Renault has uncovered the Kangoo Z.E. Concept, a
show car whose name tells you almost everything you need to know about it. It previews the next-generation
Kangoo compact van expected from 2020, more particularly the Kangoo Z.E.
all-electric version. The styling marks quite a radical
departure from the current model.
The Kangoo Z.E. Concept adopts a sculpted and
dynamic design that Renault likens to the design of an electronic object. The
van study sports a new light signature, with the glass grille revealing a while
light strip that connects the two C-shaped projectors after circling the
rhombus logo.
Not only the front end features the white light, the
sides and the rear also get the strip that crosses the bodywork from the door
handles, along the rails of the sliding doors and all the to the rear emblem,
“piercing through” the LED taillights in the process. Other striking details include
the “Southern Gray” paintwork shared with the EZ-Pro concept car, as well as
green accents on the roof bars and grille. The automaker says this is not
accidental as the green stands for the “Work” petal of the daisy life cycle in
Renault design, in which the show car fits.
Overall, Renault designers did a great job shaping
the Kangoo Z.E. Concept, bringing it closer to passenger cars aesthetically
without compromising its utilitarian nature. Just look at the sculpted flanks,
rounded shouldering, and marked wheel arches; not to mention the smooth finish
applied to the door sills, windows, headlights, door inserts, and grille.
The graphic design of the front and rear shield
grilles is another interesting detail, as it is reminiscent of the radiators of
electronic devices. Unfortunately, Renault doesn’t mention anything about the Kangoo Z.E.
Concept’s powertrain but it should bring significant advancements compared to
the current-generation Kangoo Z.E.
The upcoming Kangoo and Kangoo Z.E. production
models will be built in the MCA plant of Maubeuge, in the north of France.
Renault has pledged to invest € 450 million (US$ 504 million) over five years in
the facility.