Gas 2.0

Kangoo Zero Emissions Concept

Power	70 kW	Torque	226 Nm
Range	100 miles	Speed	80 mph
Charge Time	30 mins – 8 hrs (*)	Weight	1.52 tonne

The Kangoo ZE is the lynchpin of Renault’s ambitions to dominate the European electric car market.

They reason, quite rationally, that a large proportion of light commercial vehicles operate within a limited area which varies little from day to day or week to week. Florists have the same catchment area, and so do plumbers and electricians.

And the Postal Service. The French Postal Service, La Poste, already uses the Renault Kangoo and the partnership has proved so popular that models of Kangoo LaPoste postal vans are now a collectors item.

More importantly, LaPoste has committed to phasing in the electric Kangoo ZE model once it is available. Ontop of this, according to Thierry Koskas, Renault’s Director of Electric Vehicles, Renault has agreements in place with other European businesses but he declined to comment on specifics when asked.

Test Driving the Renault Kangoo

The best thing about the Renault Kangoo ZE is that is actually exists. The Kangoo ZE BeBop prototype was available to drive at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and Gas 2.0 was honoured to be invited to jump in and give it a go.

At this point I could wax poetic about how wonderful it was; about how it’s so quiet we drove behind a horse without the horse hearing us, or how we went onto a divided highway and the vehicle got from zero to 40 mph in less than a hundred yards.

But the real point is that this prototype not only exists, but has been manufactured to meets Europe’s stringent safety specifications to allow it to be driven on the open highway. I drove it on real roads, mucked in with commuter and commercial traffic on a divided highway.

I drove a car, this car, on the highway. And it was normal. I didn’t feel like a freak and there was no “green electric hippie sign” flashing above the car as I cornered suburban streets. In fact, to be honest, it was pretty boring.

Wow!

So many prototypes exist to show that a certain technical innovation can work, or that a certain styling looks as good in real life as it does on paper. Usually journalists get to drive them on a test track, but rarely on the open road.

Renault’s Kangoo ZE BeBop prototype is, on the other hand, A Real Car. It shows that electric vehicles are ready for mass production. Nothing more, but certainly nothing less.

The Renault Kangoo ZE will be available to buy in 2011. In my opinion, the sooner, the better.

Turn the page for more info on the Renault Twizy…

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