)

There have been discussions on the French Zoe forum about the occasional use charging cable that is available for the Zoe, similar to that for the Fluence and Kangoo. This type of cable is not the one that is used to connect to a dedicated wallbox EVSE. Instead it is for charging away from home by plugging directly into a domestic socket, for example when visiting relatives (and is therefore sometimes known as a ‘granny cable’).

In particular there have been complaints at the suggestion that it might not come free automatically with the car. A recent article now indicates that it won’t even be available as an option when the Zoe is first delivered, but it may become available at an unspecified later date. The reason given is that it has not passed long term testing.

Meanwhile another French site has given the revised date for the first Zoe deliveries as June.

This topic contains 44 replies, has 13 voices, and was last updated by a71011 10 years, 9 months ago.

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January 24, 2013 at 00:04 #1723

Nosig
Participant

Standard charge and fast charge means it will plug into a wall box at your house on standard charge, as well as standard charge public charge points and public fast charge points (which is not standard on all EV’s). But that doesn’t say anything about being able to plug into a standard SOCKET, that’s the difference subject. I believe that extra (300 euro) cable was just an extra cable, not a granny cable with a standard home plug.

January 24, 2013 at 15:24 #1788

Nosig
Participant

Just saw this post elsewhere: http://en.automobile-propre.com/renault-zoe-no-standard-domestic-charging-cable-provided/

The only optimistic thing I could make out from the updates in the bottom is this:

“An EVSE cable for domestic sockets would be provided in the future, but there is no specific availability date for the time being.”

But apparently even with the cable charging would be a lot slower, which is just weird for a car that would bring the EV to the masses. You’d think it wouldn’t be that hard, let’s hope for an ad hoc software or hardware update to solve this. This could be a no-go for me.

January 24, 2013 at 15:36 #1789

Nosig
Participant

And here’s 7 pages of forum discussing the Zoe EVSE cable, looking at aftermarket or own production. There might be light at the end of the tunnel: http://renault-zoe.forumpro.fr/t621p75-autres-cables-evse

January 24, 2013 at 20:46 #1790

smitchy73
Participant

I think the danger in using after market cables could be that it invalidates warranties, i’ve seen some of the paperwork for the Smart ED and you can only use one’s validated by Mercedes Benz, don’t be surprised if others follow their lead and advise only to use their product as that is the only one the car has been approved to use, yet another robbery of us car user’s.

I think the whole point here though is the Zoe was marketed at having one cable for ALL charging, no one ever said there would be exceptions when it was first marketed, and with the onboard charger it manages the current it receives and adjust automatically, that’s what I understood from the details of the car.

January 25, 2013 at 17:07 #1797

Anonymous

Hi all,

Official word from Renault ZE’s Twitter feed is that it’ll be available post-launch.

@RenaultZE: @BinaryTweedDeej the cable’ll be available later, when it’ll meet the requested quality level to ensure the best customer experience

January 29, 2013 at 10:40 #1799

MITSCH
Participant

I’ve jumped at the nisaan page in Germany to check on Nissan leaf (unfortunately not yet on sale in small markets such as Slovenia). It’s capabale of charging with AC up to 3.3 kW or DC up to 50kW.

I don’t understand why can’t ZOE come equiped with LEAF’s EVSE charging cable.

January 29, 2013 at 12:59 #1800

MITSCH
Participant

http://www.avto-magazin.si/novice/nissan-leaf-v-ameriki-z-neverjetno-ceno/

The news is, that Carlos Ghosn announced major price drop for nissan leaf in USA.

The price will come down from 26.000€ to 21.000€ making Leaf the cheapest EV on the market. That’s before subsidies (18.800€ after subsidies in California).

Now that’s big and takes away the gamechanging role from ZOE. I hope Nissan adopts same policy in Europe asap.

January 29, 2013 at 21:41 #1803

Trevor Larkum
Keymaster

Mitsch,

I mentioned the Nissan Leaf price reduction for the UK in the Leaf thread. Although it’s good news I don’t think it takes anything away from the Zoe which still has a lower price, longer range, heat pump, and faster charging. I agree, though, that the gap is closing. Renault needs to get a move on if it’s not going to be left behind.

January 30, 2013 at 07:23 #1807

MITSCH
Participant

http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/2012/_STORY/121120-01-e.html

Yes Trevor the gap is gone. It was never there, since ZOE was not in the shop.

Updated LEAF 2014 does have a heat pump, better range and better price.

So let’s give it to LEAF- best selling EV in the world, first car built from scratch around electric motor, first EV to become European car of the year 2011 and world car of the year…

We will have an interesting clash later this year when ZOE comes.

January 30, 2013 at 21:22 #1809

Trevor Larkum
Keymaster

I take your point – the 2014 Leaf is nearly here and has many of the Zoe’s benefits, so it could actually tick the main boxes first. I think the Zoe still has the edge on range, and fast charging, but the 2014 Leaf is a real contender.
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