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Better Place launched Renualt Fluence ZE in Israe and Denmark

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by giora, Feb 12, 2012.

  1. giora

    giora Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Herzliya, Israel. Car: Euro version GLI
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    N/A
    Better Place launched last week their first EV, the Renault Fluence ZE, in Israel and Denmark.
    Their site does not reveal a lot on the car’s specs, what I could find there and in some reviews published lately, I can report:
    Length: 4.75 m (187â€). Width: 1.81 m (71â€). Height: 1.46 m (57.5â€). Wheelbase: 2.7 m (106.3â€). Luggage compartment: 317 liter
    Weight: 1605 kg (3535 lbs.)
    Max power: 95 hp. Max torque: 226 Nm. Top speed is limited to 135 km/hr (84 mph). 0-100 km/hr (0-62 mph) in 13.7 sec.
    There is no data on the Lithium battery size, I did find the followings:
    Max range (BP internal test): 185 km (115 miles) with efficiency (again, at BP internal test) of 8.4 km/kWh (5.2 miles/kWh).
    My calculation: 115/5.2 equals 22 kWh usable capacity of the battery.
    This 22 kWh will require about 24 kWh at the plug. If the car was tested at the EPA test cycle I assume it could have got 0.34 kWh/mile (same as the Leaf?) so at EPA test it could probably get about 70-72 miles range (24/0.34).

    The main reservation I hear is their pricing. It is not based on costs but rather on “what the alternative will cost youâ€:
    You buy a ‘carcass’ i.e. a car without the battery at the same price as a conventional compact car (Mazda 3). The battery is on lease, you buy a lease package of (say) 20000 km per year and it cost you the same amount as you pay for gasoline with Mazda 3 driving 20000 km. Furthermore, package is rigid, if you only drive 18000 km you still pay for 20000…if you drive more than 20k you pay a penalty…
    Better Place claims this still gives you saving on insurance(??) and on routine maintenance.
     
  2. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2009
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    Location:
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I attach a link of a UK review of the new Renault Fluence EV due to be released here in March 2012. The car is very competitively priced as you rent the HV battery for about the same cost as a month of petrol.

    We're not getting the better place battery exchange program here in the UK. The Fluence was designed to have a large bulky HV battery as it is easy to exchange quickly with 'Better Place' system. Shame, as the battery takes up virtually all the boot/trunk space.

    http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/renault/fluence/saloon-2012/

    The Renault UK website gives further details of the car including specs on the HV battery etc;

    Fluence Z.E. - Electric Vehicle - Renault Z.E.
     
  3. giora

    giora Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Herzliya, Israel. Car: Euro version GLI
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    N/A
    Grumpy, thanks for the links.
    Could not find the HV battery specs, though.