The Renault Zoe electric car has been spotted testing in India. The hatch was seen undergoing trial runs as a part of Bengaluru-based electric cab aggregator Lithium Urban Technologies' fleet.
The French carmaker is set to showcase the Zoe EV at the upcoming Auto Expo 2018 as electric vehicle adoption gains momentum in India.
The Zoe will be a technology demonstrator for Renault at the motorshow. It boasts a range of up to 400km (under New European Driving Cycle) and a 0-80 percent charging time of just 65min via a quick charger. Renault claims a real-world driving range of 300km and also a full-charge time of 8-9 hours using a standard 7kW charger.
The hatch’s high driving range is achievable due to a new 41kWh battery, up from the 22kWh one used in the earlier model; the car received the larger battery with an update towards the end of 2016.
The Zoe, for international markets, comes with equipment such as 16-inch alloy wheels, hands-free key card with push button start/stop, leather upholstery, rear parking camera and heated seats.
Electric vehicles have emerged as a theme in most global motor shows last year and they could gain prominence in Auto Expo 2018 as well, especially due to the Indian government's push for widespread adoption of EVs and its ambitious target of selling only EVs by 2030.
Renault will be joined by other carmakers, including Mercedes, Hyundai, BMW, Tata Motors and Mahindra, who are likely to showcase at least one electric vehicle. Mercedes will have its EQ electric SUV concept, BMW is set to showcase the i3 electric small car and Hyundai will exhibit an electric sedan and an all-electric Kona SUV at the motor show.
Renault is evaluating the launch of the Zoe for India. However, a company spokesperson stressed that a firm electric vehicle roadmap by the government and improvement in charging infrastructure are key to introducing electric vehicles in the country.
Renault's JV partner, Nissan, recently started testing the Note e-Power in India after announcing its intention to evaluate the range extender for a possible India launch.
Last year, the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance announced an ambitious plan to launch 12 new electric vehicles by 2022.