The new Kangoo Maxi ZE is intended to appeal to business customers (fleet owners, tradespersons, public authorities, etc) 'who care about the environment and who are looking for maximum carrying capacity or a people carrier'.

The van can be ordered from 1 March at www.renault-ze.com and will go on sale in autumn 2011 in Europe at a pre-tax price of €21,200 for the two-seater version, or €22,000 for the five-seater crew van version. Customers taking advantage of the €5,000 subsidy available in certain countries such as France will see the price come down to the equivalent of that of a diesel Kangoo Maxi, ie. €16,200 and €17,000 respectively.

Renault is adopting a uniform policy for its EVs of separating ownership of the vehicle and battery – this is intended to ensure optimal capacity of the latter throughout the vehicle's working life. Customers will either buy or lease their vans and take out a monthly subscription for the battery, with pre-tax prices starting from €72/month.

Renault adds that running costs – including battery lease, the electricity required for battery charging (average for a full charge: €1.50) and maintenance – will be similar to those of an equivalent internal combustion-engined vehicle when the annual distance travelled is less than 15,000km and says that figures will be 'competitive' when the annual distance travelled exceeds this figure.

The model features a 60PS motor powered by a 22kWh lithium-ion battery located beneath the floor and has a combined cycle range of 170km, although Renault says this can vary up or down depending on factors such as type of road, temperature, speed or driving style.

The vehicle will feature a new MMI (Man Machine Interface) to display the battery's level of charge and the vehicle's remaining range (in kilometres). It will also offer eco-driving systems and the ability to pre-heat the vehicle while the battery is being charged.

Renault will also offer a number of connected services for fleets under the Fleet Asset Management package.

The model will feature the same interior and exterior styling as the conventional Kangoo Maxi and will come with the same spec levels.