Renault's electric car future - driven - Verdict

The fact that Renault is allowing us to drive these concept cars so far ahead of the arrival of anything sale-worthy shows how confident it is in the future of electric cars. Reports such as the one from the green think-tank can only increase the number of people willing to make the switch.

This early drive of three cars well short of being anywhere near the finished article can't dispel buyers' concerns about real-world range and reliability, but it does show that proper electric cars aren't too far away and that we'll still be able to enjoy driving. Spend 10 seconds in the Twizy and you'll be laughing like a fool.

Now it's up to governments and local authorities to offer incentives to entice people to buy such cars – and to force an infrastructure to be established to support them.

'It is like a chicken and egg scenario,' said Stephane Janin, formerly head of Renault's concept and show cars. 'Do we wait for the infrastructure before building the cars, or do we build the cars to encourage the infrastructure? We have decided to build cars now.'

Electric Renaults driven
Electric Renaults on video