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The electric Renault Fluence ZE is now available to pre-order. It will be arriving on UK shores in 2011, for around £20-25k and Renault has launched a website (www.renault-ze.com) where customers can reserve its electric vehicles.

Based on the Renault Megane saloon, the non-electric Fluence is already on sale in Europe. The ZE saloon is longer than Renault's non-electric version, giving it enough room to accommodate batteries behind the rear seats.

Renault claims the Fluence's size will prove that electric cars don't have to be small and impractical. It's powered entirely by an electric motor producing 94bhp and 167lb/ft of pulling power, taking its current from a 250kg lithium-ion battery pack. Expect a range of around 99 miles.

The battery has a life of between 7-8 years and can be taken out of the car and replaced at a battery exchange station in just three minutes.

Because the battery can be changed so quickly, Renault is considering setting up a network of these stations so drivers can change their empty battery for a fully charged one, instead of plugging into a power supply.

If drivers do charge from a mains supply it's likely to take between six and eight hours, with fast-charging high voltage stations able to do the same job in less than an hour.

Blue highlights around the boot panel, badge, front lights and fog lights mark the model out as a Zero Emission car in Renaults new design language.

And, important aerodynamic features including the specially-designed wheels and rear bumper air diffuser, will help boost its economy and efficiency.

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