Renault Fluence Z.E.

Unveiled at the 2011 Australian International Motor Show in Melbourne, the Fluence Z.E. was scheduled to be sold by mid-2012, once the roll out of Better Place's battery swap network had begun, initiating in Canberra. In 2011 GE pledged to purchase at least 1,000 of the vehicles in Australia, which would contribute to their goal of purchasing 25,000 electric vehicles globally by 2015.[21] In December 2012, Renault announced that the launch of the Fluence Z.E. was postponed indefinitely following delays with the roll out of Australia's electric vehicle infrastructure. The electric car was scheduled to go on sale to the public from a number of dealers across the country in the fourth quarter of 2012. Better Place explained that delays in the deployments in Israel and Denmark reflected in the Australian roll out, which would take place between 12 and 18 months behind the other markets.[22] However, Better Place filed for bankruptcy in May 2013.[7]

In the 2016 Beijing Auto Show, Dongfeng Renault released a China-made version of the SM3 Z.E. as the Dongfeng Fengnuo E300 EV.[23] However, the car never made it into mass production, possibly because China's EV range standards and associated subsidies were rapidly tightened in the following years.[24]

The Fluence Z.E. was sold in Denmark at a price of 205,000 DKK (€27,496 or US$38,378) including VAT plus the monthly fee for the switchable-battery. Consumers also paid a one-time fee of 9,995 DKK (€1,341) for a private charging station and Better Place offered a choice of five fixed-price switchable-battery packages based on kilometers driven per year. For more than 40,000 km (25,000 mi) a year the monthly fee was 2,995 DKK (€399) per month.[25][26]

The first Better Place battery switch station in Denmark, out of 20 planned to be deployed across the country until March 2012, was unveiled in June 2011 at Gladsaxe, near Copenhagen.[18] As of December 2012 there were 17 battery switch stations fully operational in the country.[27] Sales through Better Place began in late 2011, and 198 units were sold in Denmark through December 2012. Cumulative sales through April 2013 reached 234 units.[28] However, Better Place reported between 400 and 500 customers by the time the company filed for bankruptcy in May 2013.[8][29] Renault announced it will continue to provide service for the Fluence Z.E. in Denmark.[30][31]

In Estonia, Fluence Z.E was originally part of the ELMO program, but has been removed, no reason was given, but it may relate to the lack of availability of the car in Estonia.

In France, 2012 prices started from €26,300 before the applicable €5,000 government incentive.[32][33] The monthly fee for the switchable-battery service start from €82 including VAT.[32] Since 2010, a total of 727 Fluence Z.E.s have been registered in France through October 2014.[34]

Renault Fluence Z.E. sold through Better Place in Israel.

Orders for the Renault Fluence ZE began in July 2011 starting at NIS 123,000 (€24.580, US$35,114), a price slightly higher than gasoline-powered car of similar size. Better Place offered five service packages in Israel. The service plans were priced according to annual mileage and also include installation and maintenance of a home recharging station, free access to Better Place's battery replacement stations, battery availability, a computerized driver support system, navigation aids, and roadside service. The cheapest monthly package was NIS 1,090 (€218, US$311) for up to 20,000 km (12,000 mi) a year, and the more expensive was NIS 1,599 (€320 /US$456) for less than 30,000 km (19,000 mi) a year. These prices included VAT. There was also a special plan that includes the cost of the Fluence Z.E. and a 3-year unlimited-mileage package (up to 25,000 km (16,000 mi) a year) for a total of NIS 157,500 (€31,775, US$45,000).[35][36]

The first Fluence Z.E. production models were delivered in Israel in January 2012, and nearly 100 units allocated among the Better Place employees. Retail customer deliveries began in the second quarter of 2012.[37][38] As of December 2012, a total of 518 cars were sold in the country. Sales during the first months of 2013 improved with a total 422 units were sold, bringing the total to 940 units.[39][40] After Better Place filed for bankruptcy in May 2013, the court liquidator will have to decide what to do with customers who do not have ownership of the battery and risk being left with a useless car. Under Better Place's business model, the company owns the Fluence Z.E. batteries.[41] Shortly thereafter, Renault announced it will continue to provide service for the Fluence Z.E. in Israel.[29] The liquidator will also have to decide about the future of the swap stations.[29]

Renault Samsung SM3 Z.E.

The Fluence Z.E. is sold in South Korea as the SM3 Z.E. under the Renault Samsung Motors badge.[42] The SM3 Z.E. was unveiled at the 2011 Seoul Motor Show, and entered into series production at the Busan factory during October 2013. The company set a production target of about 4,000 units per year and it is partly financed by the South Korean Government.[2][43] In 2013, its second year in the market and the first of South Korean assembly, the SM3 Z.E. led electric vehicle sales in the country, capturing a 58% market share of the segment and 453 cars sold that year. The company attributed this to its AC-3 charger, its greater range compared to rivals and a better warranty for the battery.[44]

By the late 2010s the SM3 ZE's role in Korea's EV market diminished, as longer-range models such as Tesla Model 3, Chevrolet Bolt and SUVs from Hyundai-Kia began to dominate.[45] However, as of 2019, the SM3 was still available in Korean market with a 36 kWh battery. Renault Samsung's Electric Vehicle line-up is to undergo expansion in 2022, but it discontinued in 2020.

Renault Fluence Z.E was presumably planned to be also released in Turkey, its country of assembly, at the end of 2011. However, it is unclear whether any local sales have taken place before production there ceased at the end of 2013.

The Fluence Z.E. was released in the United Kingdom in the Spring of 2012 though was withdrawn from sale in 2014. The batteries required a mandatory lease which according to Renault, was the UK's most affordable electric car. By not having to purchase the battery - a value in excess of £7,000 - any issues with the battery over dead cells or depleted range issues are dealt with by an immediate exchange at no additional cost to the owner.[46]

Renault sold only 79 units before the model was discontinued.[47]