Hi Big2777wave, I’ve that’s almost exactly my experience as well.

My car is on the whole used for very short journeys, but there seems to be an initial blast of heat and then it runs cool.

Maybe it uses the battery to heat the car initially and then switches to the heat pump and then its down to whatever heat it can get from outside.

I always drive in normal mode.

Is the battery covered?
Do you have cable liability included?
Is the charge point on the house covered?

The theory seems to be the dash goes purple when car is being driven in a sporty manner but mine is always purple above about 60mph. May be connected to what ambience is selected (button to left of battery guage ) 🙂

Very impressive, shows how viable EVs are becoming.

I was going to post that we had a 40 mile round trip to Bluewater yesterday…I don’t think I’ll bother 🙂 What was interesting was that the journey was 99.9% highspeed motorway and outbound was essentially all up hill. I was expecting the fairly high and constant current draw would drain the battery, but when we set off, the car had 76 miles, and when we arrived, 53, so it was only out by 3 miles, despite driving for most of the way with a ‘purple dash’

The only news i have is that our Renault Dealer said that i could order one right now, for delivery sometime in march?
I reckon they just prob want the pre sales, i think more like April / May maybe.

Colours yes they need to sort that out, bit more choice would be nice this time around i like a nice red or something?

Its not a case of if you need rapid charge its more of when you need it-just my thoughts. I charge from home, work and Rapids. Rapids are there when you need them to extend your reach, freedom ( a bit like those old things we called petrol stations), there a god send i my eyes and make things happen quicker (a tiny bit more petrol station-ish).
Todays about speed, now, instant, click, fuel go, freedom etc…unless your lucky like the old couple round the corner from us, retired plenty of time, perfect. So its my take that if it gets quicker to charge the cars / or the range goes up by another 100miles by a miracle or (silicon anode lithium ion cells) etc, these EV’s are gonna sit right at the side “do you wanna go gas or lectric or bit of both sir?”

I hope they fit a CCS to Zoe 2, access to the rapid DC part of that plug might be useful, that will get around the 22kw charger quirk.
That way it free’s up more of the 43kw type 2’s that less knowledgeable Zoe 2 owners will prob sit on – drawing 22kw….for 40mins or more with no gain.:-) can’t blame them really, buts thats because most of the GE ecotricty bays have had the 22kw removed up here now in favour of the 43kw. Ecotricty tech guy told me they had been disposed of across the country and one by one there GE 22kw are gonna be removed? or so he said.

Your 5 miles will vary mate, theres so many factors that alter that range either way. Temperature is one….traffic aircon right foot,passengers, hills…etc etc I normally budget 10mile into the journey. So its gonna be 71.5miles one way… then you take a quick charge or 2 (or really risk the third element factor). Some times I’ve factored in a charge and not needed it …so it can go both ways. You tend to “know” after a while where you can and can’t reach, bit of motorway driving sucks juice like mad. RA tends to fade to a baseline medium level(still there though), after the first month of getting to know Zoe. I find I’m tucked in behind a big lorry at 50 – 55 trying to use his “air wake” to help…might do ?

Overall Zoes a different, creative fun cleaner, and a little cheaper way to drive(its not massively cheaper), but its a bugger when you can’t get a charge because theres someone in the bay and they have gone shopping. Or an IC driver has parked in one, because they can and they don’t care, esp at ikea.

If you have kids then …..well i am lucky as my little lad is a super star he’s very patient, but you could do with things happening faster sometimes on route – i would love to see a charge getting quicker not slower.
Sometimes i forget to plug zoe in ….oops next morning ….pants no juice, got to go to work, ok time etc…errr – lucky i work close by and for myself. Sometimes 1 in 10 charges my Zoes stops charging the middle of the night too???? i don’t know why ? around 48-60%.

After all most people i have met over the past 12months say ” love the idea of an electric car” and eventually they prob will join the clan.
For me i love driving Zoe, but some days i do enjoy driving my wifes little 1.2 petrol car with a tow bracket on the back and a little trailer doing everyday stuff no worries, bike carrier etc, just fill drive n go.. (as Zoe won’t tow). We will keep a petrol car, most families, i think could “manage” ok with EV’s alone…but then theres always that day when you need to….ahhhh errrr… yes we can’t go there ….mmmmm ok lets think about that…err right well we could maybe do this, to get around that…..yes errr…but that would mean… you get the picture esp if you where on holiday what a nice time you’d have. 🙂
Great deals 2nd hand 2013/14 at moment some for 8k 1300 miles, loose a lot less on that- i had my car valued its done around 10k miles, 16k new, 7595 quid part ex. Chap said there reluctant to take in with the battery being rented, because its a ball ache to transfer over to garages apparently, not sure?

Know the EV limits before you buy, I’m sure you will and you will have a really nice car thats a whizz to drive and your friends might just fancy one too. Good luck
Crystal ball….
63kw or even 100kw 3ph HV ! bring it on cook those cables, 5-10mins booster to 80% would be great, 4 to a bay and less than 25miles apart 🙂

Maybe the other reason they are dropping the 43KwH is that it may not be doing the batteries any good.

At 43kwh you’re pushing more into the battery than you would normally draw for quite a long time, also you don’t do the final, and lengthy topping off where the cells are balanced. If one of your cells has been discharged more than the others then that cells voltage may drop too much and kill it.

Hello

I currently own a Zoe and have been contemplating changing up my car for the new zoe in march 2015.
After a week or more of major in-depth (head banging) weighing everything up. I can’t make it work on paper.
So far the best solution I’ve found is to stick with generation 1 of Zoe….until they release Zoe 3.

Various things :-

Charging (no Rapid 43Kw) – thats a big one, lots of money recently has gone into installing 43kw AC 3PH rapids around here.
Renting the battery ….yeah its costs me 70 (soon to be increased to 77) but….i can cane the hell out of the battery on rapid charges everyday should i wish ( i don’t like but). Other thing is i work with LiPo’s – i know them there are…well “alright” ish…but performance will drop of the curves i think poss around the 30-40k miles mark in built software should help smooth that out a bit for driver. If a bought my pack, i would need that battery to fail within the 5year warranty.

Renting-Come to sell the car and the next owner gets a deal – as they have a new battery. This in my mind makes sense for buyer. my friend just bought 2nd hand renting too….loves the idea = “Piece of mind mate, Piece of mind” he says.
5 year 65k battery warranty a side, trading up would cost us personally 5.5k extra over the 5 year plan.

Its a lot of messing for very little return. like….

Dark interior, small % of millage increase, lower charging speed when out and about (limiting my options cuz now with my home brew charger i can go with zoe from 10A-32A a Phase 3pH 2.5kw-22kw at my work).

Its not quite right in my eyes – good idea like the innovation and the push to make things more efficient but, i stick my neck on the line and say – don’t take a good quick charge feature away from future models, just build on what you have Renault.

Every person has asked me “How long does it take to charge” ?
And i Say “Oh you can be on your way in less that 30mins !”
They reply “Wow ! thats quick thats doable, i like it”

Renault …..DOH