Why did you choose the Renault Zoé for your start-up?
Before choosing an electric car, Théo and his associates delivered with a Renault Twingo. When it came time to change vehicles, Théo tried out the Renault Zoé out of curiosity, and was so taken with the driving experience that he convinced his partners to opt for an electric car. They made their calculations and realized thatan electric car was cheaper in terms of running costs.
After some hesitation over the choice of electric car, they finally opted for the Renault Zoé, a decision motivated by ecological ideals and practicality: lower consumption costs and no noise, which is very practical when delivering to Annecy in the evening.
Despite a complicated start, it's clear that more and more electric recharging points are being developed in the city and in supermarkets, which reinforces Théo's choice.
How to finance your Zoe?
The partners wanted to minimize the risk and opted for a 4-year long-term lease in 2014.
Seduced by this model, they decided to buy a new one to support their growth. They even negotiated to buy back their first two Zoés, whose leasing contracts were due to expire in 2018. They now have 3 Renault Zoé, the last of which is still on a full service contract.
Long-term le asing is a form of car financing. Mostly used by companies, it is now being extended to private individuals, who are increasingly interested. Long-term leasing is a form of car leasing that allows you to rent rather than buy. It also allows you to benefit from a package including assistance and maintenance. This method of financing gives you greater control over your car budget. To find out more about leasing, read our special report.
At the time, Théo wasn't able to benefit from any specificaid from his region. He opted for a leasing contract to control his budget and avoid having to think about maintenance costs.
Good to know: in Annecy, the SYANE network has installed a number of charging stations. Under the name of the Eborn network, they allow you to charge your vehicle with an annual subscription without paying for parking. It is also possible to charge without a subscription. Rates are explained below.
What problems have you encountered?
Théo had no particular problems when he took out his long-term rental (LLD). He did, however, have a heating breakdown once. This breakdown was covered by his long-term rental insurance contract.
How do you charge up so you don't run out of fuel while on duty?
Charging was no problem for Théo, as the electric car is perfect for city driving. The length of therange depends mainly on the driving style of the delivery drivers, and also on the weather. In winter, the car consumes more fuel than in summer, and the electric car has been designed to run better in town, which plays a part in its range.
"We deliver aperitifs to homes and can cover up to 200 kms per car per evening. The range of the Zoe we have is between 100 and 150 kms, so it was too short from the start. But we had calculated that if we could recharge the cars between rounds (even for 5-10-15 minutes), we could get round the autonomy problem. Even if it doesn't get you back up to 100%, it does allow you to make subsequent deliveries. Hence the fast-charging station to be installed on our premises (22 KW, charges in 1 hour). But here again, no one was able to really answer our question at the time. We had to make the calculations, manage to install the terminal and pray that it would work. And it's working without a hitch, even 4 years later and with a nice growth in business over the period".
Are customers satisfied?
Eco-responsibility is an integral part of the SOS Soirée start-up's values. They use reusable bags and try to limit their carbon footprint as much as possible. The electric car is also in line with their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint.
"For the moment, we're driving electric cars because there are no CO2 emissions. And, no noise pollution. "
Théo is also amused by the many comments from people in Annecy who are fascinated by the electric car. Indeed, they too are thinking of switching to an electric car. The only drawback is that they don't necessarily have all the information they need before taking the plunge.
If I had to do it all over again?
Without hesitation. At the time, Théo was a visionary and one of the first customers of the Annecy dealership. Today, more and more people are switching to electric cars. The vehicle's autonomy suits him. He's delighted to see that the battery is still going strong after five years.
"After five years, the battery life is almost intact, which is why we bought them back at the end of the lease".
He's convinced that the first Renault Zoé models were tests. Théo believes that electric cars will be more widely represented on French roads, with more choice for the French.
How do you imagine tomorrow's car fleet?
Electric cars with a wider choice and even less polluting models with much greater range.
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