Renault was one of the first mainstream manufacturers to commit to electric vehicles, putting the Twizy and Zoe to market long before other many other brands were willing to admit the battery revolution was coming. Now, as Mercedes and VW have announced their pushes into mainstream electric cars, Renault is updating its existing range with bigger batteries for even better range. It started with the Zoe in Paris, and now extends to the Kangoo Z.E.

The Kangoo ZE has been brought into line with the Zoe, gaining over 50 percent more range Renault Marketing/3D-Commerce

The range increase comes from a new motor and battery combination, designed to increase range by more than 50 percent under regular driving conditions. It now manages 270 km (168 mi) on the New European Drive Cycle, 100 km (62 mi) more than before. According to Renault, that correlates to a real-world range of 200 km (124 mi), more than enough for most tradespeople to do their daily rounds without trouble.

Renault says the range bump is enough to make the Kangoo Z.E the longest range in the small van market, putting it ahead of the Ford Transit Connect and Peugeot Partner.

The new Zoe has been treated to a hefty range boost Scott Collie/New Atlas

The upgrade brings the Kangoo Z.E into line with the new Zoe, which was treated to a hefty range boost at the Paris Motor Show. Thanks to cells developed with LG Chem, the refreshed model will provide around 300 km (186 mi) of range in regular driving conditions.

Renault will be releasing extra details about the Kangoo late in January.

Source: Renault