4Focus 4FOCUS: ROB MARSHALL LOOKS AT THE LATEST NEW CAR TECH INNOVATIONS
RENAULT ZOE E-TECH – BATTERY CERTIFICATE Should you believe the headlines, buyers are clamouring to go electric. Impressively large percentage sales figures tend to be quoted, followed by a statement from a manufacturer/ politician extolling how the Green Revolution will reclaim our green and present land. However, in the less glamourous used car scene, things are not as rosy for electric. While the demand for used electric cars is rising, Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) prices have yet to find their place. While the market overall is very buoyant, BEVs are losing their value faster than more established technologies including diesel. One reason for this is concern about battery deterioration, because it is so closely related to vehicle worth. While certain aftermarket developers have established means of checking a battery's State of Health (SOH) via a mobile 'phone app, with Leaf Spy being a typical example for interested Nissan owners, it is interesting that a car manufacturer has recognised the problem. By reassuring buyers of a battery's remaining capacity, Renault hopes to instil more confidence and accelerate sales of used BEVs, while (possibly paradoxically) enhancing residual values and asking prices. By working with Mobilize, Renault is introducing a 'Battery Certificate' application that calculates
and displays the remaining battery capacity. The algorithm relies on data from the vehicle's Battery Management System or, should that be impossible, it assesses the charging and discharging performance. Renault says that these conditions provide an accurate snapshot of the battery’s SOH and the app displays the battery’s current capacity as a percentage of its original capacity. As an example, should the SOH of a 40kWh battery be 94%, the residual capacity is 37.6kWh. The application is available via the 'MY Renault' portal for private customers and 'EASY CONNECT' for fleet drivers. The certificate is available for the Renault Zoe, Kangoo and Twingo E-Tech models. The Battery Certificate is likely to be developed for future Renault BEV and plug-in models, as well as Dacia's forthcoming EV range, should the company consider it worthwhile to export right-hand-drive versions to the UK.
BENTLEY BENTAYGA – WORLD’S LARGEST CARBON ROAD WHEEL Colin Chapman's motto of 'Simplify and add lightness' remains highly relevant today, especially as manufacturers strive to enhance driving range. While the Bentayga is hardly the first car that the slogan evokes, Bentley realises that reducing weight has positive benefits beyond the sober topics of fuel economy and CO2 emissions.
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The new 22-inch carbon-fibre wheel rim has taken years of development between Bentley and Bucci Composites and is the largest wheel of its type available. It is not all about size, however, because each rim is 6kgs lighter than the equivalent aluminium fitment, fitted to other common-or-garden Bentayas. Yet, even this ostentatious SUV cannot overcome basic physics – even it benefits from resultant reductions in unsprung weight that sharpens acceleration, braking and handling. The manufacturer also highlights that the flex within forged aluminium rims can cause deviations in up to one degree of camber, which reduces tyre grip. The stiffer carbon fibre wheels, therefore, permit a more consistent contact patch between the tyre and road.
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Additionally, Bentley is especially proud that this is the first carbon wheel to pass all of the TÜV's rigorous durability and safety trials. These include biaxial, radial and lateral impact stress testing that simulate potholes and cobblestones. Such assessments prove the carbon fibre wheel's safety credentials. Where an aluminium-alloy wheel would either crack, or even shatter, in a severe impact, the carbon fibre's interlayered fibre weaves pull apart gradually, permitting controlled air loss, instead of a sudden tyre deflation. Marketed under the Mulliner accessory brand, the new wheels will be available later this year to complement a range of existing carbon fibre extras for the Bentayga, including sill extensions, front splitter and rear defuser.
