Renault’s “mild hybrid” technologies
Even though hybrid technology is something usually relegated to Japanese car-makers, the rest of the world is steadily dipping their toes into it, as we’ve talked about it on this blog in the past.
Today we’re going to talk about a typically European car-maker, Renault, and its plan to develop several ‘mild hybrid’ technologies for their cars.
Considering we mentioned Japanese car makers earlier it should be noted that Renault is partnered up with Nissan, but they’ll leave the full-hybrid vehicles to the Japan-based manufacturer, instead focusing on enhancing the fuel efficiency of their future vehicles with these ‘mild hybrid’ technologies.
Specifics have not yet been reveled about these plans, however it has been reported that their new drivertrain technology will include a small battery, an electric motor and a reverse alternator, all of which will store energy through regenerative braking.
Renault plans to use their hybrid technologies with both petrol and diesel engines and will start being rolled out into the company’s small and medium cars starting with 2017, so there a few years left to test their designs and fuel efficiency results.
Many global brands are embracing full hybrids as sort of an intermediary stage between the traditional internal combustion engine and full electric vehicles, but the French manufacturer’s strategy takes on a different approach.
The company already has an electric vehicle line-up made up by the Fluence ZE, the Kangoo ZE van and the Twizy; the line-up will be expanded in the following months with the addition of the Zoe hatchback.
The Fluence ZE will be Renault’s first EV to be sold in Australia, the medium sedan featuring a 185km full charge.
