Auto Expo 2018: Renault To Show Glimpse Of Electric Future

The next big thing for the Indian automotive market will be electric cars, and Renault has more than enough capability to jump into the fray when needed. With companies like Maruti Suzuki announcing their intent to develop affordable electric mobility solutions for India, Renault could use the 14th edition of the Auto Expo to gauge customer response to their own range of electric cars.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki's electric car plans for India explained

Electric Push

Renault is the current European market leader in terms of electric cars under its ‘Z.E. (Zero Emissions)’ sub-brand with cars like the Zoe hatchback, Twizzy city car, and Kangoo Z.E van. For India, the company may concentrate more on the Zoe considering the two-seater Twizzy may not find a lot of interested buyers here.

Also Read: Details about the Zoe when it was first revealed back in 2012

The Zoe is the highest selling electric car in Europe. It is slightly bigger than large hatchbacks in our market like the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Hyundai Elite i20, etc. and is powered by an electric motor that develops 90PS/220Nm. It draws power from either a 22kWh battery for a maximum range of 240km or a 41kWh battery for a maximum range of 400km. In Europe, the Zoe is priced in the Rs 11-13 lakh range with additional monthly rental costs for the lithium-ion battery.

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While an asking price of Rs 11-13 lakh may not help the Zoe’s case for India, localising Renault’s battery tech may help the company price it more attractively. Manufacturing electric motors and lithium-ion batteries in India could also make it easier for the company to reconfigure cars from the local market to run on pure electric power. India could be a major hub for the Renault-Nissan alliance for electric cars as it does not currently have a battery production facility in Asia (it has one each in France, Portugal, the UK and the US). 

Hollywood Tie-Up

A movie tie-up is always a good way to get more eyeballs and Renault may be partnering with Marvel for the upcoming Avengers: Infinity Wars movie to get more people to notice its cars. The tie-up has already resulted in The Hulk featuring in an advertisement for the Renault Kwid in Brazil.

Renault’s Auto Expo lineup is certainly not going to be traditional. It needs more disruptive cars like the Kwid and Captur to make an impact. Expect So, Renault to put on an electrifying show at the 2018 Auto Expo.

While there are high hopes from the recently launched Captur crossover, the Renault Kwid has been single-handedly keeping the company in contention in the very competitive Indian automotive scene. Renault will not be showcasing the new Duster at the Auto Expo 2018. Instead, it plans to wow the crowd with a glimpse of the future.