In a world first, Renault is to make its Renault Kangoo be bop Z.E. prototype electric vehicle available for test drives.
The Renault Kangoo be bop Z.E. prototype is powered by a 44kW (60hp) electric motor and is equipped with a 15kWh battery. With just 18 months remaining before the release of Renault’s forthcoming production electric vehicles, Kangoo be bop Z.E. provides a range of approximately 100km. By the time of their launch, Renault’s electric vehicles will have benefited from an evolution to their battery technology which will take their real-world range to 160km.
For many motorists, driving an electric vehicle will be a new experience. The absence of noise from the motor, the immediate availability of peak torque and the linear acceleration curve mean that drivers will need to develop new habits. This has led Renault to give motorists an opportunity to the sample Kangoo be bop Z.E. which previews the brand’s forthcoming technology.
The Renault-Nissan Alliance intends to mass market zero-emission vehicles.
This commitment is founded on the underlying principle that electric vehicles – unlike all other technologies (internal combustion engines, hybrids) – are zero-emission vehicles during their use on the road. Depending on how the electricity they use is produced in the different countries where they are driven, their well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions (equivalent carbon dioxide) can vary significantly. That said, electric vehicles generally tend to emit less greenhouse gases than equivalent internal combustion-engined vehicles.
Like the Z.E. Concept, which was unveiled at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, Kangoo be bop Z.E. is equipped with low-energy LED (light-emitting diodes) front and rear lighting with a view to optimising energy use. Again in a bid to reduce energy consumption, its aerodynamics have also been significantly reworked. Kangoo be bop Z.E. sits on full disc wheels, and its ground clearance has been lowered by 20mm compared with that of the production Kangoo be bop.
An illuminated gauge on Kangoo be bop Z.E.’s body sides displays how much charge is left in the battery by simply activating the remote central locking control. Inside, another gauge to the left of the instrument panel provides the driver with a permanent indication of how much battery charge remains.
Kangoo be bop Z.E. is derived from the production Kangoo be bop but is instantly recognisable by its Energy Blue body colour, while the Renault logos on the grille and wheels are picked out in satin-finish blue-hued chrome. Inside, satin-finish chrome and metallic fluorescent green details provide a unique ambience which is enhanced by the specific grey velour upholstery and embroidered ‘printed circuit’ motifs.
Renault Kangoo be bop Z.E. is an all-electric zero emission (in road use) vehicle. It generates no emissions of CO2, smoke or particulates.
Electrical energy is transmitted to the motor via a power electronics unit which incorporates a controller. This transforms the 400V direct current into three-phase alternating current to power the motor’s rotor and stator. It also regulates the power and torque of the electric motor.
Situated near the controller, the converter converts the 400V DC stored in the traction battery into 12V DC to feed Renault Kangoo be bop Z.E.’s conventional onboard electrics and auxiliary functions (interior and exterior lighting, audio system, electric windows, etc.).
The junction box distributes the power current to the motor functions (battery, climate control and heating systems). This junction box also includes the charger which converts the 220V AC into 400V DC for battery charging purposes.
The battery comprises 48 power modules, each of which incorporates four elementary cells. It is inside these cells that the electrochemical reactions take place, enabling electrical current to be produced or energy to be stored. Each module is of the size of a laptop computer. They are positioned in two rows, side by side. The four cells of each module store 8.4V, making a combined total of 400V for the 48 modules which make up the battery.
The battery of this prototype has a capacity of 15kWh. Kangoo be bop Z.E. ensures a range of approximately 100km. In 18 month's time, however, production Renault electric vehicles will benefit from an evolution to their battery technology which will deliver a real-world range of 160km.
Last but not least, lithium-ion batteries are recyclable and the Renault-Nissan Alliance is actively working on establishing recycling processes and infrastructures suited to automotive batteries. It is important to remember that lithium-ion batteries – which are made up of non-toxic materials (lithium, manganese oxide or iron phosphate, and graphite) – do not present any danger for the environment, unlike former nickel-cadmium batteries. To put the demand for lithium supplies into perspective, the Alliance’s 250kg AESC batteries contain just 3kg of lithium. According to the mining companies Chemetall and SQM, lithium reserves are currently estimated to be between 14 and 17 million tonnes.
The incorporation of a 250kg battery in the vehicle has naturally not been without effect and has called for specific bracing of the body structure in order to protect against impact. Given that the battery is as sensitive a component as a conventional fuel tank, it, too, has undergone bespoke strengthening with a view to ensuring that its modules are effectively protected. The layout of the electrical wiring has also been optimised with a view to preventing chafing, while the power supply is immediately switched off in the case of a big impact.
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