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The latest version of the Zoe, the Z.E. 40, is an attempt to address that limitation. While the 2013 model had a 22kWh battery, the 2017 incarnation packs nearly twice as much energy: 41kWh, to be precise, with a real-world range of about 190 miles.

I’m guessing the folks in Renault’s marketing department thought Zoe Z.E. 41 sounded odd, hence the rounded-down moniker. Those same folks once again chose the hinterland of the Portuguese capital as the venue for the international press launch.

Same-sized battery, twice the range

The increase in battery capacity is a pretty impressive achievement when you consider that the lithium-ion pack occupies the same space as the old unit and weighs only 15 kilos more.

Developed by LG Chem, the new battery has improved chemistry and a redesigned internal structure that has increased the active surface area within the cells by 10 percent. The individual cells are now also thicker and the empty space between them has been reduced. If that all sounds a bit vague, it's because neither Renault or LG Chem are about to spill the really interesting technical beans.

The end result of fitting a higher-capacity battery is that the Zoe 40 has an NEDC-certified range of 250 miles or, as Renault freely admits, a real-world summer range of 186 miles. It reckons that figure drops to 124 miles in full-on winter running.

Fair weather notwithstanding I didn’t quite manage to hit that magic 186-mile range. On two long-distance runs that included a mix of high-speed motorway driving and energetic hustling along Portugal’s back roads, I managed to get 175 and 163 miles from two full charges.

The second run included a rapid approach into Lisbon along the A8 from Caldas da Rainha with my foot down and the Zoe bowling along at close to its maximum speed. The weather was mild during the test so the climate-control system was seldom needed, but a fair amount of night-time driving was involved. The Zoe’s headlights may be efficient but they are also dismal.

Considering that on both days of the test I found myself running behind schedule and was therefore driving in a manner that I’d politely describe as energetic, I was happy with those range numbers. Improving on them really wouldn't have been difficult.

But as with all electric cars it’s the psychology of range that is as important as the actuality. Because each morning the Zoe 40 told me I had a minimum of around 180 miles of range rather than 90 I didn’t experience the kind of range anxiety induced by the original model.

Even when forced to double back in the middle of nowhere because of a flooded road, take a 15 mile detour, and drive down a rutted track in the pitch dark (satnavs and Portugal are not a stellar combination), my range-sphincter didn't pucker.

Specs at a glance: 2017 Renault Zoe R90 Z.E. 40 Body type Five-door hatchback Layout Front-wheel drive Powertrain Electric with 41kWh Li-ion battery Transmission Single-speed reduction bar Power 92kW at 3,000rpm Torque 225Nm at 3,000rpm Suspension Pseudo MacPherson (front), Torsion beam (rear) Tyres 185/65 R15 0-60mph 13.2 seconds Top speed 84mph Fuel Economy 133Wh/km Rated max range 250 miles (402km) CO2 emissions Zero at tailpipe Weight 1,480Kg (3,263lbs) Wheelbase 2,588mm (101.9in) Dimensions 4,084mm x 1,730mm x 1,562mm (160.8in x 68.1in x 61.5in) (LWH) Base price ~£17,845 after the UK government Plug-In Vehicle rebate, but excluding monthly battery lease.

Different engine options—on an EV?!

While the new battery undoubtedly makes the Zoe an altogether more convincing ownership proposition, it isn’t the only technical change inside the Zoe. There are now two motor options.

By way of background: two years ago the 22kWh Zoe got a new, more efficient, smaller, and lighter traction motor. Power went up to 68kW at 5,000rpm from 65kW at 11,300rpm, and torque from 220Nm at 2,500rpm to 225Nm at 3,000rpm. The new electric motor was entirely Renault-designed and manufactured, rather than bought from Continental.

The drive motor and inverter form an integral part of the Zoe’s charge system and the two installations have different charging profiles. The newer motor is in the new R90 Z.E. 40 that I tested, as well as the still-available 22kWh Zoe, while the new Q90 Z.E. 40 uses the older Continental motor. (R = "range" and Q = "quick charge," in case you were wondering.)

The differences between the two models are not what I'd call vast. According to Renault the R90 can go farther—250 miles NEDC and 186 "real-world" miles for the R90, vs. 230 and 174 miles respectively for the Q90—but the Q90 can charge faster from a 43kW charger: an 80 percent charge takes 65 minutes rather than 100. While both cars charge in the same time from 22kW outputs (160 minutes), the R90 oddly charges a little faster from a 7kW output at 7.5 hours vs. 8.5 hours for the Q90.

Personally I think a faster 7kW charge and an extra dozen miles driving range are more enticing than a 35-minute saving at a 43kW charger, but Renault may have fleet operators in mind for whom a fast 43kW charge is a necessity. And that’s not just for the Zoe. The same battery and motor combinations are soon to appear in the Kangoo Z.E. ‘leccy van.

AC/DC

No matter which motor is under the bonnet, charging happens via a Type 2 connector cunningly hidden beneath the large Renault diamond on the Zoe’s nose. Renault calls it a "Chameleon Charger," which basically means it will work with pretty much any AC power supply, single or triple phase.

In 2013 the absence of DC charging support didn’t seem such a big deal, but now I’m not so sure. Renault’s contention is that public AC chargers are cheaper to install (under £7,000 for a 22kW charger versus around £30,000 for a DC unit) so there will always be more of them. In the UK AC chargers currently outnumber DC by more than three to one.