Daily Archives: April 5, 2019
New Renault EV Car To Compete With Nissan Leaf
French brand Renault is about to introduce two new electric vehicles (EVs) by 2022, one of which will be a larger family-sized model that will take on the Nissan Leaf. The other one will be a smaller city car. This expansion into electric vehicles production will help the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance reach its target of selling two million cars a year by 2025.
Renault currently has four EVs in its lineup, though it plans to ramp up the production as it aims to manufacture eight new ones by 2022. Eric Feunteun, the brand’s global electric vehicle program director told Auto Express, that the company will continue to focus on the B-segment, which is “our strongest segment and it is the heart of the European market.”
The plan then is to produce smaller city cars after the B-segment and then slowly go up into the C-segment to increase their coverage. But Feunteun is adamant that the timing is critical because of the price of batteries in today’s market, especially since Renault’s goal is to offer affordable technology. The ZOE, he said, is the most affordable electric car currently on the market.
“Price is the number one deciding factor,” Feunteun added, which is why the rival for Nissan Leaf shouldn’t be expected until 2022 when the prices of batteries are expected to be at the level that Renault is hoping.
The model will likely to be based on the Renault Symbioz concept, which announced the French brand’s vision of electric and autonomous vehicle technology.
This future family-sized model will have the concept’s aggressive features such as the exaggerated daytime running lights at the front and rear ends. It will use the all-new dedicated EV platform, which is also available to all of the Alliance’s partners, that can provide more space for the passengers. The model will possibly ride higher, too, because of the larger battery size to power it up for more than 250 miles.
Source: Auto Express
3 Things We Can Expect From The 2019 Jeep Renegade Hybrid
The Jeep Renegade Hybrid is the electrified version of the brand’s smallest SUV, the Renegade. Together with the Compass Hybrid, the Renegade Hybrid stands as the company’s first hybrid vehicle. It is identical to the regular Renegade except that it now comes with an electric motor to boost its gasoline four-cylinder engine.
The Renegade Hybrid may be coming after the heels of the Kia Niro and the Toyota C-HR, but it brings with its power, torque, and off-road capability.
Exterior
The Renegade Hybrid is identical to the regular crossover. There are a couple of revisions that will make this a standout on the road but these revisions are limited to the small “e” badge on the tailgate and the plug-in socket on the left rear fender. The hybrid model has the same boxier front bumper, Wrangler-like LED headlamps, and reshaped rear bumper. There are seven different wheel options for the Renegade Hybrid, ranging from 16 inches to 19 inches.
Interior
Just like the exterior, the cabin of the Renegade Hybrid is similar to the regular model. There are some adjustments only to accommodate the new hybrid system that the crossover has under the hood. Jeep had to revise the digital instrument cluster so it displays data about the hybrid drivetrain. Through the display, you’ll be able to see the battery status and charge, total hybrid range, whether the vehicle is in hybrid or electric mode, and when it’s plugged in and charging.
There are new items on the center stack, too, such as the three buttons that allow you to pick a hybrid or electric mode, activate the e-Save feature for regenerative breaking, and activate battery recharging.
Drivetrain
Jeep’s hybrid drivetrain can make up to 240 horsepower. The hybrid system pairs the regular model’s 1.3-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine to an electric motor to produce power somewhere between the vicinity of 190 and 240 horsepower. The regular Renegade only makes 177 horsepower. The Renegade Hybrid produces less CO2 emission. While the regular Renegade is rated at 144 grams per kilometer, the electric motor downs that figure to only 50 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer.
