Entries Tagged 'Renault' ↓

Ending months of uncertainty over their joint project to make an ultra-low-cost car, Bajaj Auto and Renault-Nissan have signed an agreement delineating their roles and fixing 2012 as the year when the car will hit the market.

At an impromptu press conference at the India Economic Summit in New Delhi, Carlos Ghosn, the head of Renault-Nissan, said Bajaj would handle the design, manufacturing and sourcing for the car; Renault-Nissan would look after marketing in India and overseas. “It is much better that we take leadership in marketing and selling of products,” he said.

Interestingly, while most of the talk around small cars since Nano has been about the cost and price, Ghosn has started a buzz around the running cost of the car. “It will be an innovative product,” he said. “The product will be competitive on cost and fuel efficiency. The consumption of oil will be substantially low. It will address both the cost and the running cost.”

Bajaj and Renault-Nissan had announced the formation of a joint venture in May 2008 to develop, produce and market a car code-named ULC.

“Our partnership will continue and we will have a clear definition of who does what. We have no illusion. Our strategy in India is not short-term, but long-term. Renault-Nissan has a 10 per cent share (of the car market) globally. We cannot accept a situation in India where we are just about 1 per cent. We have to adapt to India,” said Ghosn.

The cost to the two companies of the car would be lower than any car produced in the country, Ghosn said. That means the car would be produced at a lower cost than the current Nano, whose price ranges between Rs 1.12-1.85 lakh. However, the price to the consumer of the car may or may not be lesser or greater than the market price to the Nano.

“If current highest mileage of a car is 20 kilometers per litre..then our car is going to do much more than that,” he added.

“Bajaj with 2&3 wheelers is very successful here in the Indian market with its given level of increasing sales and profitability. Renault-Nissan is moving down from a segment of making our four wheelers,” Ghosn said.

Asia, South Africa and Asia would be a part of the exports plan for the ultra-low cost car amongst other targeted emerging markets.

Ghosn said all partnerships in India are ‘going well’ though he has not been able to meet Mahindra& Mahindra officials on his visit here.

source: business-standard.com and mydigitalfc.com

RENAULT AND BIOTHERM PRESENT ZOE Z.E.

THE FIRST 100% ELECTRIC “SPA” CONCEPT CAR

Biotherm, the skin care company in L’Oréal’s Luxury Products division, has joined forces with Renault to develop an all-new 100% electric “spa” concept car, ZOE Z.E.

Aimed at people making daily local trips and looking for a car that brings them health and well-being, ZOE Z.E. concept, with its premium and fully personalizable cabin, is a preview of the Renault production vehicle set for launch in 2012.

ZOE Z.E., ZERO EMISSIONS AND MAXIMUM PEACE OF MIND

ZOE Z.E., a 100% electric, zero-emission city car, is for men and women who want to take care of the environment while taking care of themselves – even behind the wheel.

The roof has been designed as an intelligent protective membrane that insulates against heat and cold,
optimizes climate control, and recovers energy using honeycomb photovoltaic cells. The car features a
shield of polyurethane gel at the front and the back, acting as a second skin that protects vulnerable parts of the body in the event of mild urban impact.

ZOE Z.E. boasts the finest in air filtration and purification technology to fully protect the health of passengers and keep their skin young-looking.

Drivers can “fill up” in one of three ways:

* Standard charge: in 4 to 8 hours, using a recharge socket outside the car
* Fast charge: in 20 minutes, using the same socket at special charge stations
* The exclusive “Quickdrop” system, or rapid battery exchange: in 3 minutes at exchange stations

LEADING-EDGE SCIENTIFIC PARTNERSHIP

Biotherm research teams and Renault engineers and designers have combined their expertise in a
co-innovation partnership.

Since the brand was created in 1952, Biotherm research laboratories have developed in-depth knowledge on the cellular mechanisms of the skin, together with proven scientific know-how in the virtues of aromatherapy.

For more than 110 years, Renault has developed recognized expertise in the design and approval of
equipment for comfort and well-being.

Thus, ZOE Z.E. presents all-new benefits for its occupants:

1. Hydrated skin: The air conditioning system, generally optimized to respect temperature settings, has been entirely redesigned to keep passengers’ skin hydrated. Occupants benefit from intelligent climate control that keeps the air in the cabin from drying out.
2. Pollution protection system: Thanks to a toxicity sensor and cabin-mounted particulate filters that
close air vents if required, ZOE Z.E. passengers travel in a clean atmosphere.
3. Active essential oils function: An electric system diffuses essential oils, exclusive active substances adapted to the needs of the driver: dynamic in the morning, relaxing coming home from work, and awakening vigilance while driving at night. Developed by Biotherm, they transform the cabin into a “spa” cocoon and contribute to passenger vigilance.

The electric vehicle is the breakthrough solution for bringing zero-emission mobility to all. It has
already received worldwide political support, in the shape of tax breaks on CO2 emissions and the
development of infrastructures necessary for electric mobility. As early as 2011, Renault will
launch volume production of a range of electric vehicles accessible to all.

Bajaj Auto is yet to freeze plans on its proposed ultra low-cost car that the company plans to build in partnership with French auto
major Renault and Japan’s Nissan.

The Pune-headquartered two-wheeler major, for whom this would be the first swipe at the car industry, will consider a techno-economic feasibility report for the proposed budget-price passenger car along with the other two partners before deciding the future course of action on the project.

“The techno-economic feasibility for the passenger 4-wheeler will be evaluated by Bajaj-Renault-Nissan for a final decision, leading to firming up of the co-operation parameters among partners and a suitable JV agreement,” according to the company.

Bajaj managing director Rajiv Bajaj did not elaborate further on the project even as some senior company officials said work on it was on and something can be expected over the next few months. While the proposed car is being seen as a close rival to Tata’s Nano, with Renault boss Carlos Ghosn speaking of a targeted price point around $2500. Rajiv Bajaj has all along maintained that the car’s unique selling proposition will not be its price, but its extremely-high fuel efficiency. It is understood that the car’s design, originally done by Renault, has not been found to be adequate, prompting the companies to go for a redesign.

“We are going back to the drawing board to have a rethink on the design,” an official from Bajaj’s foreign partners said, without wanting to be named. The official said the companies were firming up the various specifications for the car as they go about giving a new shape to it.

Another problem area for the project can be the global slowdown. The difficult times even forced Renault to go slow on its own independent car manufacturing plans in India as it decided to defer investment at Chennai where it is building a car plant along with group company Nissan. Thus, there could be reluctance from the company’s side in making big investments on any new project, the analysts sa

Source :Indiatimes.com

French car maker Renault SA (RNO.FR) and its Japanese alliance partner Nissan Motor Co. (7201.TO) Monday said they plan to build two factories in the U.K. and Portugal to produce lithium-ion batteries for future models of electric vehicles.

The announcement is in line with the stated ambition of the alliance to become the leading volume producer of zero-emission vehicles in the next decade. Nissan will start offering electric vehicles in the U.S. and Japan in 2011 and the alliance plans to start mass-marketing electrical vehicles in 2011.

Electric vehicle production is in its infancy at present, but the alliance reckons that by 2020 electric vehicles will represent between 10% and 15% of the overall European market, or about one million vehicles.

The U.K. plant will be located at Sunderland, north-east England, where Nissan already has a vehicle assembly plant. A decision on the location of the Portuguese facility is pending.

The alliance is investing EUR250 million in the Portuguese plant, which will create 200 jobs, according to a statement. No figure for the Sunderland investment was given, but the project will create up to 350 jobs directly and hundreds more at upstream suppliers, according to a Nissan press release.

It quoted U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown as saying that Sunderland, “could now be a strong contender to produce electric vehicles for Nissan in Europe, and we will continue to work with Nissan to ensure this happens.”

The Renault-Nissan alliance is negotiating grants and loan guarantees totalling EUR200 million from the U.K. government to help finance the project.

Each plant will produce 60,000 batteries annually.

Continue reading →

Source: Autoplus Magazine

French car maker Renault (RNL.F) and Japan’s Nissan (7201.T) wil supply electric vehicles to Ireland within two years, the country’s Energy Minister said on Friday, according to Reuters.

The country wants 10% of all vehicles on its roads to be electric by 2020. That would be roughly 230,000 electric vehicles.

“Today’s initiative will transform our streets, will cut carbon emissions and change the face of transport in Ireland,” Minister Eamon Ryan said.

Ryan said the country is seeking similar agreements with other electric vehicle makers.

Renault and Nissan in addition to building their own electric vehicles have an alliance through which the they share electric vehicle technology and collaborate on infrastructure development for charging networks.

Last month, Ireland announced a long-term feed-in tariff program for renewable energy that officials hope will drive quick investment in clean energy projects and job creation.

Sketches of the the Samsung eMX concept have surfaced ahead of its April debut at the Seoul Motor Show. Produced by Renault-Samsung Motors, the concept is a preemptive look at what the 2010 Samsung SM3 sedan might look like. The concept is said to have been developed by over 400 Renault-Samsung engineers from France, Japan, and South Korea.

And yes, that is the same Samsung as the electronics company. The firm’s automotive division was created in the mid-90s, with Renault purchasing 70% of the division in 2000 after Asia’s late 1990s financial crisis hit South Korea. Renault now owns about 80% of the venture.

The company has yet to release more technical detail but we have learned that the eMX concept uses Nissans compact car platform as a base. It also features a modern 2.0L turbo engine and a plethora of advanced safety and eco-friendly technologies.

NEW RENAULT CLIO
THE NEW BENCHMARK

* New Renault Clio opens a new chapter in the Clio saga which began in 1990 and which has since seen the model go from strength to strength.
* New Renault Clio stands out as a versatile, balanced package which carries over the same qualities that saw Clio III take the ‘Car of the Year ‘ award in 2006, namely benchmark cabin space, safety, comfort and roadholding, as well as the same rigorous build quality that has made it one of its segment’s most reliable models.
* Renault’s new compact hatchback features:
o renewed styling which incorporates the same dynamic cues as those which have become the hallmarks of New Renault Mégane’s front end,
o a new GT version, enabling Renault Clio customers to sample the world of sporty motoring. New Renault Clio GT boasts racy looks and ‘fun to drive’ handling.
o Carminat TomTom, the first fully integrated and affordable GPS navigation solution. Renault’s latest navigation solution has been co-developed with TomTom and will be dual branded. The navigation solution, easily updateable on the internet, has a large colour screen, and will include traffic and speed limit information, as well as safety camera locations, at a price of less than €500.
* The motoring public will get a chance to take a closer look at New Renault Clio at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show.

A compact hatchback which reinforces Clio’s family ties with New Renault Mégane

New Renault Clio sits squarely on the road and boasts more streamlined styling, with the lines of the headlamp modules now extending down to the lateral upturns of the front air intake. Indeed, the broad air intake in the lower part of the front bumper sets off the dynamic frontal styling which are also suggested by the presence of gloss black protective mouldings. The revised design of the rear lights prolongs the waist line across the hatch, while the uncluttered approach to the design of the central part of the rear bumper further emphasizes New Renault Clio’s dynamic stance. The reversing lights and foglamps are positioned low down and to the extreme right and left of the bumper.

Continue reading →

Source : Autoweek.nl