Renault has announced that it will no longer force customers of the Zoe electric car to take out a battery lease.

Renault Zoe will now be made available with a battery purchase option in France for the first time, from April

Since its launch in 2012, Renault has offered the Zoe with a compulsory battery lease managed by RCI, Renault’s finance division, in most countries. However, the company introduced a battery purchase on Zoe in the UK, with the Zoe i range in late 2015. This was not the case in other countries where battery lease continued to be the only option.

Following the model established in the UK, Renault plans to extend battery ownership to other European countries, starting with France from April. Pricing will increase by €8,900 over the battery lease model.

Prices will therefore start at €32,600 with battery, compared to €23,700 with battery rental.