The Renault Zoe Z.E. is scheduled for production in 2012, but the “spa” concept car has a curious partner: L’Oreal’s Biotherm skin care department. The Zoe Z.E. is “aimed at people making daily local trips and looking for a car that brings them health and wellbeing,” according to a Renault press release.
The all-electric, zero-emissions car has a roof with an intelligent membrane to insulate against heat and cold (both of which can wreak havoc on a person’s complexion) and photovoltaic cells to capture the sun’s energy (so drivers can glow with eco-self-satisfaction). And, in case you think I’m making fun, here’s another line from the press release: “ZOE Z.E. boasts the finest in air filtration and purification technology to fully protect the health of passengers and keep their skin young-looking.”
The ZOE Z.E. does have some practical tech bits. Standard recharging takes 4 to 8 hours, depending on the voltage at the socket. It’s capable of fast charging in 20 minutes at special charging stations, and it uses a “Quickdrop” system for swapping out battery packs at exchange stations.
Though motor vehicles had been around for some 20 years, the White House didn’t make the switch from horse-drawn carriages to horseless carriages until William Taft took office in 1909. According to the 
