Futura meets Sandeep Bhambra, director of concept car design at Renault. It gave us the brand’s vision of the car of the future. It will combine a battery electric motor and a hydrogen fuel cell. It will also be 90% decarbonized for its entire life cycle. Interview.
If the new Renault 4 E-Tech is the star of the brand’s stand, then this edition WorldCar 2024a sensible concept takes its place with other models. This is the mark. A name that PortPort A symbol of the philosophy that the brand’s coat of arms embodies until the end of the decade. Backlit, the diamond of the grille is animated, almost alive, like the rest of the light signature of this sedan, 4.80 meters long and quite tall. The car sports a rounded design, while having strong lines. However, it is a far cry from the extravagant concepts of other manufacturers. A mark made in a RealismRealism has been maintained and is not difficult to imagine, almost as in traffic in a few years. But, behind the bodywork, hides a philosophy that is completely focused on decarbonization and DurabilityDurability.
Futura was able to discuss this vision of the brand’s future with Concept Car Design Director Sandeep Bhambra. He is an insatiable enthusiast about design.ADNADN What will be Renault’s spirit for its vehicles in the future?
Looking at the concept of Futura: Emblème, it seems above all that it is definitely a stylistic study with strong lines, but without actually breaking the design codes. Aside from its look, how will it represent the future of the brand?
Sandeep Bhambra : The badge undoubtedly reflects, in terms of design, how vehicles in the Renault range will look from 2029 to at least 2035. But, beyond that stylestylethe mark goes beyond expressing a strong message on the brand’s future decarbonisation.
More than its design, it’s in its engine that the Emblem concept is original. Contrary to what we can imagine about Renault’s future car, this car will not be anything at all on paper. electricityelectricity Its combat power is limited to 160 kW, which produces the equivalent of around 215 hp. But what’s even more amazing is its tiny 40kWh battery. It’s not much and it’s half that of the Renault Scenic e-Tech. And unlike the electric platform of the moment, with the new AmpR medium-based electric platform, it weighs just 1,750 kg. It is quite light for an electric sedan and this, among other things, allows it to reach a range of 350 km. Its design is aided by tips to reduce aerodynamic drag. This is especially the case with its nearly complete rimes.
Futura: In 2029, 350 km range is ridiculously low for an electric vehicle, right?
SB : It is enough for urban environment, but it is true that it is not enough to leave the city and take long journeys using the highway. Clearly, to go further, this the carthe car Hides another type of futuristic engine: a small one Fuel cellFuel cell is HydrogenHydrogen. It provides up to 30 kW of power. This extended range allows you to travel an additional 350 km. In other words, there is no need to take long breaks to recharge. Hydrogen is contained in a small 2.8 kg tank with 700 barsbars Of pressurepressure. Ultimately, this combination saves time by recapturing the process for better energy efficiency in the city that a thermal vehicle can provide with a smaller, and therefore lighter, battery.
When the hydrogen tank is empty, recharge it at a gas station in just a few minutes. For the city, the usage is that of a classic electric car.
Futura: Isn’t banking on hydrogen risky for 2030?
SB : Actually, we don’t know yet if hydrogen will be developed for future mobility, but it is a concept, and a classic battery electric motor combined with a fuel cell. CombustionCombustion Today presents interesting options for Renault. This is all the more important because in the future these two technologies must evolve towards greater environmental efficiency, with denser batteries and greener hydrogen production.
Futura: A lightweight mass with a small battery, a hybrid engine, Emblem also aims to be low carbon and sustainable in its design. Why is that?
SB : Nishan also initiates an invisible revolution.the eyethe eye. In its lifecycle, Renault’s future car will be up to 90% carbon-free. In a few weeks, we will present to our partners and equipment manufacturers who are playing this card to decarbonize their production. Most of the car’s components are made in France for short circuits. The aim is to use low-cost materials. CarbonCarbon. Instead of applying multiple layers of different materials, whether it’s for the vehicle’s structure or the trim that contributes to the design, we’ve developed a “monomaterial” approach. the same ContentContent Can be used for the same element with the same color, whether structural or rest. For example, we use compound LynnLynn For some curtains. Linen is manufactured in France. It is natural and recyclable. By developing this philosophy, we realized that screens can also be decarbonized!
This significantly reduces the balance sheet of the design. BroadcastingBroadcasting Carbon over the entire life cycle of the vehicle. Today, we must be clear, Renault is no better than others despite its efforts. Thus, after driving about 200,000 km on a Captur, the balance reaches 50 tonnes of CO.2. With electric, this figure is already half. Applying our strategy used for the design of the emblem, the car of the future will ultimately emit just 5 tonnes of CO over its entire life.2or 10 times less than today!