The annual ‘best in
class cars’ table that has just been published by the independent body Euro
NCAP lists Renault ZOE
as the best
supermini (electric and
internal combustion-engined cars
combined) of all those
it evaluated last
year in terms
of safety performance. This accolade,
which comes on
top of the
maxiumum five-star rating
achieved by the
model in March
2013, stands out as further
reassurance for ZOE’s customers and an eloquent reward for Renault’s safety engineering experts.
In the course of Renault ZOE’s development, the mission not
to compromise on safety in any way could not have been clearer. The objective
was for the new 100% electric hatchback car to be as safe as the brand’s
internal combustion-engined models. It consequently benefited fully from
Renault’s extensive expertise and know-how in the realms of passive and active
safety. From its initial design to its exhaustive testing
phase, nothing was left to chance. In addition to Euro NCAP requirements,
careful attention was paid to two areas that are specific to electric vehicles,
namely their battery and their little noise they make when running.
Given that batteries are as sensitive as a conventional fuel
tank, safety specialists focused particularly on this part of the car. ZOE’s
battery casing was reinforced to protect the modules inside, while the wiring
was routed to prevent the risk of damage. The battery itself was subjected to a
comprehensive range of tests, including exposure to flames, immersion,
combustion, electrical overload, short circuiting, compression, dropping from a
height and the so-called ‘nail penetration test’ (which involves driving a nail
into a cell). Following the car’s crash test, the battery remained intact but
an automatic circuit breaker was incorporated in the system as an added
precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, electric vehicles make very little noise at
speeds of up to 30kph, so ZOE is equipped with Z.E. Voice, a sound audible to
pedestrians that warns of the vehicle’s approach when it is travelling from 1
to 30kph (at a standstill, the car is completely silent).
This sound was custom engineered to achieve an identity that
mirrors ZOE’s character and was developed in association with sound perception
and design specialists from France’s Acoustic/Music Research and Coordination
Institute (IRCAM). Drivers can actually choose from three different sounds,
dubbed ‘Pure’, ‘Glam’ and ‘Sport’. They are also free to cut the sound at the
press of a switch, although it automatically resumes the next time they turn on
the car’s motor.
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