road test
Kangoo goes the extra mile
Range is a major barrier to businesses considering electric vans. With its latest Kangoo Z.E, Renault is pushing the boundaries, reports Dan Gilkes
R
enault has increased the potential driving range of its Kangoo Z.E. electric vans by up to 50%, while reducing the
time it takes to charge the batteries. Amazingly this has all been accomplished without making the batteries any bigger, so there is no impact on load volume or payload. The dark arts of chemistry have been
employed to improve the battery’s energy density, to 33kWh. This has been paired with an improved, more energy- effi cient R60 motor, delivering 60hp, which is based on the latest motor in Renault’s Zoe car. Both Kangoo Z.E. and the longer wheelbase Kangoo Maxi Z.E. now boast
a claimed 170-mile range on the NEDC cycle. In real life that’s probably more like 120 miles, but that is 50% further than the original vans and, Renault claims, suitable for around 85% of small van owners. Further power savings have been made possible through the use of a heat pump within the climate control system. This reduces the use of electrical resistors that consume power and range, to prolong battery life. The pump can also be used in conjunction with a pre- conditioning system, that allows users to pre-set the van’s cab temperature while the vehicle is charging. In terms of charging, Renault has equipped the vans with a new single phase 7kW AC charger, that is twice
as powerful as the original model. This allows a complete recharge from a 7.4kW wall box in around six hours, down from seven hours on the older vans. The Z.E. 33 can also be topped up with 22 miles of range in a one hour fast charge period, making it viable for a company to get two delivery routes into a single shift, by partially recharging at lunchtime. Both vans are capable of handling
625kg of payload and as mentioned they retain the same 3.0 and 4.6m3
load
volumes as their diesel counterparts. The Kangoo Maxi Z.E. is also available as a fi ve-seat crew van, boosting versatility for those customers who need to carry personnel as well as goods. What’s more, Renault looks set to offer
the Kangoo Z.E. with a number of body conversions for the fi rst time. At present the various conversions are only available in France, but there is no reason why they should not become available here.
Continued overleaf VanUser August 2017 15
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