"If I couldn't see the plug, I wouldn't know it was electric," says Annie Loo after testing an electric car for the first time at the EcoVelocity Low-Carbon Motor Show in London. "The design is as sleek as a normal car, and it's really spacious, comfortable and smooth to drive."
Loo was one of 10 Guardian readers who won a competition to visit EcoVelocity at Battersea Power Station earlier this month and to test-drive the fully electric Fluence Z.E. saloon and Kangoo Van, the first arrivals from Renault's growing range of zero-emission vehicles.
"I thought I'd be able to see the difference between the electric car and a regular petrol engine, but I couldn't, which is quite interesting," she notes. "Apart from the functionality in that you will have to charge it up at some point, it was the same."
The arrival of Renault's Z.E. range marks a major step forward for the electric vehicle market, which aims to lead the way as demand grows rapidly for low-carbon vehicles.
London mayor Boris Johnson was impressed by the quiet engine when he swapped his usual pedal-powered bicycle for a Fluence to lead EcoVelocity's opening parade.
"'I was delighted to try out one of Renault's electric vehicles and glide it around the EcoVelocity test track," he said. "It had the same grunt off the starting blocks that you get from a traditional car, but with a seamless and silent whoosh of a zero-emission engine."
The Fluence Z.E. is a four-door saloon that goes on sale in the UK during the first half of 2012. Priced from £17,850 on the road after the deduction of the £5,000 plug-in car grant, it will be the UK's most affordable electric car.
That could be a major selling point for Aaron Thakorlal, who said he was thinking about buying an electric car after test-driving a few different models for the first time at EcoVelocity. "Before I drove one I thought that if I was going to buy one I would have to compromise design for the environmental benefits, but actually I can see that the two have merged together," he explains. He said cost would be a major barrier to making such an investment, so he was looking to buy the most affordable model.
Andy Heiron, head of electric vehicle programme at Renault UK, says that a unique ownership model of battery hire allows Renault to price its electric cars at the same level as an equivalent internal combustion engine (ICE) Renault model.
The scheme offers Fluence Z.E. drivers a battery from £69.60 a month including VAT, based on 6,000 miles a year and a three-year agreement.
So, after discounting the £5,000 plugged-in-car grant, the Fluence costs around the same as the Mégane. However, electric vans are still more expensive than ICEs because commercial vehicles do not benefit from the grant.
But regardless of price, a major question for Loo was whether an electric car would allow her to make regular trips from London to visit friends and family in Scotland. "I know it's good for driving around London because it's congestion charge-free, but when you're driving long distances that would be a bit tricky," she says.
Clearly, drivers need to think about their travelling habits before investing in an electric vehicle. Most models currently have a range of about 100 miles, so would not suit people who drive more than about 20,000 miles annually.
"The main qualification point in our sales process will focus on range," says Heiron. "We want to ensure that potential owners' daily usage is comfortably within the capability of the vehicle." He argues that economic benefits in pure running costs, including fuel and service, kick in at about 7,500 miles a year, or 150 miles a week for cars, and 10,000 miles a year for vans. "The 'sweet spot' for owners is, therefore, between about 150 miles and 400 miles a week," he says.
For more information about the Renault Z.E. range, visit: renault-ze.com
