riverrock wrote:Status - Zoe is aiming at the market for 2nd car around town - it isn't too flashy. They are aiming at a different demographic. Think top of the range Clio.
It is fast enough for normal journeys, but the software has limited the power output so it doesn't feel blistering quick / no wheel spin. Comfy enough inside (I test drive one in Paris a year or so ago).
I also don't like the battery lease option - however you can buy the battery outright too (so no lease) for about 5k extra. I suppose that was good for early adopters to de-risk their purchase. A fair number with the smaller batteries, which need the lease, are now on the second hand market. Very few in which the battery was bought outright.
I've been following a video blog produced by a guy who has just returned a Leaf after 4 years and is awaiting the arrival of a Zoe. He posted extensively about test driving the Zoe (7-8 day and 800+ miles) before he committed to buying it. He has bought a new Zoe 40 including
battery purchase for £16k, the car has a genuine winter range of 150 miles, which is well detailed in his blogging.
To me I'd say that a range of 150 miles is getting quite respectable, particularly for that type of car (small hatch/urban car) and at the price I'm sure it will tempt more people over to the dark side. Also, the price includes installation of a home fast charger. The car averages 3.9 - 4.0 miles per kWh, that's quiet inexpensive, certainly less than 4p mile on a domestic tariff and potentially less than that.