Renault has decided to throw a lot of money at plug-in hybrid cars, as the French believe that hybrids are the best solution.
Renault has a clear strategy for the transition to electric vehicles, and hybrid vehicles play a central role in this process. Unlike many other automakers who are increasingly investing in plug-in hybrids, Renault focuses on traditional hybrid vehicles.
Fabrice Cambolive, Renault's CEO, explains that the choice of hybrid cars is due to their ease of use and optimal use of space.
He says this in an interview with Autocar .
A few years ago, it was more unclear which type of hybrid technology would dominate the market. But today, the French believe that plug-in hybrid cars are the natural choice.
Renault's only plug-in hybrid model is the top-of-the-line Rafale E-Tech with all-wheel drive, and there are no plans for more of its kind. The model combines a 1.2-liter gasoline engine with three electric motors and a 22 kWh battery pack, giving an electric range of up to 106 km.
Although the Rafale is a plug-in hybrid, it also functions as a regular hybrid car when the battery is discharged.
Cambolive highlights the high efficiency in urban areas, the maximum range of 965 km and the extra engine power and acceleration as the biggest advantages of the hybrid car.
Despite the benefits of plug-in hybrids, Renault has no plans to extend the technology to the rest of its model range. The Rafale remains the only model with this complex powertrain.
It's unusual for a car manufacturer to invest in a custom-built engine for a single model, but Cambolive explains that it makes sense in terms of money, as the Rafale is already offered as a regular hybrid car.
However, Renault's focus on hybrid cars does not mean that they have launched their last car with a combustion engine.
Cambolive emphasizes that it depends on the market. In some countries there is still a high demand for gasoline and diesel cars. But in the short term, Renault will focus on hybrid cars and electric cars.
Cambolive points out that hybrid cars in the B-segment are becoming more attractive as batteries become cheaper, taxes on petrol and diesel cars increase, and used prices of hybrid cars improve. Whether this is to the advantage of the buyer or the seller, the Renault boss did not elaborate.
