ROMA (ITALPRESS) – Six months after the reveal, in Birmingham, of the new generation of 100% electric compact commercial vehicles, Renault presents the serial version of the first vehicle of this new family: New Trafic Van E-Tech Electric. Launched in 1980, Trafic was produced in over 2.5 million units in three generations. Its name, therefore, has become synonymous with success on the market of medium-sized vans. Strong of this legacy, the fourth generation 100% electric is revolutionizing the industry without compromise.
New Trafic Van E-Tech Electric is equipped with an unusual 100% electric skateboard platform, designed to optimize the load volume compared to the ground-mounted footprint, with reduced front swing at the minimum and motor positioned at the rear. This configuration also allows you to obtain an optimal steering radius, equal to that of Clio (10.3 meters). In addition to the eco-responsible dimension, compactness and agility are also key elements to facilitate urban use. New Trafic van E-Tech offers a load volume of 5.1 m3 for a length of 4.87 meters and a width of 1,92 meters (the same for all 3 versions of the range). The L2 version, instead, has 5,8 m3 for a length of 5,27 meters, thanks to a step greater than 40 cm. These dimensions were achieved by reducing the height out of everything to 1,90 meters, to ensure access to all underground parking spaces. The vehicle also has wide access to the load compartment that allow it to load the europallets through the lateral or rear doors.
The design of New Trafic Van E-Tech Electric is modern for the proportions developed on a very reduced front swing, generous step and aerodynamic profile by single-volume.
It is technological for the upper end of the front that gives the product a strong personality, but also for the identity highlighted by the character of the backlit losanga and the light guides that connect it to the LED day lights (DRL) forming a highly technological luminous signature.
Under this band that captures the look and monopolizes the attention, giving a visual sensation of greater amplitude of the front, the headlights emerge from the minimal and discreet look.
Trafic’s design is also futuristic for the choice of the windscreen that joins the side windows evenly generating a unique visor effect. Just like the modern and well-balanced general proportions, the design of New Trafic Van E-Tech Electric also seeks the right balance between the areas in body color and the black areas that transmit a feeling of solidity, a fundamental aspect for a commercial vehicle. The front is an imposing granulated black component, enhanced by the important work of the sections that favour the aerodynamics. The material at the bottom of the front is dynamic thanks to a laser pattern game that takes back the already characterizing styles of Scenic E-Tech Electric. This surface finish becomes a true distinctive signature of the new Renault design.
Also in the front the parts in body color seem to float between two black masses: that of the section that integrates the light signature and that of the bumper.
On the sides, the black lower protections increase the perception of robustness of the vehicle in facing the risks of use typical of professional vehicles, but without sacrificing aesthetics, thanks to the laser patterns characteristic of design. The lateral design is made more dynamic by the original belt line, consisting of groove characteristics that create a visual dynamism that strengthens the impression of movement and energy of the van, even as a stop.
At the rear, aerodynamic appendages strengthen the upper part of the medium, leaving space to an element, which frames the rear doors, which resumes the finishing with dynamic pattern present in the front. New Trafic E-Tech also has a characteristic rear light signature, absolute novelty for Renault. Sculpted in 3D, it is composed of a double vertical line on both sides of the asymmetrical doors, while all the traditional lighting functions are gathered in one element, embossed, under the luminous signature.
Just like on Renault cars, the losanga is now positioned directly on the body shop at the right back door. The monogram Trafic, located on the left, instead, inaugurates the new specific fonts used for the commercial vehicles of the Marca.
The revolutionary design of the dash is characterized by the strong tubular shape that characterizes the interior of the cabin. The dashboard features modernity thanks to the two displays: a 10” instrument panel and 12” central display aimed at the driver. The specific selleries match gray and blue-jeans Zeta fabric, with yellow stitching on grey and white on blue-jeans (in option).
Of fundamental importance for the driving experience of professional operators and everyday work, the storage rooms are multiple, ingenious and capacious. In addition to the front seat’s closed compartment, there are many compartments with objects distributed throughout the cabin: three door-beverages and a document holder under the central display, three compartments behind the instrument panel, two small areas of support on both sides of the steering wheel, a deep shelf under the passenger side tunnel, two levels of storage rooms in the doors, top for small items and bottom for very voluminous objects like water bottles. Finally, behind the dashboard, between the tubular element of the dashboard and the base of the windscreen, a large area was also planned to store a whole range of objects such as notebook, jacket or clipboard. This area, visible both from the inside and from the outside, has been made of recycled composite material reinforced by natural fibres (NFPP), to reproduce the characteristic sustainability of the vehicle.
For Trafic E-Tech Electric, Renault focuses on a circular economy of more than 23% (battery included), a percentage similar to the performance achieved by the best electric vehicles (e.g. R5 to 26%). This is part of the Renault Group strategy, which aims to achieve a share of materials derived from the circular economy in the vehicle mass of 33% by 2030.
With regard to plastics, the vehicle has a rate of more than 15% of recycled plastics (> 40kg), thus confirming Renault’s position as a leader in this area, with performance ranging far beyond the market average of 9%. The selleries, however, include a 50% recycled Twi-jeans fabric. For optimum use flexibility, Trafic is available with two battery solutions: Urban Range and Comfort Range. For long travel enthusiasts, the Comfort Range battery has a nickel-manganese-cobalt chemistry that offers the best energy density, for a maximum range of about 450 km in the WLTP cycle. This battery will be available immediately at launch.
For professional operators working mainly in urban areas, the Urban Range has a rare metal-free LFP chemistry (litio-ferro-phosphate) such as cobalt and nickel, and can offer a very competitive offer in terms of price and autonomy, with approximately 350 km in the WLTP cycle* (on Trafic), to meet the needs of most business. This battery will be available after launch. All cells will be produced in Europe and the batteries will be assembled in France, at the Sandouville plant.
In addition to the versatility at the level of autonomy, the batteries will facilitate the life of the drivers and the organization of the work, thanks to the rapid charging connected to the new technology 800 V. An absolute novelty for Renault vehicles! The battery capacity switches from 15 to 80% in about 20 minutes, recovering 260 km of battery life.
With a power of 150 kW and a torque of 345 Nm, the new electric motor designed in Europe stands out for the quality of performance. The power of the motor combined with the robustness of the platform gives a tow capacity of 2 tons and a useful load of 1,25 tons (in course of homologation).
– photos: Renault Group Italia press office –
(ITALPRESS).
