Automotive

Green gets mean in Renault Zoe e-Sport Concept

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The e-Sport on show in Geneva
C.C Weiss/New Atlas
The Renault e-Sport Zoe has a wider body than the standard car
The paintjob on the e-Sport has been borrowed from the Formula E car
The e-Sport is all-wheel drive 
The e-Sport is a much more aggressive take on the Zoe formula
The Zoe e-Sport borrows heavily from Formula E 
The e-Sport next to its Formula E brother
The e-Sport is on show in Geneva
The e-Sport signals a push into electric performance from Renault
The cabin of the e-Sport
Behind the wheel of the e-Sport
The e-Sport uses carbon fiber to keep weight down
Keeping the e-Sport cool isn't easy
Renault has brightened up the e-Sport with some colorful touches
The e-Sport is just a concept at the moment
Aggressive looks aren't what the Zoe is known for, but Renault has made the e-Sport look mean
The pumped-up e-Sport 
The all-wheel drive Renault e-Sport
Renault has fitted Ohlins dampers to the e-Sport
The pumped-up e-Sport is just a concept for now
The diffuser on the e-Sport is big and mean
The e-Sport on show in Geneva
C.C Weiss/New Atlas
The rear diffuser on the e-Sport is bigger and meaner than the one you'd find on any other car
C.C Weiss/New Atlas
The e-Sport is powered by a Formula E powertrain
C.C Weiss/New Atlas
The scoops on the Zoe e-Sport cool the electric powertrain
C.C Weiss/New Atlas
The e-Sport looking lean and mean on the floor of the Geneva Motor Show
C.C Weiss/New Atlas
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Renault was one of the early players in the electric car game, but it hasn't joined Tesla in harnessing battery power for crazy performance. It might not beat a Model S off the line, but the company's Zoe e-Sport Concept does inject a dose of fun into an otherwise bland line of electric cars.

Based on the latest iteration of the Zoe, the e-Sport Concept plays on the brand's Formula E connection for more performance and some more aggression in the looks department. The body is made entirely of carbon fiber, and is now home to a host of wild scoops and wings designed to hint at the performance on offer. It looks properly nasty, and that's no mean feat when you consider the family-friendly base car.

It can also back those looks up, streaking to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.2 seconds. Renault says this turn of speed comes courtesy of its carbon fiber-heavy bodywork, which helps keep curb weight down to 1,400 kg (3,086 lb). Although you wouldn't call it light beside the average petrol hot hatch, that figure is impressive considering the battery pack alone weighs 450 kg (992 lb).

The e-Sport is on show in Geneva

Beyond the lighter body, the e-Sport benefits from a Formula E powertrain with 456 hp (345 kW) and 472 lb.ft (350 Nm) of torque. The car is all-wheel drive and sits on a wider track than the standard model for greater stability at high speeds. It also rides on a set of four-way adjustable Ohlins dampers, working with double-wishbone suspension all-round to keep all four wheels on the road. Useful, given the tall body and prodigious power on tap.

"The brief for the Renault ZOE e-Sport Concept couldn't have been simpler: 'Have fun!'," says Stéphane Janin, Director of Concept Cars Design. "So we came up with something midway between a production model and a racing car."

The e-Sport is just a concept at the moment and, given the fate of past Renault electric concepts like the Twizy RenaultSport, it's unlikely to ever make it to production. It's on show at the Geneva Motor Show, where New Atlas is on the ground covering all the action. You can also check the car out in Renault's video below.

Source: Renault

View gallery - 25 images
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1 comment
Rann Xeroxx
It's a cool looking little car with a lot of great tech. Now just take all these material, styling, handling, etc improvements and put it on a gas powered model. Why not make the gas one as light as possible as well to improve performance and milage?