Not satisfied with the presentation of the new electric SUV Renault 4 next week at the motor show Renault has unveiled its latest extravagant ‘demo car’ ahead of its global public debut at the Paris show (October 14-20).
Called the Renault emblemthis bold Volkswagen Arteon-sized shooting brake was created to show the Renault Group a way to reach its target of net zero CO2 emissions by 2040 in Europe and 2050 globally.
It features a similar plug-in hybrid hydrogen fuel cell powertrain as the 2022 Scenic Vision concept, although it’s said to take the approach “one step further”.
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The French automaker claims that the Emblème emits 90 percent less greenhouse gases over its lifetime than an equivalent internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle.
Research carried out by Renault Group and Ampere calculated the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that certain cars produce during production and then during 200,000 km of driving.
It found that a Captur with a petrol engine produces 50 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, while the electric crossover Megane E-Tech produces 24 tonnes of greenhouse gases.
Renault says the aim of the Emblème project is to create a production car that emits just five tonnes of greenhouse gases over its entire life, including production.
Under the hood, the Renault Emblème is powered by a 160 kW electric motor which claims to contain “no rare earth elements”. It is powered by a 40 kWh nickel-metal-cobalt (NMC) lithium-ion battery.
Based on electrical energy alone, the Emblème would have a range of “several hundred kilometers”.
However, there is also one 30 kW hydrogen fuel cell that is powered by a 2.8 kg compressed hydrogen tank. It acts as a range extender like the now defunct Holden Volt and BMW i3 Rex.
Renault didn’t specify a total range for the Emblème, although the Scenic Vision was said to offer a range of up to 500 miles.
However, the French carmaker claims that the Emblème can travel up to 1000 km as quickly as an ICE vehicle. This is possible through two hydrogen refueling stops that reportedly last less than five minutes.
The Renault Emblème is 4800 mm long, making it longer than the Koleos, 1520 mm high and has a wheelbase of 2900 mm. It has a target weight of 1750 kg, including the batteries, and a drag coefficient of 0.25 Cd.
On the design front, the concept crossover SUV features plenty of sharp lines, deep scallops and bold curves. It blurs the boundaries between a regular station wagon and a coupe.
There’s an illuminated Renault emblem at the front, plus fins on the bonnet and bumper to direct air to the windscreen and behind the wheels.
On the side there are digital side mirrors, aero-style wheels and recessed door handles.
At the rear there’s a striking taillight setup, including an illuminated Renault wordmark, plus an active diffuser to balance airflow and minimize aerodynamic drag.
At the moment it is unclear whether a Renault vehicle like the Emblème will ever actually go into production.
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