PARIS -- Renault will not ship its Zoe electric car to dealerships until 2013 due to a software glitch, the company said.
The subcompact is a key part of the automaker's EV strategy. It was originally scheduled to arrive in showrooms in Europe by the end of the year.
Due to problems with the Zoe's R-Link infotainment system, deliveries to dealerships will begin in 2013 and not in 2012, a Renault spokesperson told Automotive News Europe.
Customers will be able to order the Zoe at the end of September when the car is showcased at the Paris auto show, Renault said.
The Zoe will use the R-Link system to provide information about the car's battery usage and other data in real time. There are software glitches that are specific to the Zoe and do not affect R-Link's rollout on non-electric models, the spokesperson said.
The R-Link system is ready to be offered on the new Clio subcompact, which goes on sale at the end of September.
Mainstream EV
The Zoe is an important part in the Renault-Nissan alliance's 4-billion-euro investment in EVs. With an annual production capacity of 150,000 Zoes, Renault is counting on the subcompact to make EVs more mainstream.
Renault already sells battery-powered versions of the Fluence mid-sized sedan, Kangoo van and Twizy two-seater.
Renault and Nissan expect 10 percent of cars sold globally by 2020 will be electric and the alliance aims to win 20 percent of those EV sales.
