Renault vans demonstrate electric van that charges while driving!

Tested at a 100-metre test track in Versailles, Renault vans revealed a way for electric vans to be charged up to 20 kilowatts at speeds of up to and exceeding 62mph.

Renault Kangoo ZE

Renault vans, the company that bring you the impressive Kangoo, Master and WhatVan's Editor's choice award winner 2017, the Renault Trafic; have already displayed electric Zero Emissions (ZE) versions of their smallest and largest vans at the latest CV show in April 2017.

Renault vans developed technology in alliance with Qualcomm Technologies and Vedecom, the two companies who also installed the 100 metre test track where the new technology was demonstrated. Renault vans and Vedecom positioned the system onto the new vans chosen to test the technology.

Two Renault Kangoo ZE vans were the new vans chosen to exhibit the new ground-breaking technology: Currently Renault vans claim that the standard time taken to fully charge a Renault Kangoo ZE from a public charging point is six to nine hours. The new technology if implemented; would mean you wouldn't have to worry about the long-time taken to charge your new van and could readily use the van, however low the charge is.

Technology to be tested further

The technology is far from complete, it will now be transferred to Vedecom, who will examine the process and efficiency of energy transfer to vans across a large range of circumstances. This extensive tests will be finalised by FABRIC: a scheme with the primary aim of addressing the feasibility of dynamic electric vehicle charging (DEVC).

FABRIC will determine whether it is economically, technologically and environmentally realistic to reel out this technology on a larger scale. The project continuing through to December this year will factor input from a wide range of professionals from the new van industry and will ultimately use feasibility analysis to enable the furthering of electronic van ranges.

If the technology does take off on a wider scale, it could mean significant changes for the LCV segment, with some of the concerns about purchasing an electric new van certainly being quashed, however it remains to be seen whether the technology can be launched to the public and whether the technology will take off if it does.

New Renault vans on finance

Interested in any of our new Renault vansMaybe there's another of our new van deals you are interested in? At Vansdirect we stock a wide range of small vans, medium vans, large vans, pick-up vans, crew vans and conversion vans, with clearance van deals also available. All of our new vans are available with a range of flexible finance options including: van leasing, hire purchase and contract hire. Call us today on 0845 021 0444 or submit your details online!