Today I received my ‘top up’ cable, or the granny charging cable as it is being called by some. Not only does this mean that yes, the cable does indeed exist, but it also means I have an extra charging option when I make my trip to the UK starting tomorrow.
In Belgium the cost was €737. Not cheap for a cable that you will use as little as possible, but especially not cheap if you consider that the cable is supposed to come standard with every ZOE in the future.
In the box you will find
– The cable with on one side the domestic socket, on the other side the Type 2 connector and in between a control unit with 3 indicator LEDs.
– An extra cable storage bag (identical to the one that comes with the car)
– An instruction manual in English, French, German and Spanish.
ZOE Domestic Charging Cable waiting to be unboxed (Image: Surya)
In the manual there are a lot of things they tell you to look at before using a socket, but of course on the road this will not always be possible. I hope the control unit is smart enough to detect problems and prevent damage, because I will not always be able to check the thickness of the cable the socket is attached to, or the kind of differential used among other things.
I also wish the control unit (or the car) had a way to control the amount of current drawn to prevent problems.
I have yet to test the cable, but there you have it: it exists, and if you want one, contact your Renault dealer, they might be able to help you out, just as mine was.
If you go to Amsterdam you might see AT5’s new ZOE (Image: RenaultZE/Flicker)
The reporters of the Amsterdam local television station AT5 now drive electric through the city. AT5 recently decided to purchase a number of Renault ZE (zero emission) models. Amsterdammers can take part in a competition to spend a week in a Renault ZOE soon via http://at5.nl/klikenwin by predicting how many laps around the A10 Ring Road have been achieved with this car.
As the undisputed leader in European electric vehicle sales, Renault is poised to spark yet more interest in zero-tailpipe-emission transport as its ZOE supermini drives an arduous 2,000 miles around the UK in just 17 days.
Organised by leading charging infrastructure provider, POD Point, ‘Charging around the UK’ (CATUK) sees Renault as the main sponsor of a new UK charging tour. Kicking off on 12 June in London, the tour will take in 15 towns and cities, as well as several corners of the UK, including John O’Groats and Lands End, before finishing up in key green city, Brighton. Along the way, it will be using a variety of charging sources and locations, ranging from gyms, residential, supermarkets, petrol stations.
Renault is not only supplying one ZOE for the tour, it is also displaying one at the launch site, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!, in the heart of Piccadilly. It will will also host four events of its own. Through its dealerships, the innovative French brand will be laying on entertainment and activities in Bath (21 June), Bristol (22), Cardiff (20) and Newcastle (13). ZOE will also be taking to BBC Top Gear’s infamous Dunsfold track en route. Minus the Stig. Capping it all is the chance to win a tour of the Red Bull Racing team’s Formula 1 HQ in Buckinghamshire, through a Facebook competition which has recently launched. Full details are available at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/PODPoint/photos/a.137806519599545.26413.109231019123762/728120207234837/?type=1&theater
Stylish, refined and compatible with power sources right up to 43kW, through its patented Chameleon charger, ZOE was the ideal choice for the journey. Its standard-fit fast-charging capability, allowing up to 80% charge in only 30 minutes, should also prove a boon for the occasional quick top-up.
Commenting on its involvement, Renault UK’s Ben Fletcher, Product Manager, Electric Vehicle Programme, sadi, “We’re pleased to be supporting the Charging around the UK campaign. ZOE has the longest range of any affordable, mass market electric vehicle. It’s quiet, refined and nippy too, so it’s the perfect companion for such a long road trip. The average supermini covers 8,000 miles in a year, so for ZOE to be tackling a quarter of this distance in just two weeks, will show just how viable it is as an alternative to fossil-fuelled transport.”
Conceived to prove that electric vehicles can slot simply into everyday lives, the tour’s aim is to educate the British public that top-up charging is broadly similar to powering other battery operated items, like a laptop or mobile phone. Along the way POD Point will be breaking world records, cooking with a Michelin starred chef, and racing down mountains while they charge.
Erik Fairbairn, Founder of POD Point added, “With CATUK we’re showing that EV drivers need not fear range anxiety, as they can build up their own unique POD Point charging chain. By choosing the location of their charging points, they don’t need to alter their daily routine, which is great for their travel plans. My vision is to install a POD Point wherever you park your electric car, by building an extensive network of Pod Chains we’re eliminating range anxiety.”
