Buying a Used Renault Zoe ZE 40 (2017-2019): Range, Battery Hire & What to Check

The Renault Zoe ZE 40 offers one of the UK’s cheapest routes into an electric car with genuinely usable range. Around £6,000 gets you a 2018 or 2019 example, a 41 kWh battery and around 90 miles even in cold winter weather, all in an easy-to-park supermini. There are also more potential pitfalls than with almost any other used EV: many left the showroom with a hired battery, no example can use a CCS rapid charger, and all are now beyond Renault’s five-year motor and electrics warranty. Here we explain the checks to make, the range you can realistically expect and the questions to ask before paying. You’ll find a print-out checklist at the end.

Which ZE 40 is which?

The second Zoe, the ZE 40, was sold in the UK from 2017 to 2019 with a 41 kWh battery. It followed the original 22 kWh model (2013 to 2016) and preceded the ZE 50 (2020 on), with its 52 kWh battery, revised dashboard and optional CCS rapid charging. Advertised motor names reveal most of the important differences between versions:

The trims (Dynamique Nav, Signature Nav and later S Edition) alter the equipment rather than the battery or charging. External dimensions are identical across versions: full measurements and specifications appear on the Renault Zoe ZE 40 page.

Realistic range in 2026

When new, the R110 was rated at 186 miles on the WLTP test. Real driving is always shorter, and these cars have now lost some battery capacity with age. Our estimate for a typical car, using the same battery-ageing model as the rest of EVcarsguide, for mixed driving:

Use these figures for planning, not as guarantees. Gentle summer driving brings owner reports of 150 miles or more. Speed on motorways, cold starts and cabin heating all reduce that, and owners consistently find winter exposes the ZE 40’s limits: allow roughly 90 to 110 miles between January charges. On the same charge, a Q90 travels slightly less far than an R90 or R110.

Two measures make the biggest difference in cold weather. Warm the cabin before unplugging, using the car’s own menu to schedule it. The handbook explains how to time both charging and cabin heating through the dashboard. That matters because these cars’ remote app services depended on older mobile networks, making them unreliable as a way to manage either function.

Charging: AC only, and why that matters

No ZE 40 has a CCS socket, so it cannot use the DC rapid chargersthat account for most of the UK’s fast-charging network. Instead, AC charging uses its Type 2 socket:

• At home (7 kW wallbox): roughly six to seven hours from empty to full overnight, the kind of charging that suits a Zoe.
• On a 22 kW public post (R90, R110, Q90): a Zoe is among the few cars able to accept the full 22 kW output, so an hour at a supermarket or town-centre post adds substantial range.
• On a 43 kW AC rapid post (Q90 only): around an hour to 80%. Older rapid units carried these tethered AC connectors, but networks have been removing them because very few current cars can use them. Before buying a Q90, do not assume those connectors will be available along your route.

On a long trip that adds up to noticeably more stopping time than a CCS car. It’s fine for the occasional journey if you plan around 22 kW posts; it’s tiring if you do it every week. If you will charge from a 3-pin plug at first, use a proper EV cable on a socket in good condition, and get a wallbox fitted if you can.

The battery: owned or hired?

Many ZE 40s were sold with the battery hiredfrom Renault’s finance company, now Mobilize Financial Services, with a monthly fee; the customer bought the rest of the car. Establish this before anything else, because adverts can be wrong. Our snapshot included “Battery Lease” titles paired with descriptions claiming an “owned battery”, a mismatch forum owners also report. Here is how to check:

• The trim name. Renault used “ZOE i” for bought-battery cars, so wording such as “R110 Dynamique Nav (i)” should indicate ownership. The terms “Battery Lease” and “Battery Hire” indicate hire instead.
• Get it confirmed. Request written confirmation from the seller and a history check, which may list a battery agreement. For a hired battery, give Mobilize Financial Services the registration to check.

If the battery is hired

• You sign a new agreement. The hire doesn’t simply pass with the car: the new keeper applies to Mobilize and signs a new hire agreement, and the monthly fee depends on the mileage and term you choose. Get the figure before you commit.
• Charging depends on it. The handbook includes the warning “charging refused, no contract”: if the hire agreement lapses, the battery company can prevent the car from charging.
• The upside: cover comes through the hire agreement for as long as payments continue, rather than through a warranty nearing its end.
• Buying it out: Ask Mobilize for a written quote to purchase the battery outright and factor that cost into your offer. A hired-battery car needing a buy-out is no bargain if it costs as much as one with an owned battery.

If the battery is owned

Renault’s warranty on a bought battery runs for 8 years or 100,000 miles, promises at least 66% capacity for cars registered before March 2020, and passes to the next owner. A ZE 40 is now near the end of that cover:

• Registered 2017: battery warranty ended in 2025.
• Registered 2018: battery warranty ends during 2026; check the exact registration date.
• Registered 2019: battery warranty runs until 2027 (or 100,000 miles).

For most owned-battery examples, actual battery health matters more than warranty cover. Ask for a state of health report from a Renault dealer’s battery check or an independent tester. Owners can also obtain a reading using an inexpensive OBD dongle and the free CanZE app. For cars of this age, a figure somewhere from the low 80s to the low 90s percent is normal.

What owners report going wrong

Most ZE 40s are straightforward, reliable cars. The following problems crop up repeatedly in discussions among owners, listed roughly by how often they are mentioned:

• Tyre edge wear. Zoes are heavy for their size and owners often see the inner or outer edges wear first. Check both edges, not just the centre tread, and fit tyres with a suitable load rating. Stick to the pressures on the door-pillar label.
• Infotainment. R-Link feels dated, and Android Auto needs a dealer update on some cars. TomTom map updates are an extra cost. During the test drive, check the screen, navigation and phone connection.
• Motor and inverter faults. A minority of owners report motor or inverter failures that can cost thousands and take time to diagnose. Every ZE 40 is beyond its drivetrain warranty, so listen for grinding or an unfamiliar whine, request invoices for motor or electrical repairs, and consider a used-car warranty that specifically includes the motor and electrics.
• 12V battery and electrical gremlins. A weak 12V battery causes odd warnings and failures to start, as on any EV. Warning lights on the test drive are a reason to walk away or get a price reduction.
• Smaller niggles. In icy conditions the charge flap can freeze closed. The glovebox is very small and the rear seats will not fold flat, but none is a deal-breaker.

Two things from the handbook worth knowing: towing a trailer is prohibited, and the car itself should be recovered on a flatbed rather than towed on its wheels. Mention it when you call a breakdown service.

Safety

Euro NCAP awarded the Zoe five stars in 2013, and the ZE 40 retains that body. Those tests are old and much less demanding than today’s, so five stars from 2013 cannot be compared directly with a current score. As context, the facelifted ZE 50 received zero stars in 2021, largely because Renault changed its seat-mounted side airbag, which previously protected the head and chest, to one offering chest-only protection. The ZE 40 retains the original airbag protecting both head and chest.

What to pay

There are relatively few used 2017 to 2019 Zoes, with battery ownership or hire having the greatest effect on price. Treat these figures as a guide to asking prices rather than a valuation:

The pattern is clear: owned-battery cars ask about £1,400 more at the median. That broadly reflects the market’s valuation of the hire commitment, so set it against the buy-out quote for the car. Almost all the cheapest examples have a hired battery, high mileage or both. A suspiciously low price warrants a check for a Cat S or N write-off marker.

Questions to ask the seller

1. Is the battery owned or hired, and can you show me the paperwork?
2. If hired: what is the current monthly fee and mileage, and will you complete the transfer form with me?
3. When was it first registered? (That sets the battery warranty end date on an owned battery.)
4. Is it an R90, Q90 or R110?
5. Can I see a battery health report, or can we charge it and read it during the viewing?
6. Has it had any motor, charger, inverter or 12V work? Are there invoices?
7. Which charging cables come with it?
8. Are both key cards included?
9. If you’re a dealer: does your warranty cover the motor and electrics?

The print-out checklist

Bring this along. It covers checks specific to the Zoe; our general used EV buyer’s guide covers the checks that apply to any used electric car.

Alternatives worth a look

• Renault Zoe ZE 50 (2020 on): more range and optional CCS rapid charging, for more money and a weaker safety rating. See the Zoe ZE 50 page.
• Nissan Leaf 40 kWh (2018 on): a similar budget with a bigger boot and CHAdeMO rapid charging. Compare it with the ZE 40.
• Peugeot e-208: newer and CCS-equipped, usually at a higher price. Compare it with the ZE 40.

Not sure a ZE 40 covers your driving? The EV Matchmaker checks a car against your own week, and the Used EV Finder shows what else your budget buys.

Sources & further reading

• Renault – ZOE owner’s handbook (charging, charge and heating timers, towing and recovery)
• Renault UK – Z.E. warranty terms (battery warranty on a purchased battery)
• Euro NCAP – 2021 Renault ZOE result
• GOV.UK – Check the MOT history of a vehicle
• GOV.UK – Check if a vehicle has been recalled