Renault: Green plans

Renault works on a solution that will eliminate CO2 emissions while the car is in motion. The system uses electric energy and is part of an overall environmental plan to reduce gas emissions causing the greenhouse effect.

This technology is being jointly developed with Nissan as part of the Alliance. A vehicle application is expected in 2010. As part of Renault Commitment 2009, the company has firmly committed to cutting its vehicles CO2 emissions significantly in order to help reduce the greenhouse effect.

Plan "120/140" has a precise target for 2008: to sell one million vehicles emitting less than 140 g of CO2/km, with one third emitting less than 120 g. One of these alternative technologies is a mobility solution that uses electric energy. As part of the research underway in cooperation with Nissan, Renault is looking into a solution that is ideally suited to city driving and does not emit any CO2 at all when the vehicle is in motion. The project has reached an advanced stage and the company is already working on all the future vehicle's components. Both are working together on Lithium-Ion battery technology and packaging, the electric motor and the software that is needed to manage the solution. Work is also underway on a process to recover energy when the vehicle brakes. The company will focus mainly on the fleet market in France and Europe in 2010.

Other solutions include the optimization of conventional engines, as demonstrated by their downsizing strategy that consists in reducing cubic capacity, while maintaining equivalent performance. The latest petrol engine, the 100 hp TCE delivers the100 hp output of a 1.4-litre engine and the 145 Nm of torque characteristic of a 1.6-litre engine, this 1.2-litre powerplant enables Modus and Clio to achieve combined cycle fuel consumption of 5.9 litres/100 km, representing just 140 g/km of CO2 emissions. Renault has also committed to offering a complete range of vehicles by 2009 that run on biofuels. In keeping with this target, in 2007 the company will be one of the carmakers to offer its European customers a double biofuel deal. In spring 2007, a 1.6-litre 16v 110 hp version of Megane will be launched with an E85 bioethanol-compatible powerplant.

Related news: Foursprung, P4MR, Renault, CO2 emissions

Source: all4engineers

Read more

Read what others are saying about it: Bloglines, Feedster, Technorati