Category: Electric Vehicles

Renault has teamed up with French renewable energy company Engie to create a geothermal plant at its Douai factory in France. The current contract is for 15 years and will provide both heat and electricity to the plant. Drilling at the site is expected to start by late 2023.

Geothermal energy comes from the heat inside the earth. The ability to extract this kind of energy cost effectively depends on several factors such as geological formations and rock composition. Hot springs are the simplest forms of such energy and have been used for thousands of years to heat homes and water pools.

In the case of the Douai plant, extracting this resource is more difficult. They have to drill down to a depth of 4000 metres and extract geothermal fluids – hot water.

This hot water is expected to be between 130 and 140 degrees Celsius and will be used for industrial heating in the winter and to generate electricity in the summer.

This plant will create around 40MW of capacity, and although it does not sound like much, it is significant because it will run clean energy at minimal cost day in, and day out. And it is but one of Renault’s initiatives toward reaching carbon neutrality in Europe by 2040 and globally by 2050.

Geothermal Lithium Batteries

Another such project is Renault’s agreement with Australian-German geothermal lithium developer Vulcan Energy Resources. This agreement is for an initial period of five years, with commercial delivery set for 2026.

It forms part of Renault’s ambition to sell cars in Europe that were made in Europe and follows the launch of the Renault ElectriCity, the most competitive and efficient factory for producing electric vehicles in Europe.

In terms of the agreement, Renault will purchase between 6000 and 17000 metric tonnes of battery-grade lithium chemicals from Vulcan per year. The advantage of these chemicals is that they will be produced using carbon-free geothermal power, using renewables to make renewables.

Renault Group continues to accelerate its EV strategy to reach the greenest mix in the European market in 2025, with over 65% of electric and electrified vehicles in the sales mix, and up to 90% battery electric vehicles mix in 2030. Thanks to the deal with Vulcan, which will combine geothermal energy and lithium resource to reduce lithium’s high carbon and water footprint on production, Renault Group will save between 300 to 700 kg of CO2 for a 50-kWh battery.

The post Renault Tapping The Heat Of The Earth To Save On Carbon appeared first on Renault Blog at Group1.

In the next step towards making electrical vehicle use more convenient for everyday users, Renault has revealed its new electric-hydrogen hybrid concept car. Once completed, this beauty will have a range of a whopping 800 km!

If everything goes to plan, the next-gen SUV will be partially powered by a 2.5 kg tank located on the front of the vehicle, and make use of a rather intricate propulsion system featuring a hydrogen engine, fuel cell, hydrogen tank, electric motor, and battery.

Here are a few interesting facts about this vehicle that will only be launched in its fully-fledged entirety beyond 2030:

The E-Hydrogen Tech is Still Being Perfected

The 40-kilowatt-hour battery will be produced by a French facility by 2024 and will be recyclable. On the other hand, the electric-hydrogen powertrain component is still being developed and will likely only be fully operational later in the decade.

Future Hydrogen Station Networks Will Be Instrumental

In order for the Renault SUV to reach its 800km-per-trip potential global hydrogen station networks will need to grow large enough to support this type of vehicle between electric charges. The hope is that by 2030 this will indeed be the case in most countries around the globe as nations seek to embrace energy technologies beyond oil and fossil fuels.

Hydrogen Can Be Produced in a Sustainable Way

Currently, most hydrogen generation processes require the use of fossil fuels, which defeats the purpose somewhat. However, hydrogen can also be produced by means of electrolysis, whereby an electric current splits water into oxygen and hydrogen. This can be done in a sustainable way if the electricity used comes from a renewable source like wind- or solar power.

We look forward to sharing more information about these exciting developments as it becomes available. Renault keeps innovating on a daily basis, and drivers around the world stand to benefit from these amazing leaps in greener auto design.

Check back soon for more insider insights on Renault models that are in the pipeline, as well as those that are currently available in South Africa. In the meantime, feel free to get in touch with our teams in Stellenbosch and Johannesburg to learn more about the exciting vehicles on our showroom floors, and how we can help you to make it super simple to arrange a test drive (we’ll even come to you!).

The post Prototype Electric-Hydrogen Renault SUV Promises 800km Driving Range & More appeared first on Renault Blog at Group1.

The world is changing and so is the way we get around in it. Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular as people look for more sustainable and environmentally friendly transport options. Renault has been a pioneer in the electric vehicle market and continues to lead the way with its innovative E-Tech technology.

With a large network, more than 10 years of experience selling and maintaining electric vehicles and 1,000 E-Tech expert centres with highly experienced, qualified and expertly trained staff, Renault customers are in exceptional hands. Since the share of electric vehicles has grown steadily since 2019, Renault had to be at the top of its game and they’ve certainly delivered.

Meeting The Increased Demand For Electric Vehicles

We can all agree that the electric vehicle market has grown significantly and Renault’s electric vehicle sales prove that. In 2021, 9.8 % of new passenger car registrations in France were electric vehicles which is up from 6.7 % in 2020 and 1.9 % in 2019.

Being a pioneer in electric vehicles, Renault has sold 213,869 electric vehicles in France since 2011. This includes 156,743 Renault ZOE cars and 33,687 Kangoo E-Tech vehicles. Already in the first quarter of 2022, Renault electric passenger car registrations increased by 16% in France compared to 2021. During this period, the ZOE and Twingo E-Tech electric vehicles accounted for 13% of Renault passenger car sales.

The Renault network is also leading in the number of sales of used electric vehicles in France. Selling 11,000 ZOE EVs in 2021, the Renault Used Vehicle Network saw a 60% increase in sales of used electric vehicles compared to 2020. The company has stated that the switch to electric vehicles will increase with the arrival of the electric Renault Megane E-Tech which comes at a time when higher fuel prices are making the cost of using EVs even more feasible and attractive.

Renault’s E-Tech Expert Centres Give Them The Edge

For more than a decade, Renault has been helping customers switch to electric vehicles. They have the largest network of experts in France to assist customers in terms of selling, maintaining and repairing electric vehicles. Aside from making the switch to EVs easier, they also wanted an expert centre no more than a 20-minute drive for any Renault customer.

Today, there are more than 450 dealerships and nearly 600 Renault agents which means electric vehicle owners are guaranteed to find a Renault E-Tech expert anywhere in France. Each centre will have highly trained, qualified and well-equipped personnel to assist with just about anything service-related. To fulfil its purpose, the E-Tech expert centre will have the following:

• special E-Tech electric vehicle corner in the showroom
• technical coordinators and electromechanical engineers who specialise in electric vehicles
• bodywork specialists who are qualified and trained to perform the necessary work on electric vehicles
• relevant workshop equipment and specialist tools for EVs
• charging points for electric and electrified vehicles

Overcoming Obstacles To The Adoption Of Electric Vehicles

With their tremendous experience in EVs, Renault and its large network provide innovative solutions to help eliminate the obstacles preventing the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. The goal is to make everyday mobility simple and pleasant for everyone with mobility solutions including the following:

• Mobilize Power Solutions and Mobilize Smart Charge for home charging
• For travelling – Mobilize Charge Pass, Mobilize Visa Card, Mobilize Business Pass
• Switch Car and Battery certificate for more specific occasional requirements

In Europe, Renault is already active in this segment with the Twingo E-Tech Electric and ZOE. The automaker is also expanding its range of electric vehicles with the Megane E-Tech Electric.

Mobilize Power Solutions

Mobilize Power Solutions enable new EV owners to order their charging station or the reinforced socket from their Renault dealer and have it installed at their property. Based on an innovative tool using Google Maps, the dealer can provide a fixed price based on the location of the installation point without an in-person technical visit.

A Mobilize Power Solutions professional will contact the client to schedule a virtual visit and schedule the home installation before the vehicle is delivered and no more than 45 days after purchase. It also simplifies and accelerates the transition to sustainable mobility for companies.

This includes aspects from designing to the installation of charging points, supervision and energy optimisation services to maintenance. Customers get personalised support for recharging fleets of electric vehicles whether they’re on-site, at their homes or while travelling.

Mobilize Smart Charge

The free Mobilize Smart Charge application means new owners of Renault electric vehicles can optimise their home charging costs while greatly reducing their carbon footprint. This program takes into account spikes in energy generation and consumption where it can automatically adjust the motor’s charge based on grid energy availability.

It stops charging once the energy consumption exceeds energy generation, and will resume when there is a surplus of energy on the grid. This implies that Mobilize Smart Charge can help balance the electricity grid which indirectly facilitates the introduction of renewable energies.

The Mobilize Smart Charge application is available on the new Renault Megane E-Tech electric, Renault ZOE E-Tech electric and the Renault Twingo E-Tech electric. In order for it to work, vehicles must be equipped with the OpenR Link or EasyLink multimedia system.

Mobilize Charge Pass

The Mobilize Charge Pass is available with the new Megane E-Tech Electric as both an application and a card for accessing public charging points. Drivers simply log onto their “My Renault” account to find the nearest public charging point and whether or not it is available. They can also check the compatibility with their vehicle by filtering the results based on charging power and type of plug.

Finally, the Mobilize Charge Pass application provides the price as well. That means customers can recharge the vehicle knowing what it will cost them, and they also get a receipt via e-mail after each transaction. The Mobilize Charge Pass is accepted in 25 countries and provides access to more than 36,000 public charging points in France and more than 260,000 in Europe.

Mobilize Visa Card

The Renault Visa credit card is now the Mobilize Visa Card and contains many new features. Customers can apply through the Renault network without having to purchase a vehicle or enter into a vehicle financing agreement. With Mobilize Visa Card, customers can finance the installation of their home charging solution provided by Mobilize Power Solutions.

Once the recharging solution has been installed at the customer’s home, they can pay for it using the Mobilize Visa Card. There is a choice to pay in cash or on credit for over 36 months. The Mobilize Visa Card also offers a 1% cashback function in euros which accumulates credit over time and can be deducted from payments on future purchases. The Mobilize Visa Card is a credit card with revolving credit so customers can use it for cash or credit, in shops, online and for ATM withdrawals.

Switch Car

Renault’s Switch Car service for the new Megane E-Tech electric enables customers to use another vehicle with unlimited mileage for occasional needs. These can be longer-distance journeys for family holidays, weekend getaways or extended business trips.

For private and businesses, the Switch Car service on the new Renault Megane E-Tech is even more cost-effective than traditional short-term rentals. To switch a car, customers call the booking service 72 hours before they wish to collect it. From there, the booking service will contact rental companies, mostly Mobilize share, which will make the vehicle available at the customer’s nearest branch.

Battery Certificate For Electric Vehicles

The “Battery Certificate” is a reassurance factor where owners of Renault E-Tech electric vehicles can get certificates to indicate the remaining battery capacity. This certificate comes with every Renault Megane E-Tech to reassure owners about the battery’s condition throughout the vehicle’s service life.

The Battery Management System (BMS) in the vehicle provides the necessary data or it’s calculated externally using driving and charging data. This helps vehicle owners gain a better understanding of the battery’s state of health (SOH), which refers to the ratio of the battery’s current capacity to its initial capacity.

New Renault Megane E-Tech

The new Renault Megane E-Tech Features two batteries compatible with all charging infrastructure. It comprehensively meets customer needs where they can choose the finish, battery and charging solution that best suit their needs. The two batteries are as follows:

• EV40 (40 kWh) which offers 300 km of range (WLTP standard)
• EV60 (60 kWh) which delivers between 450 and 470 km of range (WLTP standard, depending on the model)

If you’re looking for more sustainable transportation solutions, Renault may be the perfect electric mobility partner. With their extensive experience and service offering, it’s not surprising they’ve sold so many electric vehicles. Unfortunately, the South African EV market is not nearly as advanced as it is in Europe, the Americas or Australasia.

Whether South Africa will build the charging infrastructure it needs or see any new Renault electric vehicles remain to be seen. To read all of our articles on new vehicle launches, motoring advice, ICE, hybrid and electric vehicles, read our blog and follow us on Facebook.

The post How Renault Is Leading The Charge With Electric Vehicles appeared first on Renault Blog at Group1.