Take the ZOE, the electric city car par excellence, as an example, and watch how quickly it can swerve in and out of traffic and onto the motorway thanks to its new R110 engine block.
Now imagine if you were to replace the 110 horsepower-225 Nm motor with a power unit made up of two engines with a combined power of 340 kW, or about 460 horsepower.
You end up with an electric car that can not only go from 0 to 100 in 3.2 seconds, but also exceed 200 km/h in less than 10 seconds. This is not just theory: it has already been achieved by the ZOE e-Sport Concept, an exceptional concept car unveiled by Groupe Renault at the 2017 edition of the Geneva Motor Show.
ZOE e-Sport Concept: a concept car based on a production model
In designing it, the Renault Sport engineers considered and redesigned all structural elements, from the chassis to the undercarriage and the powertrain, with the overarching goal of offering a new standard for the electric sports car.
Beneath the expressive design of the ZOE e-Sport Concept’s carbon body lies a tubular chassis, race-quality suspensions, two 40 kWh batteries and power electronics configured to support both sports performance and maximum autonomy.
And here are the results: With 1,460 kg and 460 horsepower, 640 Nm of torque and an exemplary stability, it’s impossible to ignore the sporty side of this 100% electric racing car.
From the DEZIR to the ZOE e-Sport Concept
The ZOE e-Sport Concept is anything but an isolated success. On the contrary, it’s the fruit of almost ten years of research and development of the electric sports car.
Back in 2010, the diamond brand already created buzz at the Paris Motor Show with the Renault DEZIR, a sports coupe concept car with a decidedly futuristic design, supported by a braking energy recovery system (KERS) inspired by Formula 1 circuit technologies. The stored energy can be released on command by the driver for up to 30 horsepower of extra power. This combination equips DEZIR with a performance worthy of a race car, including a total power of 110 kW (150 horsepower) and the ability to go from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5 seconds.
Each new project is inspired by those that preceded it. From the Technocentre where our concept cars are designed to the Cléon plant where our electric motors are produced for the entire Group, everyone benefits directly from the experience gained by Renault Sport and the Renault e.dams teams during the Formula E Championship.
The electric car is sporty by nature
Far from popular belief, the electric car offers a unique driving experience! For example, thanks to its flat floor which holds the lithium-ion batteries and lowers the centre of gravity, an electric city car guarantees an excellent weight distribution, allowing it to turn easily and move dynamically.
Finally, the engine is really the main asset: linear acceleration and torque made available in a fraction of a second. It’s the perfect ally of any driver.
Copyrights: Arnaud TAQUET, Olivier MARTIN-GAMBIER, Eric LELEU
