Renault Eolab concept previews Renault’s hybrid tech

Renault has revealed its new Eolab concept car, a petrol-electric hybrid that is claimed to average 282mpg and emit just 22g/km of CO2.

The model, which will make its debut at next month’s Paris show, previews a new B-segment model that will appear “within 10 years”, according to Renault. It also answers a challenge set by the French government to put a car capable of 141mpg into production by 2020.

Renault says the Eolab’s engineers concentrated on reducing the concept’s weight, refining its aerodynamics and getting the best performance from its petrol-electric powertrain.

As a result, the concept weighs 955kg, or about 400kg less than the current Renault Clio. It also comes with a drag coefficient of 0.235, some 30 per cent lower than the Clio.

Powering the concept is a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine, producing 74bhp and 70lb ft, and an electric motor, which produces 54bhp and 148lb ft.The electric motor is integrated into the housing of the compact three-speed transmission, which drives the front wheels.

The first two speeds of the transmission are used only by the electric motor, with the third gear being driven by the petrol engine. Its automated control unit permits either pure electric or hybrid outputs. The Eolab will be presented in two forms at the show. One will showcase the car’s technology and the other will be a design study. The former contains 100 new innovations, says Renault,
which will find their way into the firm’s road cars.

Project chief Jean-Pierre Fouquet said:  “Most of today’s hybrids are upper segment cars with a price tag of more than €40,000 (£32,000).

“The solutions showcased by Eolab are much more economical and enable hybrid technology to be used for smaller cars and on a much bigger scale. Our objective is to produce a car with two power sources for the price of one.”