THE first Renault Fluence all-electric saloons should be in showrooms in December.
Built in Turkey, it will also be available with normal engines for other markets, but not in Britain – at least to start with.
Looking rather like a Laguna saloon, Renault has worked hard to give the Fluence its own identity and I think it has worked.
The electric version is called the Fluence ZE – presumably for zero emissions, and must be charged from a mains point.
It should only cost £3 to drive the whole of the car’s 115 mile and as with the Nissan Leaf I tested not long ago, there will be no noise apart from that coming from the wind and the road surface.
Power of 95bhp doesn’t sound like much, but the electric motor pulls hard from zero revs and should give more than adequate acceleration.
There are no gears either – it doesn’t need them – and so you can concentrate on the road ahead.
Interior
It has everything you would expect in any car – an on-board computer that displays essential instantaneous and average power consumption, range, battery charge and discharge.
There is a sat nav system adapted for electric vehicles, Bluetooth and dual-zone automatic climate control, plus automatic headlights and wipers. Most controls can be reached without taking the hands of the wheel.
FAST FACTS
Renault Fluence ZE
Price: £17,850
Mechanical: 95bhp, electric, driving the front wheels via a single speed gearbox
Max speed: 85mph
0-62mph: 13 seconds
Combined mpg: Battery hire £81 per month plus £3 charge for 115 miles. Full domestic charge takes eight hours
Insurance group: N/A
CO2 emissions: 0g/km
BIK rating: N/A
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles
Marks: 9/10
Main rival: Nissan Leaf