What's the news?
Renault has brought a two-seat Zoe concept inspired by current Formula E racers to Geneva. Called the e-sport, the study hints at a potential future direction for an electric performance Renault, and uses all the latest tech and know-how from Renault Sport's own Formula E racing efforts.
Based on a tubular steel chassis and draped in carbon fibre and Kevlar bodywork, the widened and beefed up stance has hints of both a single-seat racer and the current Clio RS in its appearance. Two electric motors are used to give a power output of over 460hp, while torque is 640Nm. That's actually considerably more power than the Formula E car, as class regulations dictate a maximum output of around 275hp.
Those figures mean that the 1,400kg e-sport can hit 100km/h from rest in 3.2 seconds, and it takes less than 10 seconds to hit its limited top speed of 210km/h. Road holding is taken care of by all-wheel drive mated with sophisticated adjustable Ohlins dampers and double wishbones all round, and the 20-inch alloys feature a single central lock nut to facilitate quick tyre changes at the track.
Inside, two Recaro seats with full competition harnesses complement a rectangular steering wheel (like the racer) and aluminium switchgear. Four driving modes are available, along with adjustable brake distribution.
Anything else?
While the Zoe e-sport will probably go no further than the design study stage, Renault's current EV offerings are selling very strongly throughout Europe. A quarter of electric vehicles sold on the Continent last year bore Renault's diamond badge, and Zoe sales have risen by 40 per cent since the release of the latest, longer-range version in October 2016.