Both the Clio and Captur are all-new from the ground up, underpinned by the Common Module Family’s vehicle architecture for B-segment models. The platform was developed to support different levels of electrification, which Renault markets as E-Tech for both the hybrid and plug-in hybrid drivetrains.
Revealed at the 2020 Brussels Motor Show, the åçClio E-Tech Hybrid combines a High-Voltage Starter Generator with a multi-mode clutchless transmission. That’s two electric motors, working in conjunction with a 1.6-liter engine. The subcompact hatchback also features a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 1.2 kWh.
This apparently complex setup enables up to 80 percent fewer CO2 emissions in urban driving. The Captur E-Tech Plug-In Hybrid levels up to 9.8 kWh, enabling the crossover to travel up to 50 kilometers (31 miles) in all-electric mode.
Both models start in EV mode, and the series-parallel architecture allows the e-motors to operate either independently or in tandem. The primary e-motor acts as a kinetic energy harvester when the driver lifts off the accelerator pedal. Engaging the transmission selector into B for Brake enables more energy recuperation.
Regenerative braking is also featured, along with E-Tech badging on the outside and custom graphics for the infotainment system and instrument cluster. The “smart cockpit” as Renault calls it features a touchscreen infotainment system from the Easy Link family, available with either 7.0- or 9.3-inch diagonals.
The stop-and-start button you’d find in ICE-only models has been replaced by an EV button, and yes, even the Clio E-Tech Hybrid can be switched to EV mode provided that the Li-Ion battery has enough energy for all-electric driving. The Captur Plug-In Hybrid can run on electric energy alone at speeds as high as 135 km/h (85 mph), and in urban conditions, the EV range is 65 kilometers (40 miles).
Care to guess what’s the fuel economy of the plug-in hybrid crossover from Renault? As it happens, the combined rating under the WLTP is 188 miles to the gallon, translating to 156.8 mpg in the U.S. and 1.5 liters per 100 kilometers.
This apparently complex setup enables up to 80 percent fewer CO2 emissions in urban driving. The Captur E-Tech Plug-In Hybrid levels up to 9.8 kWh, enabling the crossover to travel up to 50 kilometers (31 miles) in all-electric mode.
Both models start in EV mode, and the series-parallel architecture allows the e-motors to operate either independently or in tandem. The primary e-motor acts as a kinetic energy harvester when the driver lifts off the accelerator pedal. Engaging the transmission selector into B for Brake enables more energy recuperation.
Regenerative braking is also featured, along with E-Tech badging on the outside and custom graphics for the infotainment system and instrument cluster. The “smart cockpit” as Renault calls it features a touchscreen infotainment system from the Easy Link family, available with either 7.0- or 9.3-inch diagonals.
The stop-and-start button you’d find in ICE-only models has been replaced by an EV button, and yes, even the Clio E-Tech Hybrid can be switched to EV mode provided that the Li-Ion battery has enough energy for all-electric driving. The Captur Plug-In Hybrid can run on electric energy alone at speeds as high as 135 km/h (85 mph), and in urban conditions, the EV range is 65 kilometers (40 miles).
Care to guess what’s the fuel economy of the plug-in hybrid crossover from Renault? As it happens, the combined rating under the WLTP is 188 miles to the gallon, translating to 156.8 mpg in the U.S. and 1.5 liters per 100 kilometers.