Car Reviews > Renault > Kangoo > Renault Kangoo ZE Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Prices: £22,000
Engine: 44 kW electric motor
Gearbox: Single-speed, front-wheel drive
Power/torque: 59 bhp/ 226 Nm
0-62 mph: 13 seconds
Top Speed: 81 miles per hour
Economy: 42.8 miles per gallon
Emissions: 174g per kilometre
Equipment: Bluetooth connectivity, alloys, climate control, leather, rear parking sensors, cruise control
On Sale: Now

The electric version of the Renault Kangoo MPV has arrived – but what is the verdict?

Buyers of electric vehicles who are searching for a bit more practicality than is offered by the new Fluence ZE Saloon might want to consider the new Kangoo ZE van from Renault, which will come as a standard 2-seater, although the test version was a stretched 5-seat Maxi.

All of the range will feature an electric motor capable of a bhp rating of 59, which may not sound very much, but just like with the Fluence ZE Saloon, what is really important here is the torque figure, which is a very impressive 226 Nm, meaning that the Kangoo gives terrific throttle response and able to haul very large loads.

Perhaps the biggest factor to note here is just how incredibly relaxing it is to actually drive. The great majority of vans tend to be noisy and rattle a lot, but the Kangoo ZE starts up in silence and remains quiet even when actually on the move. While hard acceleration does result in the appearance of a slight high-pitched whine, even that is not even close to being unpleasant.

There are few visual clues to give away the power on offer with the Kangoo, with even the side fuel filler cap being a carryover from the combustion engine version. The only noticeable changes are the addition of a couple of stickers on the bodywork and a charging socket on the nose.

It is much the same story in the rather rough and ready cabin too, although there are some unique new dials that show battery charge and energy usage in place of the old fuel gauge and rev counter. In addition, pressing the eco button will restrict the torque output in order to improve the range by up to ten per cent, something that buyers will probably end up doing fairly often as while the official range figures boast 106 miles, the fact is that with a full load in the back and maybe a couple of passengers, that figure will plummet very fast. However, Renault does note that its research proves that up to 70 per cent of van drivers actually cover less than 62 miles per day.

Nor does the electric drive train come at the expense of the vehicle’s carrying capacity either. When the rear seats are folded in the Maxi, the firm claims that the boot space is an enormous 2600 litres.

As is also the case with the Fluence ZE, purchasers can buy the Kangoo but have to lease the batteries, which makes for a starting price of £22,000 for the car and a monthly lease cost of £60. Unfortunately, because the Kangoo is a commercial vehicle, this means that is not eligible to receive the £5000 electric car grant from the UK government. Because of this, it appears that the Kangoo ZE may face an uphill battle to convince consumers to pay more than the cost of the combustion engine model, and then the monthly battery lease cost on top of that.

However, the vehicle should still be attractive, as it maintains the Kangoo’s functional, simple appeal and many buyers will no doubt still be attracted by the complete lack of fuel bills.

by Autoweb