BETTER PARTSRenault shrinks the motors
Guyancourt / Paris (France), 12 December 2014
Climate protection and resource conservation are also at the Renault engineers at the top in the specifications. This shows, among other things, the concept car Eolab, which was introduced at the Paris Motor Show in 2014 as a one-liter car with hybrid drive. As with many manufacturers is the magic word " downsizing" and not just in internal combustion engines. The Renault - technology center in Guyancourt, near Paris, now we had the opportunity to learn more about the future drives.
Electric motor will be more compact
By 2015 is a new electric motor in the series. As US Renault development chief Rémi Bastien betrayed, he is first and Kangoo ZE Zoe the Stromer advance. Later, the 88 hp and 220 Newton meters strong powerhouse is also used in (yet unspecified ) small car. This is exactly what the machine was shrunk: You need ten percent less space than previous electric motors from Renault. In order to reduce the engine, not just add-on modules were intergriert into the motor housing, but merged assemblies closer. This has the pleasant side effect that the cable runs are shorter. Cargo box, power electronics and known from the Zoe battery charging system " Chameleon Charger" are combined in a " Power Electronic Controller", which saves space as well as the transition from water to air cooling. Only the power electronic controller is still protected by means of water from overheating.
New three-cylinder turbo running on LPG
Also coming soon brings Renault the first three-cylinder gas engine car on the market. The bivalent turbo machine can also be done with premium gasoline, has a start-stop system and can during braking and coasting mode recover energy. This engine will need about one fifth less fuel than its predecessors without turbo. And because LPG is cheaper than gasoline, it saves again at the gas station. Into which models the LPG Turbo offered, Renault has yet to reveal.
Mild hybrid diesel for commercial vehicles
Another novelty is the prototype of a mild hybrid diesel. The system is tested initially in the van master, which will take ten percent less fuel over longer distances. The test engine is based on the production four-cylinder diesel engine with twin turbochargers and 165 hp. Between the engine and the transmission sits a 48 volt starter generator. Brings back the brakes through recuperation energy which is stored in a 48 - volt battery. Since the electric motor during acceleration additional drives, there's thanks to a boost effect, even a decent performance boost. Since the twin-turbo technology at low speeds from 1,000 rpm offers a good pulling power, the transmission could be translated rev-reducing long. The ?? and special steel pistons ?? reduce internal engine friction, which leads again to less thirsty. In addition, the injection pressure was increased to 2,500 bar, which are more than 500 bar in the series. This brings more power and provides thanks to improved combustion for lower emissions. For introduction of Mild Hybrids there is still no date, tells us Rémi Bastien, " but he will come. "
New two-cylinder two-stroke diesel
The same is true for the newly developed two-stroke diesel engine with two cylinders. The small motor draws its power from 730 cubic centimeters as well as charging via turbocharger and supercharger. It is intended for small city vans. Two-stroke diesel are not new, they are best known as marine engines. In container ships and other ocean liners they shine with an efficiency of nearly 50 percent. By comparison, the efficiency of four-stroke diesels in the car is only about 35 percent. The little engine weighs 40 kg less than a conventional four-stroke diesel with similar performance and has limited to 4000 rpm maximum speed. Both help again saving fuel. Thanks diesel particulate filter and NOx trap can be loud Renault even future emission limits with no difficulty. The two-stroke engines should also not sound louder than conventional four-stroke units. And that less components are needed, the price could remain at about the level of a gasoline engine.
Delivery Concept: Twizy with trailer
The Twizy Delivery Concept is, simply put, a Twizy with streamlined angefügtem box trailer. Its cargo area measures at least one cubic meter. The study was part of a project for electric vehicles and sustainable logistics in the city. This project also includes an intelligent fleet management to optimally utilize the vehicle fleet and to avoid empty runs. Here, for example, the trailer parked filled with goods to the customer, and an empty trailer to be taken. The concept attracts interest: A delivery company and the city of Paris would have been interested in the use of the supplied Twizys. In 2015, therefore, an experiment with several vehicles to be launched, as head of development Bastien . (HD)