About a year after we got to know the new generation of Renault Kangoo, the French brand revealed the missing variant: the 100% electric version.
Destined to replace the successful Kangoo Z.E. (the first electric Kangoo of which 70,000 units have been sold since 2011), the new Kangoo E-Tech will be produced at the factory in Maubeuge, in northern France, and is expected to reach the market in the spring of 2022.
Visually, and as with the electric versions of its “cousins” Nissan Townstar and Mercedes-Benz Citan, the Kangoo E-Tech hardly differs from combustion engine versions, where only the front grille differs.
The Kangoo E-Tech Numbers
Equipped with an electric motor of 90 kW (122 hp) and 245 Nm, the new Kangoo E-Tech has a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 45 kWh that offers a range of 300 km.
In total, the Renault Kangoo E-Tech is available with three charger types. It comes standard with an 11 kW charger for home charging. Optional chargers include a 22 kW charger for quick charging in public terminals and an 80 kW DC fast charge charger.
As for charging times, in a 7.4 kW Wallbox it is possible to go from 15% to 100% charge in about six hours; on an 11 kW Wallbox the same charge takes 3h50min and on a fast DC charger in just 30 minutes it is possible to restore 170 km of autonomy.
Autonomy is not a problem
To help “stretch” the autonomy, Renault started by equipping the Kangoo E-Tech with a heat pump that, when combined with the 22 kW charger, allows to “remove” the heat around the vehicle to heat the cabin, everything this without having to use an electrical resistance that consumes more energy.
In addition, the new electric Renault Kangoo has an “Eco” driving mode, in which power and maximum speed are limited to optimize autonomy and three regenerative braking modes.
Still in the field of energy recovery, conventional hydraulic braking on the Kangoo Van E-Tech is assisted by an ARB (Adaptive Regenerative Braking System) system, which maximizes the amount of energy recovered regardless of the selected braking mode.
ready to work
Despite giving up the combustion engine, the Renault Kangoo E-Tech has the same transport and towing capacity as the equivalent model with a combustion engine.
Thus, the storage volume goes up to 3.9 m3 (4.9 m3 in the long version which has not yet been revealed), 600 kg of payload (800 kg in the long version) and 1500 kg of towing capacity.
For now, Renault has yet to reveal the price of the latest rival for models such as the Citröen ë-Berlingo, Opel Combo-e or Peugeot e-Partner.