7 months ago
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18 September 2024 - 17:30
Estafette hints to a silent, spacious prospect for the logistics market.
Image: Supplied
The agility of a Clio, the length of a Kangoo and load capacity of a Trafic.
That is how Renault is punting its Estafette concept, an electric vehicle which lays a blueprint for a future commercial product.
“E-commerce has kickstarted exponential growth in freight transport, traffic restrictions in city centres are tightening and delivery professionals, tradespeople and retailers are realising heir needs will soon outgrow conventional vans,” the company said.
The Estafette, it claimed, is an offering that could revolutionise logistics. The original 1959 Estafette was the first Renault brand vehicle to fit the entire powertrain – engine and transmission – at the front to free all the space behind for loading.
The new Estafette 4.0 is the first to feature the FlexEVan electric platform. It has a footprint of 4.87m x 1.92m (roughly the same as the Kangoo) and is able to fit in a standard parking spot. The turning circle, at just over 10m, is on par with the Clio.
Connected technology learns operator's habits and makes adjustments for greater efficiency.
Image: Supplied
Height is 2.59m, which enables the driver to move back and forth between the cockpit and cargo area without having to crouch. Its loading compartment is a whopping 7,100l, close to matching the Trafic’s. Renault claimed the one-motion sliding doors will save time during deliveries in addition to being kinder to drivers’ wrists.
The shutter at the rear rolls around itself, opening up the van’s full height. The absence of a tailgate or swing-out doors means not having to worry about leaving clearance space when reversing into a parking. Trying to break from the monotony of appliance-like vans in white, the concept has a tropical yellow roof over a helium grey cabin.
Apparently the two-tone combination also helps to disguise the towering height of the model. A commanding grille bar protrudes from the otherwise soft contours of the prow, beneath the windscreen base. The backlit Renault Nouvel’R logo is distinctly reflected in the new signature LED pattern forming large vertical fragments of the logo at the ends of the bar.
To provide the driver with a panoramic view of the urban surroundings, the gigantic windscreen wraps around the side, connecting to two strikingly ample windows forming a triptych.
Height of 2.59m allows driver to move back and forth between the cockpit and cargo area.
Image: Supplied
The cockpit is finished in yellow and has a single seat for the driver (the foldaway seat next to it is exclusively for training). The seat is on a platform and can be swiveled. A platform underneath has seven drawers. The cabin has a seven-inch screen displaying dashboard information and a 12-inch screen towards the middle, facing the driver.
The multimedia system’s open technology can run software applications developed specifically for the trades using the vehicle. Two 10-inch vertical screens at the end of the dashboard display the rear views from the outside cameras. The concept is Renault’s first vehicle built around an software-defined vehicle (SDV) electronic architecture.
The firm said this will open the door to a new generation of EV utility models which will be connected, scalable and modular. The architecture was developed by Ampere, Renault’s pure-player specialist in EV models.
Rear shutter rolls around itself, opening up to the van’s full height.
Image: Supplied
It is directly connected to the cloud, promising an essential role in increasing the vehicle’s operational and cost efficiency. It links customers to new services, updates the vehicle throughout its life cycle, learns about the user’s habits and contributes to reducing cost in use by a purported 30%.
SDV architecture also turns a vehicle’s electric and electronic wiring into a smart system, including high-performance computers and new connected devices, which in turn instantly supply the van’s computers with massive amounts of data.
Expect the Estafette to go into production in the next two years.
