Who doesn’t know about the Renault ZOE, a pioneer in the world of electric cars? Since its launch in France in 2013, the ZOE was only available with a leased battery. It was only in 2018 that Renault started offering full purchase options for its electric vehicles, including the battery.
Since January 2021, battery leasing for the Renault Zoe has been definitively discontinued.
But what are the advantages offered by purchasing a Zoe battery? Especially in the second-hand market?
Recap on the Purchase of a Used Renault Zoe Battery: Price, Terms…
Battery Purchase
An uncertain understanding of lithium-ion batteries and their aging prompted Renault to offer its ZOE exclusively with battery leasing for so long. But today, the battery is only obtainable through purchase.
Indeed, at the outset of electric vehicles, manufacturers couldn’t accurately predict the lifespan of batteries, i.e., the evolution of their SOH. Moreover, batteries were more expensive than they are today.
In addition to the economic advantage provided by this solution, there is the battery warranty.
Since the battery does not belong to the car owner, it is warranted for the entire lifespan of the ZOE. This “lifetime” warranty is, however, valid from a certain SOH (State of Health) of the battery: if the battery (thus the SOH) drops below 75% of its initial capacity, Renault undertakes to repair or replace it, free of charge if all warranty conditions are met.
Furthermore, Renault ZOE owners benefit from free assistance 7/7 and 24/24 for breakdowns, including energy-related ones, with towing and repatriation covered.
In the second-hand market, Renault also offers used ZOEs with leased batteries. If you wish to deal with a private individual leasing their battery, you can either subscribe to your own lease or buy the battery, which has recently become possible.
A Model in Decline
If battery leasing has long been the dominant model in the electric car market, it’s a trend that is disappearing. Indeed, many manufacturers have begun offering their electric vehicles for full purchase, a move also followed by Renault in 2018.
More and more drivers want to buy their vehicle’s battery for the freedom it offers. Indeed, purchasing the battery allows drivers to fully enjoy their electric car without constraints: no more monthly payments to make and, especially, no more mileage limit.
The battery is also warranted when purchased outright, for 8 years or 160,000 km.
Why Buy a Used Zoe Battery?
Lowering the Total Cost of Your Zoe
While full purchase is certainly more expensive initially than purchasing with battery leasing, it quickly pays off for drivers who cover many kilometers. After a certain period, battery leasing is no longer advantageous because the monthly payments become more expensive than buying the battery. Moreover, you risk seeing your monthly payments increase if you exceed the predefined mileage.
The simulation below, conducted by Automobile propre, concerns a new Renault ZOE.
If battery leasing costs €24,000 compared to €32,000 for full purchase, it can be observed that after a few years, leasing is no longer advantageous. Indeed, battery leasing becomes more expensive than full purchase after 5 and a half years for a 20,000 km/year contract and after 9 years for a 7,500 km/year contract.
What applies to a new ZOE also applies to a used ZOE. Indeed, used vehicles are also offered for full purchase.
Are you the owner of a Renault ZOE with battery leasing? You can now terminate your lease contract with DIAC. Thus, you can buy back your vehicle’s battery.
Easier Sale of Your Used Zoe
As mentioned earlier, Renault offers its customers who already own a ZOE the option to terminate their battery lease in order to repurchase it.
This new solution provides a considerable advantage when drivers wish to sell their ZOE in the second-hand market. Indeed, previously, sellers would transfer the vehicle without the battery. This forced buyers to subscribe to a battery lease. Today, this obstacle to purchase is no longer systematic because sellers have the option to transfer their electric vehicle entirely.
Moreover, if you wish to buy your vehicle’s battery, know that it is warranted under the same conditions as a new battery. That is, for 8 years (from the date of registration) or 160,000 km in total.
Buying your Zoe’s battery therefore allows you to sell it more easily in the second-hand market.
How to Proceed with the Purchase of Your Zoe’s Battery
Know the Price of Your Zoe’s Battery
When you wish to purchase the battery for your Renault ZOE, the repurchase price is determined by its age. Therefore, there is no fixed price, as it is calculated by DIAC.
For a rough idea, the new battery of a 41 kWh ZOE costs €8,900. That of a 22 kWh ZOE costs €7,400.
We also found the testimony of a driver who purchased the batteries for his two ZOEs in 2019, which gives us an idea of the prices offered by the DIAC.
- 42 kWh ZOE dating from January 2017, 20,100 km. 2 years and 6 months of leasing, €2,070 in rent paid: €7,300 (DIAC proposal), negotiated down to €7,096.
- 22 kWh ZOE dating from March 2013, 97,000 km. 6 years and 4 months of leasing, €6,600 in rent paid: €3,600 (DIAC proposal), negotiated down to €3,030.
Therefore, do not hesitate to negotiate with the DIAC the proposed price for your battery, especially if it has a high mileage or a relatively low SOH.
Check the Health of your battery to avoid bad deals
Before proceeding with the purchase of a ZOE battery, it is necessary to check its health status with a trusted third party. Moba allows you to perform the diagnosis of your battery from home, in just 5 minutes. You then receive a battery certificate, attesting to the SOH (State of Health) of your battery, its maximum charge autonomy, and the number of BMS reprogramming.
With your battery leasing contract, you benefit from a “lifetime” warranty. If the Moba certificate indicates that the SoH is below 75%, Renault can repair or replace your battery. We therefore advise you to have your battery repaired or reprogrammed before proceeding with the purchase.
If you wish to sell your ZOE in the second-hand market, do not hesitate to also obtain a battery certificate. This will reassure potential buyers about the battery’s capabilities. And thus, facilitate the resale of your vehicle.