Renault Kangoo be bop ZE concept car unveiled
Renault has unveiled its Kangoo be bop ZE concept car, an all-electric zero emission vehicle in Paris. It is powered by a 60hp (44kw) electric motor which revs to 12,000rpm. The engine is supported by a 15kWh lithium-ion battery pack made by the Nissan-NEC joint venture AESC (Automotive Electric Supply Corporation). Compared to the internal combustion engine, its electric engine gives greater efficiency (90 per cent).
Renault Kangoo be bop ZE concept has range of about 100 km (62 miles). The production version will has more range at about 160 km (100 miles) as Renault claimed. The first pure electric production vehicles from the Renault-Nissan partnership will come to the US and Japan next year after Renault starting with a sedan in Israel and then a utility New Kangoo EV in Europe in 2011.
Renault Kangoo be bop ZE uses a platform of the current Kangoo be bop in the market. The Z.E. Concep made its debut at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. Renault has planned to bring the be bop Z.E. through Europe this July.
Press Release
Renault Kangoo be bop Z.E. is derived from the production version of Renault Kangoo be bop and is instantly recognisable by its ‘Energy Blue’ body color, while the Renault logos on the grille and wheels are picked out in satin-finish blue-hued chrome. Inside, the satin-finish chrome and metallic acid green trim ensure a unique ambience, further expressed by the specific gray velour upholstery and embroidered ‘printed circuit’ motifs.
Like the Z.E. Concept car which was unveiled at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, Renault Kangoo be bop Z.E. is equipped with low-energy LED (light-emitting diode) front and rear lighting to optimize energy use. Meanwhile, the car’s aerodynamics have been significantly reworked to reduce energy consumption. Renault Kangoo be bop Z.E. sits on 18-inch full disc wheels, and its ground clearance has been lowered by 20mm compared with that of the production Renault Kangoo be bop.
Linear displays on the outside of Renault Kangoo be bop Z.E.’s doors show how much charge is left in the battery by simply activating the remote central locking control. Inside, a gauge to the left of the instrument panel provides the driver with a permanent indication of how much battery charge remains.
An all-electric motor
Renault Kangoo be bop Z.E. is an all-electric zero emission vehicle. It is powered by a 60hp (44kw) electric motor which revs to 12,000rpm and boasts greater efficiency (90 per cent) than an internal combustion engine.
Renault Kangoo be bop Z.E.’s electric motor is coupled to a reducer which replaces the gearbox traditionally mated to internal combustion engines. This reducer has a single, constant output ratio. Electrical energy is transmitted to the motor by a power electronics unit which incorporates the controller that delivers the required amount of energy to the rotor.
Latest-generation lithium-ion batteries
Renault Kangoo be bop Z.E. is equipped with compact, innovative lithium-ion batteries produced by AESC (Automotive Electric Supply Corporation), a Nissan-NEC joint venture which was founded in April 2007. The performance of these batteries compared with former-generation nickel metal hydride batteries is superior in every domain, including performance, reliability, safety and efficiency. Lithium-ion batteries do not suffer from the so-called memory effect which results from incomplete charge cycles, ultimately leading to a fall in capacity. The AESC battery is expected to deliver between 80 and 100 per cent of its original capacity for six years.
The compact dimensions of lithium-ion batteries enable the vehicle’s configuration to be optimised and a wide range of applications to be envisaged. In the case of Renault Kangoo be bop Z.E., the battery is located underneath the dashboard. It consequently doesn’t encroach on either cabin space or boot capacity, making it possible to keep the same arrangement of four individual seats as that seen on the standard Renault Kangoo be bop.
The battery comprises 48 modules, each of which incorporates four elementary cells. It is inside these cells that the electro-chemical reactions take place, enabling electrical current to be produced or energy to be stored.
A year and a half ahead of the launch of Renault’s production electric vehicles, the 15kWh battery of the Renault Kangoo be bop Z.E. prototype delivers a range of approximately 100km.
