Renault ZOE: rental or purchase of the batteries?

The Renault ZOE lets us choose between renting or buying its batteries. Which option is better? We explain it below.

The Renault ZOE, the most recognisable electric compact from the French brand, has become an attractive option. The possibilities of renting or buying, depending on each user’s needs, make this vehicle an option worth considering. Below, we explain the differences between buying or renting the batteries of the French electric car.

The battery rental option

When deciding on this possibility, we must take several factors into account. First, the price. We will save 7,500 euros on the purchase price, since we would only have to pay for the vehicle. This figure ranges between 20,000 and 35,000 euros, depending on the version and features we are looking for.

This rental battery option achieves greater profitability over short and medium periods. Depending on the version of our vehicle and the plan that best suits your needs, we will increase the economic benefit.

One of the drawbacks of renting is the price fluctuation. Renewing annual contracts may mean an increase in the worst case, or a decrease in the best case. Likewise, if you want to sell your vehicle in the future on the used market, you would simply have to arrange a termination of the rental contract, but it could prove more difficult to find a buyer.

On the other hand, as interesting advantages, it should be noted that the owner of the battery is Renault Crédit International (RCI). This means the battery will have unlimited warranty and replacement if its capacity falls below 75%. It also includes free roadside assistance in case of breakdown. Renault offers the possibility of a standard exchange of the damaged battery and the loan of a replacement vehicle until yours is repaired.

Owning the battery outright

If we buy the battery outright, we will own the entire vehicle. That is, the Renault ZOE will depend entirely on us and we will no longer depend on RCI. However, this would increase the price by 7,500 euros. The savings we achieve with renting disappear with this choice.

To mitigate this drawback, the VEA Plan (Alternative Energy Vehicles) provides aid between 500 and 5,500 euros per buyer, although no official figure exists yet. The likelihood of savings is greater and, of course, it would offset the price of owning the battery outright. Visit the dealership if you have doubts, because normally, when there is no allocation for the VEA Plan and the aid for purchasing electric cars is not in force, it is the brands themselves that usually offer equivalent discounts.

However, buying this vehicle represents a disadvantage compared to renting the batteries: the warranty runs up to 8 years or 160,000 kilometres driven. Regarding breakdowns, battery replacement would be carried out if capacity falls below 66%. Furthermore, the free assistance available to vehicles with rented batteries also varies, since it depends on the vehicle’s warranty.

Regarding repair in case of breakdown, Renault offers the option of sending the battery to the Battery Repair Centre in France. However, the biggest drawback is the price. The battery replacement, if not under warranty, can exceed 5,000 euros. Despite this, as with rentals, the French manufacturer also provides a replacement vehicle until your battery has been repaired.

Renault takes charge of recycling these batteries

However, despite these differences, Renault treats buyers and renters alike: battery recycling. The French brand takes responsibility for these, which means complete convenience for users of these vehicles and protection of the environment.