Normally, a car like the Renault Zoe doesn’t generate the same type of excitement in auto shows compared to those limited edition supercars that pop up every so often. But, when it's said that the Renault Zoe promises something that no other car of its kind can do, that’s when it becomes a lot more interesting. Such is the case at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, where Renault unveiled the Z.E. 40 battery-powered Zoe EV that packs a record NED cycle-certified 250-mile range, or the equivalent of 186 miles in real-world traffic conditions.

The range figure may not be as high as the 315-mile range of the Tesla Model S P100D or the 238-mile range of the Bolt, but it completely laps the field against its more direct competitors, including the Fiat 500e (87 miles), Kia Soul EV (93 miles), and Volkswagen e-Golf (83 miles). That’s an impressive feat brought about by the automaker’s groundbreaking Z.E. 40 battery’s high-energy density lithium-ion technology that Renault developed in collaboration with LG Chem.

Together, the two companies were able to devise a method that resulted in the increase of energy density in the battery cells, all while retaining the battery’s physical characteristics, and improving its overall safety and reliability. The result is a battery that has 41kWh of usable energy, close to double the capacity of the battery being used by the current model. It also allows for quick recharging. In fact, with a 30-minute charge, the battery can recoup an extra 50 miles of range, which if you do the math, already accounts for 60 percent of the Soul EV and e-Golf’s overall battery range.

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More range means longer travels

The Renault Zoe is regarded as the best-selling electric car in Europe and when something as popular as the Zoe gets a new battery that promises as much as 80 more miles of range compared to the current model, I’d venture a guess that the new car is going to be more popular than its predecessor.

The new Z.E. 40 battery is also a call to other automakers to step up their game if they want to slice a piece or two away from the Zoe’s market share. It’s going to be an uphill battle getting to that spot considering what the Zoe has to offer, but I’m confident that at some point, rival models will become more competitive, simply because they have no other choice but to get up to the Zoe’s level.

At the very least, the new Zoe and its new battery helps drivers overcome the ever-present concern of running out of juice. With a 186-mile range, prospective owners of the new Zoe can rest easy knowing that they can go further in their travels without being anxious about how much of the battery’s power they’re consuming. It’s a good day to be Renault today, as it has elevated a model that’s already considered the most popular in its segment. Now let’s see what the rest of the market does to catch up to the Zoe.