Photo: Renault
The French government has asked local carmakers to come up with a vehicle capable of returning fuel consumption of 2 liters per 100 kilometers (141 mpg UK) by the year 2020. It seems Renault wants to be the first to do so and will preview its engineering ideas using a concept car bound for the Paris Motor Show.
Company design boss Laurens van den Acker confirmed this to British magazine Autocar, also revealing that the concept will ride on an all-new platform, not one shared with existing production models.
“It doesn’t have an existing platform, because the existing platform would be too heavy. To be able to get to these numbers you need a dramatic weight reduction and a dramatic aerodynamic improvement," explained van den Acker.
By saying that, Renault is indirectly pointing the finger at Peugeot, the other major French company trying to make a super-frugal powertrain at the moment. At the Frankfurt Motor Show, Peugeot and Total unveiled their technological concept 208 HYbrid FE. It uses a 1-liter VTi and electric motors to power a much lighter chassis and promise to delivers 2.1 l/100km and super-low emissions of 46 g/km.
The other major idea Peugeot has is Hybrid Air, combining conventional gasoline engines with hydraulic pumps instead of batteries and electric motors. Fitted to the 2008 crossover, this has already managed to achieve 2.9l/100km (97.4mpg) and 69g/km in homologated Drive Cycle tests.
However, it's worth noting that while the French are trying to make a 2-liter car, Volkswagen has already put its 1-liter car into production. Powered by a 2-cylinder TDI diesel hybrid, the XL1 is currently the most frugal production car on the planet, though it costs as much as a Porsche 911.
Laurens van den Acker is partly responsible for the look of the Clio 4 hatchback and Twizy electric quadricycle, but also the Dezir concept sportscar. Before joining Renault in May 2009, van de Acker worked for Mazda, where he contributed to the design of the following concepts: Nagare, Ryuga, Hakaze and Kiyora. That's why we'd wager the new eco Renault looks like a sleep machine.
“It doesn’t have an existing platform, because the existing platform would be too heavy. To be able to get to these numbers you need a dramatic weight reduction and a dramatic aerodynamic improvement," explained van den Acker.
By saying that, Renault is indirectly pointing the finger at Peugeot, the other major French company trying to make a super-frugal powertrain at the moment. At the Frankfurt Motor Show, Peugeot and Total unveiled their technological concept 208 HYbrid FE. It uses a 1-liter VTi and electric motors to power a much lighter chassis and promise to delivers 2.1 l/100km and super-low emissions of 46 g/km.
The other major idea Peugeot has is Hybrid Air, combining conventional gasoline engines with hydraulic pumps instead of batteries and electric motors. Fitted to the 2008 crossover, this has already managed to achieve 2.9l/100km (97.4mpg) and 69g/km in homologated Drive Cycle tests.
However, it's worth noting that while the French are trying to make a 2-liter car, Volkswagen has already put its 1-liter car into production. Powered by a 2-cylinder TDI diesel hybrid, the XL1 is currently the most frugal production car on the planet, though it costs as much as a Porsche 911.
Laurens van den Acker is partly responsible for the look of the Clio 4 hatchback and Twizy electric quadricycle, but also the Dezir concept sportscar. Before joining Renault in May 2009, van de Acker worked for Mazda, where he contributed to the design of the following concepts: Nagare, Ryuga, Hakaze and Kiyora. That's why we'd wager the new eco Renault looks like a sleep machine.
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