Renault's 456bhp, 130mph Zoe e-sport 08 | 03 | 2017

RENAULT UNVEILED ONE of the craziest concepts at Geneva when it lifted the wraps from its 456bhp, ultra-light, four-wheel drive Zoe e-sport. The concept uses technology lifted from its Formula E team.

A radical two-seat interpretation of Renault’s all-electric city car, the Zoe e-sport is fitted with an aggressive, angular, wide bodykit, and a colour scheme which pays homage to the Renault e.dams Formula E team.Perhaps most significantly, its four-wheel-drive powertrain borrows FE technology.

Ok, time to take a deep breath. The two electric motors in the Zoe e-sport deliver 456bhp, which is almost 200bhp more than governed 270bhp limit of an FE single seater. The concept also gets up to 640Nm of torque available, and power is supplied by a 40kWh battery pack.

Performance? Renault claims the Zoe e-sport — with its wider track and lower rider height — will hit 62mph from standstill in 3.2-seconds, and takes less than 10s to reach its limited top speed of 130mph.

With the heavy battery pack and electric powertrain fitted, Renault has worked exceedingly hard to try and keep the Zoe e-sport’s weight down. Not surprisingly, the bodywork is made from carbon fibre, while the steel roll cage incorporates Kevlar panels. All that, and the car still tips the scales at 1400kg, including the 450kg battery.

Strong aerodynamics play a big part in the Zoe e-sport’s performance, as you can see from the large air dam and splitter set-up at the front of the car. Underneath there’s a flat floor, while there’s also a large rear diffuser. You also won’t have missed the large rear spoiler and 20in centrally-locking diamond cut aluminium wheels.

Two large Recaro bucket seats with race harnesses dominate the cabin, which also includes a rectangular steering wheel and a square dashboard display which is used to adjust powertrain settings.

“The brief for the Renault Zoe e-sport concept couldn’t have been simpler: ‘Have fun!” Stéphane Janin, Director, Concept Car Design, said. “So we came up with something midway between a production model and a racing car. It’s perfect for lovers of extreme driving sensations!”

Related: Roadtest — Renault Grand Scenic 2017

Keep up-to-date with all the latest news by following us on twitter.com/Scotcars

Jim McGill