Renault has provided a sneak preview of its new concept car, the electric DeZir, ahead of this year’s Paris Motor Show.

Emotional Styling
The French manufacturer says the two-seater coupé is an illustration of the brand’s commitment to more emotional styling, adding that the DeZir provides some 
design clues on the vehicles to trot out 
of the Renault stable over the next 
few years.

The car maker says its design language takes its inspiration from three keywords – simple, sensuous and warm.

Looking at the skin of the vehicle, Renault notes that the front-end design of the DeZir previews the new front-end identity that is poised to become a feature on all of the French manufacturer’s future models.

The gull-wing left- and right-hand doors open in opposite directions, symbolising a Yin and Yang-style harmony.

The one-piece, two-seater front bench-seat aims to provide cocoonlike comfort.

The DeZir is powered by an electric motor mounted in a midrear position to optimise weight distribution over the front and rear wheels.

The vertically mounted 24-kW/h lithium-ion battery is located behind the bench seat and provides the car with a range of 160 km before recharging is required.

Battery cooling is ensured by the air channelled from the front to the back of the car, as well as the flow of air that enters through the lateral scoops concealed behind the aluminium panels on either side of the body.

The basic motor is the same as the unit used for Renault’s production electric cars, although its power and torque have been upgraded to 110 kW and 226 Nm respectively.

Dynamic Performance

In order to optimise range and dynamic performance, Renault’s technical teams have kept the DeZir’s weight to a minimum: its body is made of Kevlar – think bullet-proof vests – while also using a tubular steel frame.

The DeZir is capable of accelerating from rest to 100 km/h in five seconds.

The DeZir’s energy efficiency package also 
includes the recovery of deceleration energy. 
When the car decelerates, kinetic energy is recovered and stored in the battery. 
In the case of the DeZir, this energy can then be employed by the driver to provide a temporary power boost at the moment he or she chooses, using a button located on the steering wheel.

While Renault is gearing up to show the DeZir at the Paris Motor Show, Renault South Africa continues to celebrate much-improved sales after facing a tough decline two to three years ago.

The company recorded a 91% jump in passenger car sales for the first six months of 2010, compared with figures for the corresponding period last year.

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