LAUNCH PAD 1 New Renault Kangoo & H2 power too!

Renault prepares for the future with new Electric & Hydrogen products and solutions

THIRD GENERATION RENAULT KANGOO LAUNCHED

Renault’s Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) arm has brought much sales success and profit to the French automotive brand, particularly over the past decade. A renewed product offensive began with the development of the Kangoo Z.E., the all electric small sized van that set the standard for zero emission vans and has continued to do so. Back then the Kangoo Z.E. was honoured as the first emission free LCV to win the coveted International Van of the Year Award for 2011. Further developments to the Kangoo range have now been revealed, as well as other enhanced offerings in the electro-mobility field that will include hydrogen technology in the broader Master Light Commercial range. New Trafic van and passenger carrier versions are also on the way.

Mark Sutcliffe, Senior Vice-President at the LCV Renault Business Unit recently presented the brand’s strategic extension and renewal of its LCV line-up “to answer to all professional needs”, he said.

Speaking on a media webinar broadcast to 50 countries, he stated that the Renault LCV vision has three pillars: extending the services and tailor-made solutions, processes and expanding on the company’s zero-emission offerings – battery electric and hydrogen. “Meeting trends and meeting expectations are among our goals,” he added.

After presenting the refreshed Master line-up in 2019, Renault is now introducing new versions of the Kangoo van, an all-new Express van, plus new Trafic Combi and SpaceClass people carriers as well as other interesting and innovative developments, according to Mark.

“An expert on LCV for more 120 years, Renault has always been a leader in innovation. We now offer an enlarged and renewed range with the All-New Kangoo Van, the All-New Express Van and the New Trafic. The innovation ‘Open Sesame by Renault’ on the All-New Kangoo Van is a world premiere in the LCV world. As the leader of electric LCV in Europe, we are also preparing the future with new electric and for hydrogen products and solutions,” he said. Alas, not all of these innovations and variants will be made available in right-hand-drive – notably the Express van or the Open Sesame pillar-less side door.

NEw KANgOO III

The successor to its best-selling Kangoo Z.E., the totally new and renamed Kangoo Van E-TECH Electric is expected by the end of 2021, equipped with a new 44 kWh battery offering 265 km of range.

More than 4 million Kangoo models have been sold in 50 countries around the world. It was first launched in 1997 and like others at the time was more car like based, using shared platforms and drivetrains, while moving away from the cab-over-engine type design format which was the norm in the segment prior to then. Also available as a 5-seat MPV (Multi-Purpose-Vehicle), this original generation continued to evolve with the addition of twin sliding doors, fourwheel-drive and economical 1.5-litre dCi diesel engines.

Kangoo’s main customer base was with postal services across the world and tradespeople who appreciated, amongst other things, the 2/3-1/3 rear doors and folding passenger seat with pivoting partition.

In using the larger platform from the Renault Scenic car, the second generation Kangoo, launched in 2008 was 15cm longer and more practical with new features such as a flat floor with a retractable front passenger seat, a rear roof flap and modular roof bars which made loading easier. In terms of safety, the Kangoo car scored the best score in its category with 4 Euro NCAP stars.

Kangoo II was refreshed in May 2013 and benefited from Renault’s R-Link connected multimedia system. Certain

versions availed of a 3-seat layout in the front section. A significant supply deal was signed in 2012 with the Daimler Group to manufacture the MercedesBenz Citan, derived from the Kangoo van, at Renault’s Maubeuge factory. Subsequently, Renault’s Alliance partner Nissan branded the Kangoo as its Kubistar and then as the NV250.

Originally produced in Malaysia, Morocco and Argentina (until 2018), the Maubeuge plant in northeast France will continue to manufacture the Kangoo alongside the Citan van replacement and the new Nissan NV250 (both due early 2022). 2011 saw the arrival of the Renault Kangoo Z.E. (Zero Emission) 100% electric van. With over 60,000 units sold, it remains the leader of the emission-free pack year-on-year. Today, the current model offers a range of 230km (WLTP) and has a load capacity of 650kg.

The third generation now arriving is a little wider and longer but has the same overall height. Internal combustion engines (both petrol and diesel) will again power the new Kangoo III with the 1.5-litre dCi delivering either 75, 95 or 115 hp with a 6-speed or 7-speed automated transmission. There may be additional take up on the revised 1.3-litre TCE petrol on offer with 100 and 130hp versions, due to their lower emissions. The rebranded E-Tech Electric gets more power and range distance in that the 34 kWh unit propels the van along for 265 kilometres (WLTP). Available in two lengths (standard and long), the All-New Kangoo Van E-TECH Electric is equipped with a 44 kWh lithium-ion battery offering a range of around 265km depending on the WLTP cycle, driving style, road incline, and outside temperature. The Kangoo E-Tech Electric can be charged in 2 hours (to 80%) from a public charging point (22 kW charger), in 4.5 hours from an 11kW terminal (three-phase 16A charger), in 7 hours from a wall box (7.4 kW single-phase charger) or in 19 hours, from a reinforced socket. Charging from a domestic socket will take approximately 26 hours. Plugging in to a 75kW rapid charger, the vehicle can to 80% charge in 42 minutes (that’s a range of 150 km in just 30 minutes).

The all-new Kangoo Van comes with a more modern, upgraded interior. The horizontal dashboard creates a sense of continuity through to the door panels. The fully redesigned seats are more hard-wearing than before. Comfort inside the cabin is heightened by additional sound proofing making for a quieter, less fatiguing driving experience. 60 litres of usable and readily accessible

storage compartments are to hand while wider side mirrors (+35 mm in length and +22 mm in width) improve rear view visibility by 35%. The All-New Kangoo Van standard model has LED side lights on the front and rear. Twelve new driver-assistance systems give peace of mind while driving and include active emergency braking, increased blind spot visibility and permanent rear view camera.

In the standard version, the new Kangoo Van offers an unprecedented load space of up to 3.9 m3. Its maximum payload of 600 – 800 kg (with the increased payload option) reaches nearly 1 tonne in the long models. Its towing capacity, at the highest level, has increased to 1,500 kg. Thanks to its additional width, euro pallets fit comfortably and just under the roof line, an inside rack facilitates the carrying of long items like pipes, ladders etc.

HyDROgEN POwER fOR MASTER

As well as being a pioneer of the electric utility vehicle since 2011, Renault has also championed hydrogen technology since 2014. Before the end of 2021, the company will present the Master Hydrogen. A joint venture with fuel cell and hydrogen specialists Plug Power, Renault is aiming for 30% of the European market for hydrogen light commercial vehicles by 2030, with charging solutions for electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle fleets, also in the pipeline.

LATEST TRAfIC ON wAy

In the medium van segment, the latest Trafic Combi and the New SpaceClass have now arrived in certain European markets. The panel van version will be launched by the end of 2021.

Mark explained that the traditional Renault DNA of Trafic has been reinforced with a more sophisticated design, additional safety and comfort levels. With the Combi and SpaceClass, transporting people is their business, catering for families, tourism, sportspeople, catering, airport shuttles and hospitality. Mark also highlighted that Renault is expanding its tailor-made solutions and services with its Renault Pro+ dealer network to meet the new usages of business professionals. “Renault Pro+ offers turnkey digital and connectivity solutions, with the support of a network of 626 Renault Pro+ businesses and through a network of 400 converters,” he concluded.

Text: Jarlath Sweeney – editor@fleet.ie