Category: Renault

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Victory for Renault ZOE on the 2014 ‘Rallye Monte-Carlo ZENN’ [VIDEO]

The prestigious Rallye Monte-Carlo ZENN saw Renault ZOE overcome horrendous weather conditions to celebrate its international competition debut with an emphatic outright win and victory on all four regularity tests.

  • 1st overall, Rallye Monte-Carlo ZENN,
  • 1st, regularity prize,
  • 1st, energy consumption prize,
  • 1st, autotest,
  • 1st, Teams' challenge.

    The Rallye Monte-Carlo ZENN (Zero Emission, No Noise) is the "greenest" segment of the Monte-Carlo New Energies Rally, the event is open only to electric vehicles. The fifth edition is holding from March 21 to 23, 2014 in Monaco and featured three special stages ranging from 46.51km to 88.08km in length. These stages were divided into a total of four regularity tests.

    The roads visited by the event included the breath-taking, twisty runs from La Turbie to Peille and from Sainte Agnès to La Turbie, high above the Mediterranean coast. Participants had to contend with a combination of torrential rain and fog on the busiest day (Saturday, March 22) which featured two special stages divided into three regularity tests. Action concluded with an autotest on the harbour-side in Monaco. 

    Almost two years after ZOE established a new 24-hour electric vehicle distance world record (1,618km) in June 2012, last weekend saw the all-electric hatchback's first attempt at the Rallye Monte-Carlo ZENN provide further eloquent evidence of its technical and dynamic qualities by securing every one of the five trophies that were up for grabs.

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    Renault Kwid Plug-In Hybrid Concept unveiled

    KWID CONCEPT, a concept car unveiled at the Delhi Auto Expo, highlights both Renault's commitment to new markets, such as India, as well as the company's ability to produce appealing products in the compact car segment. The vehicle's robust, yet fun design, along with its technology-driven features, is targeted at meeting the needs of young customers in these markets.

    A robust yet joyful vehicle

    The KWID CONCEPT was designed with inputs from Renault Design India and is covered by the 'Explore' petal of Renault's lifecycle-based design strategy. The vehicle's exciting proportions and dimensions as well as very short overhangs give the impression of a bouncing vehicle, while its oversized wheels protrude past the fenders and make the KWID CONCEPT look like a buggy car.

    The playfulness of the vehicle's exterior design is offset by a robust appearance due to its protective guards and chunky wings, which exude an impression of strength. The vehicle comes with a two-wheel drive transmission, but projects the facade of an off-road car.

    The interior of the KWID CONCEPT is designed to serve as a snug cocoon and is inspired by a bird's nest. The vehicle's seats, suspended over a solid base in white, give an impression of lightness, while their 2-tone elastomer material provides a sense of brightness. The KWID CONCEPT also features rear climate control with controls on the driver seat's back as well as ventilation through concentric perforations. The dashboard is an integrated tablet for commanding the navigation of the Flying Companion.

    A high-tech concept car

    Beyond the playful and imaginative styling of the KWID CONCEPT, the concept car also comes equipped with a host of technology-driven features, led by its Flying Companion. Aimed at offering a safe as well as fun driving experience, the Flying Companion is the first of its kind in the automotive world. Taking off from the rotating rear portion of the KWID CONCEPT's roof, the Flying Companion can be operated in one of two modes – the automatic mode using a pre-programmed flying sequence and GPS location as well as the manual mode, which enables the companion to be controlled using a tablet inside the vehicle. The Flying Companion can be used for a variety of purposes, including scouting traffic, taking landscape pictures and detecting obstacles on the road ahead.

    "Customers in new markets are much younger. Their expectations are different and customers are basically gamers. They tend to take a closer interest in technology and want to enjoy themselves. This concept car meets those needs in a variety of ways, but mainly thanks to the Flying Companion which makes driving both safe and fun. This is the very first time in the long automotive history we can dry on earth with an eye in the sky. It's an amazing feature!" Serge Mouangue, Brand Manager and Innovative Cooperative Laboratory Manager.

    The KWID CONCEPT is also Z.E. ready - being pre-disposed to receive batteries for electric use - and comes with a charging plug behind the Renault logo. It's powered by the latest-generation downsized 1.2-litre petrol turbocharged engine mated to dual-clutch transmission EDC to combine driving enjoyment with low fuel consumption. Other technology-rich features include electric operated front bench seat on a center rail, electric opening doors, LED lighting, lack of gearshift (command with touches next to the steering). The vertically-mounted TFT touchscreen display acts as the dashboard in the KWID CONCEPT and also provides access to connected services.

    Designed by an international team for international markets

    A multinational concept car, the KWID CONCEPT is the first of its kind in Renault to target new markets and Renault Designers around the world cooperated to conceive a vehicle made for local markets and designed to meet the latters' needs. The interior of the vehicle was designed by François Grenier (Technocentre Design, France) based on original drawings by Mishu Batra (Renault Design India) and the exterior by Anton Shamenkov (of Russian origins, Technocentre Design, France) based on original drawings by Jean Semeriva (Studio Design Brazil). The colors and materials of the vehicle were worked upon by Neha Lad (Indian trainee, Technocentre Design) and developed by Chie Yanagisawa (Japanese designer, Technocentre Design). Axel Breun (Technocentre Design) was the overall Project Manager.

    "Renault Design is a highly international team with studios in France, Romania, Brazil, Korea and India. This concept car is a reflection of the distinctly international flavour of our design network." Laurens van den Acker, Head of Industrial Design

    Reitarating commitment to India

    The first Renault concept car to be unveiled outside Europe, the KWID CONCEPT also emphasises India's significant place in Renault's global strategy as well as the company's ability to offer appealing products in the compact car segment.

    "This is the first time we have chosen to reveal a concept car outside Europe and this is an eloquent sign of our commitment to India. Young customers in India are often trend setters, looking forward to pushing the envelope when it comes to technology and enjoyable drives. The KWID CONCEPT, with its Flying Companion, meets this forward-looking spirit with both its dynamic styling and hyper connectivity." Gilles Normand, Chairman of Asia-Pacific Region, Renault S.A.S.

    The KWID CONCEPT is also tailored specifically to meet the needs of Indian drivers. The vehicle is a compact five-seater to enable family trips, a common occurrence in India. The multimedia dashboard, along with the Flying Companion, answers the young and modern Indian need to stay connected, with a strong attempt for technology. The vehicle's lightweight interior design is also adapted to warm weather conditions.

    The KWID CONCEPT 's two-tone body coloring consists of satin grey for the body and textured grey for functional parts as well as golden yellow for contrasting roof and air intake. The vehicle also sports yellow inserts on wheels, lower doors and perforated parts. While this colour scheme features the corporate colors of the Renault Group, the tones also evoke associations with India: the grey represents the soil, while the yellow and gold symbolise flowers and spices.

    Additionally, the KWID CONCEPT features an unusual seat arrangement, with three passengers up front and the driver seat in the middle, in a slightly forward position to offer shoulder room, as well as two seats at the back. The central driving position afforded by this arrangement meets international driving demands, enabling the car to driven in both right hand and left hand drive markets.

    "Renault has seen unparalleled growth in India in just under 3 years and the market is set to continue playing a significant role in the company's global strategy in the years to come." said Sumit Sawhney, Managing Director, Renault India Pvt. Ltd. "The reveal of the KWID CONCEPT in India – the first such unveil outside Europe, as well as its design keeping in mind the young customers in India illustrate our strong commitment to the country."

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    Renault Leads Electric Vehicle Market in Europe with 34,000 sales

    Renault leads the electric vehicle market in Europe where it has sold over 34,000 electric vehicles since its first model, Kangoo Van Z.E., went on sale in late 2011. In this developing European electric vehicle market, Renault has a market share of 47% so far this year.

    Renault ZOE, spearheads its Z.E. range of 100 per cent electric vehicles and is the world’s first affordable, purpose-built, all-electric supermini – perfect for households whether they’re commuting, doing supermarket and school runs, or even doing moderate distances.

    ZOE’s official NEDC range is 130 miles (208 km), the longest of any affordable EV on sale today, with a real-world range of around 90 miles in temperate conditions or 60 in the harshest conditions. It is priced from just £13,995 on-the-road after grant, plus battery hire from £70 per month.

    In addition to the Kangoo Van Z.E., Renault also offers Fluence Z.E. saloon; the two-seat commuter vehicle Twizy; and the ZOE supermini, launched earlier this year.

    Twizy is Renault’s best-selling model with over 11,400 units sold since it went on sale in early 2012, closely followed by 11,000 Kangoo Z.E.

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    Renault Samsung begins production of electric vehicles

    Renault Samsung Motors, the local unit of French automaker Renault SA, has begun producing its electric sedans on Monday, its chief executive said.

    The annual production capacity for its SM3 electric vehicle (EV) will reach up to 4,000 units starting next year at its assembly plant in Busan, said Francois Provost, the CEO of Samsung Renault Motors, at a ceremony in the southeastern port city.

    "We are on track with our strategy and plan to become the firm leading" the EV market in Korea, Provost said, noting that his company has supplied 307 units of its sub-midsized EV to the country's southern resort island of Jeju and separately secured contracts for 500 units.

    The SM3 EV can travel 135 kilometers on a single charge, according to the carmaker.

    Though the price for an SM3 EV is set at 45 million won (US$42,000), with government subsidies for electric car buyers, the price tag comes down to 22 million won, the company said.

    As part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the environment ministry and provincial authorities in Jeju have begun providing subsidies worth 15 million won and 8 million won, respectively, to zero-emission car buyers.

    The ceremony came two months after GM Korea Co., the local unit of U.S. General Motors Co., unveiled the electric version of the compact Chevrolet Spark.

    Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-largest carmaker, has also rolled out its electric car called the Ray and said it plans to introduce the electric version of its Soul box car in the first half of next year.

    As of June, a total of 1,146 electric cars were used in the country, mostly by government agencies and public corporations, according to the environment ministry.

    South Korea has installed 1,165 charging stations for electric vehicles across the country including 110 quick charge stations, the ministry said.

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    Spark-Renault SRT_01E Formula E race car to debut in Frankfurt

    Spark Racing Technology has announced plans to introduce their Spark-Renault SRT_01E Formula E race car at the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 10th.

    Set to become one the most prominent race cars in the series, the SRT_01E has a Dallara-designed monocoque chassis that is constructed out of carbon fiber and aluminum. The model also features aerodynamic styling and bespoke Michelin tires that are specifically designed to last the entire race.

    While the McLaren-sourced electric powertrain can produce up to 270 bhp (200 kW), it will be limited to 180 bhp (133 kW) during races. However, drivers can use a 'Push-to-Pass' system which temporary allows the car to harness its full potential. This should enable the model to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in approximately three seconds and hit an FIA-limited top speed of 225 km/h (140 mph).

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    Renault-Nissan Sells its 100,000th Plug-In Electric Car

    The Renault-Nissan Alliance has sold its 100,000th zero-emission car.

    Electric cars from Renault and Nissan have driven approximately 841 million zero-emission kilometers — enough to circle the earth more than 20,000 times. Together, they represent 53 million liters of oil saved and 124 million kg of CO2 that have not been emitted.

    “The age of the mainstream zero-emission vehicle is here,” said Renault-Nissan Alliance Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn. “We expect demand to keep growing as the charging infrastructure develops – and we remain 100% committed to zero-emission technology for the long term.”

    Renault-Nissan has sold more zero-emission cars than all other major automakers combined.

    The very first EV from the Alliance is a Nissan LEAF owned by engineer Olivier Chalouhi in California’s Silicon Valley. He bought the LEAF when it debuted in December 2010.

    The 100,000th customer was American graduate student Allison Howard, who became an owner of Nissan LEAF earlier this month and drives the car to Kennesaw State University in Atlanta, Georgia.

    “It just drives perfectly. It’s so cool. I love it!” said Howard.

    “The fact that it’s all electric and I don’t have to spend money on gas as a college student, that’s great,” she added.

    Nissan LEAF best-selling EV ever

    More than 71,000 people worldwide have bought Nissan LEAF, the world’s best-selling electric vehicle. LEAF makes up more than half of all global sales of pure electric cars.

    Nissan LEAF won the 2011 World Car of the Year, European Car of the Year 2011 and Car of the Year Japan 2011-2012 awards.

    More than 80% of LEAF buyers globally exchange cars from other automakers, making the LEAF one of the industry’s most innovative “conquest vehicles.” The majority of customers say the LEAF, which consumes no petroleum whatsoever, has replaced their conventional car for daily use.

    The top markets for Nissan LEAF are the United States with about 30,000 units, Japan with 28,000 units and Europe with 12,000 units.

    In the United States, the LEAF is among the top 10 vehicles sold in San Francisco, Seattle and Honolulu.

    In Norway, the LEAF is one of the top 10 vehicles sold. The car is Nissan’s best-selling model in Norway, where more than 4,600 people have bought LEAFs since 2011. EVs in Norway are exempt from value added tax (VAT) and road tolls, and they have access to bus lanes and free parking.

    Renault – Europe’s leader with full range of electric vehicles

    Renault has sold about 30,000 electric vehicles since its first model, Kangoo Z.E., went on sale in late 2011. Kangoo Z.E. was voted International Van of the Year 2012.

    Renault leads the electric vehicle market in Europe with a 61% share, including Twizy. Renault’s top markets in Europe are France, Germany and Italy.

    In addition to the Kangoo Z.E., Renault also offers Fluence Z.E. sedan; the two-seat commuter vehicle Twizy; and the subcompact ZOE, launched earlier this year.

    Twizy is Renault’s best-selling model with about 11,000 units sold since it went on sale in early 2012.

    Renault ZOE has a range of 210 km (NEDC). The car retails from 13,700 euros in France after the government’s 7,000-euro incentive, excluding the battery. Renault began selling the ZOE in March throughout Europe and has sold about 5,000 units.

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    Renault report compares life cycle footprint of EV versus ICE cars

    Renault has recently made public the findings of an internal study to measure the life cycle impacts of its Fluence ZE electric car compared with equivalent conventional models. Renault found that the electric car had a much bigger impact on emissions during its production phase than the petrol or diesel versions but that the initial deficit was more than overturned over a typical 10-year, 93,000-mile lifetime even using electricity at the current grid configuration. The public release of the report is timely, coming as it does shortly before tomorrow's (July 11) LowCVP 'Beyond the Tailpipe' Conference in London.

    Aware that the company would appear to have a commercial interest in finding emissions benefits from EVs it asked for the results and conclusions to be vetted by independent experts in life cycle analysis, and revised its report accordingly through several cycles of correction. It has also recently published the “Critical Review” alongside its own findings.

    It may be no shock that Renault’s report gives its own EV a good report but the independent reviewers report suggests that the improvement over diesel and petrol equivalents could even be bigger than Renault suggests. The review cites heavy metal and hydrocarbon pollution from liquid-fuelled cars as areas where Renault might have delved deeper, and notes that ordinary cars create more brake dust, for example, than EVs with regenerative brakes – a factor not considered in the study.

    Renault’s 120-page report assesses the impacts of long chains of industrial processes and real-world car usage against a set of six core criteria: global warming potential, depletion of resources, sources of energy, photochemical ozone production, acidification and eutrophication, the final category referring to the output of chemicals likely to harm aquatic ecosystems.

    Source: Renault

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    Renault-Nissan CEO sees 100,000 electric vehicles sold end-June

    French carmaker Renault and its Japanese partner Nissan will have sold a total of 100,000 electric vehicles so far by the end of June, Carlos Ghosn, chief executive of both companies, said on Saturday.

    But Ghosn, speaking at a conference in the southern French city of Aix-en-Provence, also said he did not expect any strong recovery in the troubled European auto sector in the medium term.

    "I am preparing Renault to several years of market stability, at best," he said.

    Squeezed household budgets and rising unemployment have discouraged consumers in France and other European countries from purchases of big-ticket items, and the car market is nearing a two-decade low after five years of contraction.

    Ghosn, who has ploughed a bigger share of his companies' cash into electric car technology than any other mass-market carmaker, said the alliance's investment in hybrid and electric vehicles "is not a bet, it is a certainty."

    Renault launched electric car Zoe earlier this year in France, where it has sold more than 3,000 units so far, and began marketing it in other European markets on June 6.

    "The Zoe is selling well. Obviously we are always impatient to see higher volumes but we have already sold more than 6,000 units in Europe," Ghosn told reporters on the sidelines of the conference.

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    Nissan developing an improved version of the Renault Twizy

    Nissan is working on an innovative urban electric vehicle that it says improves on the Twizy produced by alliance partner Renault.

    Etienne Henry, Nissan's head of product strategy and planning said the new car will combine the compactness and agility of a motorcycle with the weather protection and protective shell of a conventional car.

    "The Twizy is also trying to combine these, but we think there are optimizations possible with this kind of vehicle," said Henry, who declined to say when the car might be added to Nissan's lineup.

    Renault sees the Twizy as an alternative to scooters in Europe's crowded cities. The Twizy, which debuted last year, is powered by a choice of two electric motors, a 4kW/5-hp version with its top speed capped at 45kph that can be driven in most countries in Europe without a driver's license and a version with a top speed of 80kph. It has maximum driving range of 100 km.

    In 2008, Nissan showed the narrow, two-seat Land Glider concept that leaned into corners like a motorcycle but still came with the security of four wheels and an enclosed cabin. In a statement at the time, Nissan said it "should not be regarded as a mere design study."

    "That was a very interesting concept with very challenging and meaningful technology," said Henry, who declined to say whether any of the Land Glider's features would make it into its future EV.

    Henry, who previously was product manager for the first-generation Qashqai compact crossover, said the new EV would successfully mix the motorcycle and car genres in the same way the Qashqai blended the strengths of a compact hatchback with the styling of an SUV.

    One aim of the new EV is to help address congestion in fast-growing cities. "It's clear we need to offer an efficiency in terms of compactness, of space usage. Probably this will have an answer to this question," he said.

    At this year's Geneva auto show, Toyota showed an electric urban mobility concept with the same capability to lean into corners as the Nissan Land Glider. The three-wheel i-Road is scheduled for limited production and will join the lineup of EVs in Toyota's car-sharing program in the French city of Grenoble next year.

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    Renault unveils 2014 Hybrid V6 Turbo Formula 1 engine

    Renault Sport boss Jean-Michel Jalinier says one of the biggest challenges facing F1 engine suppliers next season is better fuel economy while maintaining power output. Renault's 2014 V6...

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