Renault says Zoe ownership proves EV popularity beyond the city limits
Postcode analysis of Renault Zoe registrations since its original UK debut in June 2013, shows that the switch to electric power has been just as much a rural, as an inner-city movement.
Unsurprisingly, Greater London has seen the highest percentage of Zoe sales with Milton Keynes, Bristol, Bedford and Cambridge completing the top five locations.
Yet the rural town of Truro (population 18,000) and its surrounding countryside in Cornwall became home to as many ZOEs as the 360,000-strong city of Leicester. Other more rural-based towns with strong EV adoption included Horsham in West Sussex, the surrounding villages of Bath in Somerset and quieter corners of Surrey such as Farnham.
Electrified vehicles accounted for 28.5 per cent of the 2020 UK new car market, according to the SMMT – up from 10.7 per cent previously. There was a 185.9 per cent rise in demand for EVs in 2020 alone, with the Renault Zoe recording a sales increase of 145 per cent compared to the previous 12 months.
As a pioneer of zero-emission all-electric vehicles, Renault is now Europe’s number one manufacturer for electric cars and vans. In total, it sold more than 115,000 EVs across the continent in 2020, with the ZOE becoming the best-selling electric car making up more than 100,000 of those units sold.
Sales data since 2013 clearly shows how electrification has not been restricted to big cities and areas with congestion charges. Of particular note in the top 10 are more suburban areas in and around Brighton, St Albans, Cambridge and even Jersey.
Top 10 areas for ZOE ownership:
- Greater London – 44%
- Milton Keynes – 10.6%
- Bristol – 6.6%
- Bedford – 6.4%
- Cambridge – 6.0%
- Jersey – 5.7%
- Edinburgh – 5.3%
- Brighton – 5.2%
- St Albans – 4.9%
- Leeds – 4.8%
Tom Barker, electrification manager, Renault UK, said: “This data not only confirms that the Zoe has been popular with buyers living in busier, urban areas, but also those in more suburban and rural areas. Due to the ZOE’s 245-mile maximum range between charges and versatile charging options it’s easier than ever to own and enjoy the benefits of EV, no matter where you live. What this also shows is that there’s huge untapped potential for millions of road users waiting to reap the benefits of all-electric driving around the UK.”