Renault to Launch All-Electric Twingo in 2014, Zoe Z.E. Coming in 2012

Renault will add a new Twingo to its Z.E. range of electric vehicles in the second half of 2014, according to Jacques Bousquet, head of Renault Italy. The French automaker’s official said the Twingo Z.E. will be the company's fifth EV, after the Kangoo, Fluence, Twizy and Zoe.

The executive revealed that Renault’s alliance with Daimler AG helped speed up the development of the next-generation Twingo-based Z.E. model, as the Twingo's new platform will be shared with a future four-seat Smart car.

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Renault Suspends Managers on Suspicion of Leaking EV Secrets

French carmaker Renault has suspended three senior managers on suspicion of industrial espionage linked to the firm's electric vehicle plans. A company spokeswoman confirmed on Tuesday that the three individuals were suspended over unspecified ethical issues.

“In late August 2010, an ethical alert was brought to the attention of the compliance committee," a Renault spokeswoman told AFP on Tuesday. "The investigation that followed led to the suspension of three Renault executives”, the spokeswoman added without providing any more details.

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Renault Reveals Production Versions of All-Electric Fluence Z.E. and Kangoo Van Z.E

Following the Fluence Z.E. all-electric sedan concept's unveiling at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and last December's presentation of the Kangoo Van Z.E. prototype at the COP 15 (United Nations Climate Change Conference) in Copenhagen, Renault today unveiled the finalized designs of both models.

The French automaker said that customers in Europe and in a few more select countries including Singapore, South Africa and Russia, who are interested in the two models can pre-reserve their vehicle at "www.renault-ze.com" with first deliveries expected in the first half of 2011.

The Fluence Z.E. will be built at the OYAK-Renault factory in Bursa, Turkey, on the same production line as the internal combustion engine-powered versions of Fluence.

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Renault to Produce Electric Fluence Sedan at Bursa Plant in Turkey from 2011

Having already confirmed the production versions of the Twizy and Zoe Z.E. electric concept cars, Renault today announced that the third member of its new family of EVs, the all-electric Fluence sedan, which was also presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show this past September, will be manufactured at the OYAK-Renault Bursa plant in Turkey. The French automaker said that it plans to launch the Fluence EV first in Israel and Denmark, followed by other countries, from the first half of 2011.

Evidently, the electric saloon will be based on the recently launched Fluence sedan, but it is unclear if Renault will spice up the looks of the car in the same way it did with the Frankfurt Show concept model.

Renault said that owners of the electric Fluence will have three battery charge options: standard charge, rapid charge and a 'QuickDrop' battery exchange that allows that removal and replacement of the batteries in a mere three minutes.

We don't have any details on the vehicle's specs yet, but it is safe to assume that the production model will be powered by the same 95HP electric motor found in the concept car.