Renault kicks hybrids and hydrogen to the curb
While it's sister company, Nissan, may still be chasing after hybrids and dreaming of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCV), reports say that Renault has had enough. It's dropped the duo and has decided it wants to go steady with electric vehicles. Company COO Patrick Pelata has let it be known that all its research and development resources will be be strictly focused on battery-powered locomotion and that they hope to have a third of the Renault line-up electric in 10 years.
In the near term, the French automaker will focus on three particular models equipped with batteries from NEC to give them all over 100 miles of range. They include an electric version of the Kangoo, a sedan to fulfill its Better Place commitment in Israel but also with European availability as well as a smaller 5-seat hatchback. Renault is also said to still be flirting with a battery lease and swap model.
[Source: Autocar]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
John 6:39PM (2/27/2009)
Given France's complete energy independence for electricity generation, this makes perfect sense.
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Noz 7:17PM (2/27/2009)
Along with their ridiculous love affair and hard-on for that scam Project Better Place.
Stan Wellaway 7:16PM (2/27/2009)
An electric Renault Kangoo is just about my ideal vehicle. I've always favoured van-shaped cars ('boxcars' if you like). Used to own a Renault 4, currently own a Citroen Berlingo Multispace. I'm not expecting to trade it in for another 3-4 years, by when I would hope the distance per charge might be nearer 200 miles, and battery prices might be down a little -- and we might find ourselves with several EVs to choose between.
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Mark 3:56PM (2/28/2009)
Well done Renault, H2 has no future, and hybrids are only a stop gap to the future which is EV. I wish more companies would take their heads out of the sand and see that EV is the future.
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HAL 7:07PM (2/28/2009)
An auto company with logical thinking... I didn't see that one coming.
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Tommy 11:06AM (3/10/2009)
EV is the future without a doubt. H2 is a red herring, always 10 or 20 years off in the future. Meanwhile we're stuck with our addiction to oil for another decade and another and another.
We are at a crossroads right now. We need to choose between the technology of the past (even though it is killing us) or rethink cars and their impact on our lives. There are so many entrenched interests that will want to fight us every step of the way. Their methods will be both devious and insidious. Including posting misleading and false info on the internet. We must be ever vigilant to expose their lies and keep on track to rid ourselves of all profitable poisons like oil.
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