Sssssh! Here comes Renault’s new electric motor

The public was very worried when motorcars were introduced over 200 years ago. In Britain the Locomotive Act of 1865 required automobiles to travel at a maximum of four miles per hour in the country and two miles per hour in towns and have a crew of three, one of whom should carry a red flag walking 60 yards ahead of each vehicle.

I was reminded of that old practice of walking in front of a car with a red flag last week when I tested Renault’s electric version of their popular Fluence. The car is so quiet that people will not hear you approach, especially on country roads.

It’s fine on motorways where you blend in with the general flow of traffic, but I would be a bit worried driving by day on a narrow country road. Narrow country roads are probably safer by night, but then you may be worried that using the headlamps will wear out your battery.

And I suppose that’s the big problem with electric cars. They are very green, ZE stands for zero emissions, but charging could be a hassle. The ESB has now installed 246 public and 394 private or commercial charge points all over the country. But even a full overnight charge only gets you a range of just over 100 kilometres.

This was my first drive on the open road in an electric car and it was with a little trepidation that I hit the M50 on a wet Tuesday with the Fluence ZE. Nobody seemed to pay any attention except maybe to notice the attractive pale blue colour of the car or

‘ZE -100% Electric’ written boldly on the front doors.

It’s strange when you turn the ignition; you don’t hear the usual sound of an engine starting up and chances are you will turn the key a second time. The trick is to watch for the green

‘go’ signal on the dash. All electric cars are automatic.

It’s a lively motor and you can get from zero to 100 km/h in around 13 seconds, but that kind of mad driving is not recommended if you want to save your battery and reach your destination. In fact that’s the key, drive economically and you get more out of the battery. There is little need to hit the brakes; once you take your foot off the accelerator the car slows down very quickly as the battery recharges.

Looks wise the ZE is exactly the same as the regular Fluence, which means that it’s a fine sturdy family car that is well able to carry five adults. But instead of a fuel gauge you get a battery meter. Boot space is restricted as the bulky battery is stored there. Prices start at e21,610 and the battery costs e82 per month to rent. Road tax in the Fluence ZE is only e160.

Renault has great offers on their electric cars and if you buy an electric now you will get a free wall charger box at your home or place of work plus free battery rental for two years. And you can take it for a month’s free trial, but you will have to use your own insurance.

Verdict: Very peaceful, very smooth, but until we get batteries that can hold a charge for much longer, you could be stuck on the side of a road, wondering how many miles it is to the next ESB charge point.