Renault has admitted electric vehicles sales are disappointing.
Renault sales and marketing director Stephen Norman said: “Overall sales are running well below expectations,” he said. “The volume coming through is lower than we’d thought.”
The Renault Twizy is outselling the Fluence saloon by four to one in the UK in the brand's electric car offering.
In the last five months 252 Twizys have been sold in the UK, compared with 64 Fluence ZEs. The Kangoo ZE commercial van is ahead overall on 279 units.
The picture is repeated across Europe, said Norman.
“The Twizy is a big success; it’s selling in line with expectations,” Norman told Autocar.co.uk.
Norman is more confident in the fortunes of the Zoe EV hatchback which goes on sale next year.
“The Zoe has extraordinary roadholding because of its low centre of gravity,” he said. “And it has demonic acceleration that’s delivered in absolute silence.”
The Zoe, Norman said, will have “an effective 100-mile range”.
Jeremy has been a journalist for 30 years, 20 of which have been in business-to-business automotive. He was a writer and news editor on AM-sister brand Fleet News for three years before setting up the AM website. For the last five years he has been Bauer B2B’s head of digital helping to manage the digital assets of AM, together with Fleet News, Commercial Fleet, Rail and Smart Transport.
kevthebass - 07/11/2012 17:45
The Fluence is a saloon, which historically in the UK have been poor sellers compared with their hatchback equivalents. Mid size French models have rarely sold well either so hardly any surprises there. Then add in the 6,000 miles a year limit before extra charges are added to the £75 a month battery hire and little more needs to be said.