Doors to the Paris Motor Show open to the public in around 24 hours – but the Press are enjoying a sneak peak at some tantalising green car concepts.
Among them is the Renault battery electric concept car, known as the ZE Concept – ZE appropriately standing for Zero Emission. It is based on the new Renault Kangoo be bop design but is powered by a 70kW electric motor with 226Nm of torque and a lithium-ion battery pack.
The Renault ZE makes use of some innovative technology and unique features including heat-reflective paint and insulating bodywork which reduces temperature fluctuations. There is also acid-green tinted glass for the glazed areas to boost insulation and reduce reliance on climate control.
Solar panels have been included on the roof and they power a temperature regulation system.
The drag-producing exterior mirrors that appear on most conventional cars have been replaced by streamlined, low-energy cameras which are also powered by the solar panels. The aerodynamic performance is further boosted by low-drag full-disc aluminium alloy wheels.
Indeed there are energy saving features throughout the Renault ZE Concept such as headlamps that use efficient light-emitting diodes, a mobile phone-based navigation system that removes the need for an energy-consuming onboard computer, and a linear display on the outside of the door that provides a visual indication of how much range remains on the vehicle.
The Renault-Nissan Alliance has already signed electric vehicle agreements with numerous regions such as the US state of Tennessee, Portugal, Israel and Denmark.
