Driven: Renault Fluence ZE

When someone says “five-seat sedan”, most of us probably think “Falcon”, “Commodore” or “Camry”.

Throw the word “unconventional” in front of the descriptor, and you’ll invariably hear someone utter the name of a French car manufacturer.

“Really unconventional”...? Well, how about pulling out an engine and replacing it with an electric motor? Or stretching the body of the car by 13 centimetres in order to fit a bank of batteries in the boot? That’d be Renault’s new Fluence ZE.

The Fluence ZE has just been launched in Europe as Renault’s first fully electric passenger car– with the Turkish-built three-box sedan now available powered by a purely-electric plug-in drivetrain.

Under the ZE’s stretched metal skin is a energy conscious commuter that boasts innovative features including battery-swap functionality (where the car can drop out a spent cell and replace it with a fully-charged unit) as well as the usual plug-and-play recharging system, which uses a high output power source to recharge the car’s batteries in about eight hours.

Unlike Mitsubishi’s $50,000 i-MiEV and Nissan’s $60,000 (est) Leaf, buyers who fork out for the Fluence won’t actually be purchasing the batteries that power it.  The Fluence ZE – which is likely to be priced at less than $40,000 when it arrives here from the second quarter of 2012 – will basically be sold as a shell, with the purchaser needing to take out a lease on the batteries used to power the car with green innovations company Better Place (costs TBA).

While all that technowizardry is enticing, perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the Fluence ZE is that it looks, well, almost “normal” from the outside. There are a few trinkets such as blue chrome badges and a new-look front-end , and you’ll also notice a filler cap on each front quarter panel.

The ZE is also quite a bit longer than its sibling, and it’s clearly visible when you compare the length of each car’s rear overhangs. The ZE measures 4.75 metres in length (about 10 centimetres shorter than a Commodore), but despite its stretched rear-end, the boot capacity has been significantly cut to 317 litres compared to the petrol model’s 530L cargo hold. And there’s no spare wheel, either – buyers have to make do with a repair kit instead.

The interior of the car is also relatively unremarkable, and at first glance looks virtually identical to the petrol version. Look a little closer, though, and the differences are noticeable – there instrument dials are blue-ringed, there’s no tachometer – it’s replaced by an “energy gauge” that shows the current battery charge level – and the on-board computer includes a wealth of data such as instantaneous and average energy consumption, battery charge and discharge and range to empty.

It’s well-equipped, with dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, satnav, auto headlights and wipers and cruise control with speed limiting, and there’s a decent amount of storage throughout the cabin.

The interior does, however, suffer from the same irks as the regular Fluence – back seat passengers will feel cramped thanks to the car’s sloping roof-line, while the front seats could best be described as “fat man’s chairs” – they’re flat and firm on the squab and lack lateral support on the backrest.

The regular Fluence does nothing much to excite the senses when it comes to driveability, but the plug-in version’s drivetrain brings with it a whole new level or enjoyment.

The electric motor produces 70kW of power and 226Nm of almost-instantaneous torque (pulling power) that is available to the driver at the press of the right pedal. The engine whirrs to life, maxing out at about 11,000rpm and topping out on the speedometer at an electronically-limited 135km/h. You won’t get anywhere near the car’s claimed 185km range if you drive it like that, however.

Even so, it’s quite a thrill planting your right foot in the Fluence ZE – you feel a bit mischievous doing it – and there’s something pleasing about listening to the high-pitched whiney note of the motor and watching the battery meter drop before your eyes.

However, the ZE’s road manners do leave a bit to be desired.

The front wheels tend to spin under acceleration as they struggle to contain the heft of the electric motor’s torque, and while the traction control system kicks in quickly enough to control it, it could be unnerving for less experienced drivers.

Another dynamic compromise is the ZE’s steering. At cruising speeds it feels light and a little vague, while driving more aggressively sees the steering wheel tug (torque-steer) to either side under acceleration and kick back clumsily over mid-corner bumps.

We also noticed some road noise, though it’s hard not to in a car that runs almost silently under a light throttle.

While we can’t speak for how the car will behave under local conditions, our test car’s rear suspension felt quite fidgety, even on smoother surfaces. The back-end has been stiffened up to deal with the extra weight of the battery pack (the rear is about 130 kilograms heavier) and it is reflected in the way the car behaves through corners, feeling notably tail-heavy when tackling twists.

But from what Renault (and a good deal of common sense) tells us, the Fluence ZE isn’t likely to be the sort of car that appeals to someone who expects the on-road ability of, say, a Megane RS250.

Remove the racing helmet and plonk on the lid of logic, then, and what you’re left with is a car that is clever and functional enough to make people think differently about the types of cars they associate with plug-in mobility.

And, perhaps more importantly, a car that offers a good insight into what the five-seat family sedan of the (very near) future will be like.