A zero-emission delivery van - Renault Kangoo
The choice of zero-emission delivery vans is still very limited. The market is shared by two vehicles from the Renault-Nissan Alliance: the Nissan e-NV200 and the Renault Kangoo. What impression does the French van with the diamond on its bonnet make?
Cab, regenerative braking and load space
Your first impression when you get behind the wheel is a shock. The van has kept a traditional instrument cluster; only the colours of the dials have changed. You seem to be looking at... a rev counter and a fuel gauge. In reality, the first shows the battery's state of charge and the second the instantaneous power draw. Unfortunately, the power gauge is scaled in such a way that you can't enjoy the moments when the van is recovering energy. The needle never enters a green zone or crosses a visual line separating losses from gains, energy recovery from consumption. On the other hand, you have to appreciate the attention to cost and the use of existing components without unnecessary investment. After all, we are talking about a delivery van.
With the large door open, getting into the driver's seat is no problem, and the driving position itself is comfortable, with very good visibility, even though this is a panel van. Large mirrors and a reversing camera help with manoeuvring.
When you pull away, you are surprised by the very high level of regenerative braking. I have never come across an energy recovery system calibrated like this. The van slows down as if you were pressing the brake pedal quite hard.
The vehicle's practicality remains at a very high level. The split rear doors open wide and make it easy to reach the load area, and the floor is flat. Depending on the version, you can carry from 3.5 m3 to 4.6 m3 of goods, and the payload is 650 kg.
Charging and a 270 km range
Charging the battery pack is no trouble at all. Once again I used one of Greenway's chargers. The cleverly hidden charging port, behind the large brand logo at the front of the bonnet, makes it easy to plug in the cable. What is missing is an external charge-level indicator, like the one on the LEAF, where a few LEDs let you see what stage of charging the car has reached. The manufacturer states that under the NEDC homologation procedure a fully charged battery gives a range of 270 km.
As befits an electric vehicle, there are several charging options. The Renault's battery can be charged from a standard 230V household socket, in which case a completely flat battery will be full in 17 hours. With a wallbox and a 7 kW charger, you cut the charging time to 6 hours. According to announcements, soon, in 2019, 29 charging stations will be built at all Makro stores in Poland. It is a joint project of the store chain and the company Rawicom. You plug the van into the charger, and when you have finished your shopping you can count on about 50 km of extra range. Charging can also be scheduled, which is worth using, because then, depending on your preferences, charging can start when you are on a cheaper tariff.
Battery warranty, battery rental and motor
The batteries are covered by a five-year warranty or up to a maximum of 100,000 km (whichever comes first). The company will take action if the charge capacity drops below 66% of the original capacity.
Renault offers the option of buying the vehicle and renting the battery. This option reduces the purchase cost of the van and makes everyday life simpler. The rental fee can be set flexibly according to your annual mileage. Regardless of the length of the contract, with a declared annual mileage of 7,500 km you pay less than 300 złoty net a month. For every additional 2,500 km a year you pay just over 30 złoty net extra.
The 60 hp motor allows a top speed of 130 km/h, but we advise against travelling that fast, because energy consumption is then very high due to air resistance.
Test summary
To sum up, the van has all the attributes of an electric vehicle: it is silent, environmentally friendly and cheap to run. It is also practical and easy to handle. It is ideal for night-time deliveries in densely populated areas, such as historic old town centres. It would also work very well as a vehicle serving institutions where quiet is valued, such as hospitals, care homes and sanatoriums.
