The French brand is considering the adoption of the “Hybrid Assist” system for several models, including the Renault Clio.
At a time when the electrification process in the automotive industry seems inevitable, it's Renault's turn to admit the implementation of hybrid technologies in one of its best-selling models.In an interview with AutoExpress, Bruno Ancelin, vice president of Renault, was clear about the future of the French brand – “We want an accessible electrification process, which means giving our customers just enough to reduce CO2 emissions” – referring to to the “Hybrid Assist” function, present in the new Renault Scénic. This system uses the energy wasted in deceleration and braking to charge a 48 volt battery, and the energy is later used to help the combustion engine work.
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Despite promising additional measures to reduce consumption, Bruno Ancelin guarantees that the next Renault Clio will not be a plug-in hybrid model. “There is no need to develop PHEV technology in compact cars, the costs are too high,” commented the vice president of Renault. However, models in the above segments may adopt alternative powertrains “depending on future diesel regulations”.
Source: AutoExpress
Image: Renault EOLAB Concept