Renault Sport might expand its operations to electrified vehicles such as the Zoe, which could gain a high-performance variant.
A decision has yet to be taken, as initial tests proved that the extra punch will significantly affect the driving range, as Autocar reports, quoting the Renault Sport chief Patrice Ratti.
“The acceleration was good, especially from standstill. But we were amazed how much circuit driving affects a car’s battery endurance. If we drove our prototype flat out on a circuit, the battery would only last 13 or 14 minutes – not be enough to satisfy our customers.“
Despite the drawback, Renault’s project hasn’t been shelved and the French could probably make another attempt to put a high-performance version of the Zoe on the road, as the supermini is believed to gain a larger battery by the end of the year. If a Zoe RS will be green lighted, then the Clio RS will provide certain components.
“The performance and the way it is delivered are very promising and so is the handling, because all of the Renault Sport Clio chassis and steering parts we have developed will fit straight into a Zoe“, said Ratti.
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