It has been four years since the show dedicated to IAA Transportation trucks and utility vehicles had not taken place. The wait is finally over and many manufacturers have made the trip to Hanover, unlike the recent Detroit Motor Show.
And among the car manufacturers present, Renault came with full arms. In addition to a Kangoo E-Tech Electric Hippie Caviar Motel, show car dedicated to the new trend vanlifethe manufacturer took advantage of the event to unveil the Trafic Van E-Tech, a 100% electric utility vehicle intended for professionals.
Under the hood of this Trafic Van E-Tech, which is available in two lengths (5.08 or 5.48 m) and two heights (1.97 or 2.5 m), hides the same electric motor developing 90 kW ( 122 hp). This is powered by a 52 kWh battery for an announced range of 240 km (WLTP cycle). On the charging side, this Renault offers three types of chargers: a first single-phase at 7 kW (AC) for domestic charging, a second three-phase at 22 kW; and the last, optional, at 50 kW and compatible with fast charging (DC) allowing to go from 15 to 80% in 50 min.
The Trafic Van E-Tech offers up to 1.1 t of payload, as well as a towing capacity of 750 kg. As for the loading volume, it varies from 5.8 to 8.9 m³, while the maximum length reaches 4.15 m (only on the extended L2 version with the long loading hatch located in the partition).
The Renault Trafic Van E-Tech will find an ingenious Ford e-Transit Custom on its way. Its 100 kW (135 hp) engine is powered by a 74 kWh battery, which gives it a better range of 380 km in the WLTP combined cycle. Above all, it has a towing capacity of 2000 kg with a cargo length that can climb up to 3.45 m and a useful volume varying between 5.8 and 9 m³. The maximum payload capacity is 1100 kg and its interior is convertible with optional partitions.
It remains to be seen whether this Renault Trafic Van E-Tech, of which a version dedicated to the transport of people is in the pipeline, will be able to appeal to craftsmen and other professionals. The main brakes could be a high price and a versatility at half mast due to an autonomy below the thermal versions.
We have seen what a blind faith in electrics has given to the MPV market, particularly within the Stellantis group. Rather than offering a range of engines (gasoline, diesel, hybrid and electric), Stellantis has favored only electric. As a result, over the first eight months of 2022, the Peugeot Rifter recorded a drop of 65%, 70% for the Citroën Berlingo and 80% for the Opel Combo Life. At the same time, sales of the Toyota Pro Ace City (same platform, but multi-engine) fell by only 10%. At Stellantis there is rumor of a return to a mild-hybrid engine for the Rifter and Berlingo in 2023.