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    2024 Renault Kwid EV Revealed With New Front, Rear, Interiors – India Bound?

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    2024 Renault Kwid EV – Dacia Spring in EuropeThe exterior and interior updates with new Dacia Spring will make their way on new Renault Kwid EV as well (marketed as City K-ZE)The electric car segment is seeing a rather slower adoption when compared to electric 2W vehicles. This tasks manufacturers to thoroughly investigate the market before making any significant investments. But should Renault bring in the newly updated Dacia Spring as Kwid EV in India?2024 Renault Kwid EV RevealedRenault India is currently a three-vehicle chariot run by Kiger, Triber and Kwid. Renault has seen its glory days when it used to offer Duster. And the company is keen on rejuvenating its portfolio in India along with alliance partner Nissan. But is a small affordable Renault Kwid EV on the cards? We have seen Kiger EV under testing in India already.2024 Renault Kwid EVWe hope it is because the recently updated Dacia Spring EV is a very tempting proposition. Dacia Spring is a badge-engineered Renault City K-ZE (electric version of Kwid sold in India) and is Dacia’s first-ever electric offering. Depending on the market, Dacia has also sold a Cargo version of it called Dacia Spring Cargo.For 2024, Dacia Spring has been thoroughly redesigned with a more sophisticated overall appeal. Definitely more premium than before. For starters, this is not just a facelift. Instead, Dacia has done major revisions to sheet metal too, while overall car is close to its predecessor underneath.New Renault Kwid EV (Dacia Spring) – RearWe can see a new face with new Dacia logo. Sticking to Dacia family DNA, Spring gets similar styling elements as the new Duster. Interesting LED DRL elements flank the new Dacia logo, round projector headlights are housed below, in its bumpers. Bonnet creases and flared wheel arches lend some muscle to this dinky little car.2024 Renault Kwid EVMajor interior upgradeThere is an interesting white grill element around car’s number plate and the charging socket is on the front behind Dacia logo. Rear gets a black plaque with bold DACIA lettering connecting car’s Y-shaped LED tail lights. Same white grill element is present in the rear too. Rear portion looks fuller now as opposed to its predecessor.On the inside, there is an all-new dashboard following a similar design DNA as new Duster. Gone is Kwid’s boring dashboard and in comes a rather appealing and up-market unit with a free-standing 10.1-inch touchscreen touchscreen infotainment taking centre stage. There are Duster-inspired centre AC vents and a brand new auto climate control panel.New Renault Kwid EV (Dacia Spring) – InteriorsContrasting colours, new textures and elements lend an up-market appeal when compared to current Dacia Spring, Renault City K-ZE or Kwid ICE. ADAS features and driver monitoring are in the house owing to European requirements. Powertrain options include a sole 26.8 kWh battery promising a claimed range of more than 220 km on a single charge.Despite being an EV, new Dacia Spring (new Renault Kwid EV) weighs under a tonne. 984 kg to be precise. There are two motor options – a 45 bhp and a 65 bhp unit driving front wheels. Only the latter is capable of 30 kW DC fast charging while former has to make do with 11 kW AC charging. More

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      2023 Renault Kwid Electric Spied – Upcoming Tata Punch EV Rival

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      Renault is developing a battery-powered version of Kwid for many international markets2023 Renault Kwid Electric SpiedLike many other automakers, Renault is planning on venturing into the electric mobility space in many international markets. The company’s new electric car Kwid E-Tech has been touted to cater to the entry-level EV segment in several markets. This model is already on sale in China where it is known as City K-ZE.A test mule of this EV was recently spotted on the streets of Brazil ahead of its official launch in South America. A concept of the fully electric Kwid also made an appearance at the last edition of Auto Expo in 2020. As seen in the recent spy shots, Kwid E-Tech is very similar to its IC engine counterpart with its design based on the facelifted Kwid.2023 Renault Kwid Electric SpiedBarring the closed-off front grille, Kwid E-Tech is more or less similar to the gasoline version of this hatchback. Also, there is no exhaust in the battery-powered vehicle. In fact, the test unit seen in these spy shots resembles the China-spec City K-ZE very closely. Side and rear profiles of the car are exactly identical to the regular Kwid.While there are no confirmed technical details on the Brazilian-spec Kwid EV, reports suggest that it will be equipped with a more powerful electric powertrain than the one offered in Dacia Spring offered in Europe. The latter is also a Kwid-based EV. The European electric hatch is powered by a 26.8 kWh battery pack which returns an output of 44 bhp and 125 Nm of peak torque.2023 Renault Kwid Electric SpiedIt claims a range of 295km on a single charge as per the WLTP cycle. In China, K-ZE is offered with the same battery pack and offers a range of 271km (NEDC cycle).A relatively small battery size aided by a low kerb weight of 970 kg allows the battery unit to be charged at a quick rate. Using a standard 7.4kW wall box AC charger, it takes four hours for the battery to get rejuvenated fully.On the heels of the 2020 Auto Expo, Renault announced that it will be launching Kwid EV in India in the next two years. But that has not happened yet. If the Kwid electric is launched in India, it will rival the likes of upcoming electric cars – Tata Punch EV, Maruti EV, etc.Existing Kwid in IndiaCurrently, Kwid in India is available in four trims namely RXL, RXL (O), RXT and Climber which are priced between Rs Rs 4.49 lakh to Rs 5.83 lakh (ex-showroom). It is offered in two naturally aspirated petrol engine options- a 0.8-litre unit and a 1.0-litre unit. The former produces 53 bhp and 72 Nm of peak torque whereas the latter kicks out 67 bhp and 91 Nm of peak torque.Source More

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      Renault Kwid Electric Crash Tested – Scores 1 Star Safety In Euro NCAP

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      Renault Kwid Electric Crash TestIn October last year, Renault Kwid electric car made its global debut in Europe – As the Dacia Spring EV
      Renault launched their most affordable electric small car under the brand name of their subsidiary Dacia in Europe. Called Dacia Spring, it is available in two trims of Comfort and Comfort Plus. The base Comfort trim costs €10,920 (Rs 9.3 lakh). Top variant is priced at €12,220 (Rs 10.42 lakh) in Germany. These prices are inclusive of govt grant of about €9,500 (Rs 8.16 lakh).
      The Dacia Spring electric is basically the European version of China’s Renault City K-ZE and an electric version of India’s Renault Kwid. It is among the most affordable electric vehicle sold in Europe. Until now, safety rating was not available.
      Renault Kwid Electric Crash Test By Euro NCAP
      Euro NCAP has crash tested the Renault Kwid electric car, and given it a 1 star safety rating. The model that was tested weighed 970 kgs, and came with dual front airbags. It also got side head airbag and side chest airbag – for both the driver as well as front passenger.
      In their comments for adult safety, Euro NCAP stated, “The passenger compartment of the Spring remained stable in the frontal offset test. Readings of several parameters in the dummies’ legs were high, indicating poor protection, and structures in the dashboard presented a risk of injury to occupants of different sizes and to those sitting in different positions.
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      Protection of the driver dummy’s chest was also rated as poor, based on readings of chest compression during the test. The pelvis of the driver was also poorly protected with dummy readings exceeding recommended values. Analysis of the deceleration of the impact trolley during the test, and of the deformation of the barrier afterwards, revealed that the Spring would be a benign crash partner to other vehicles.
      In the full width rigid barrier test, the head of the rear passenger was penalised for the extent to which it moved forward, and protection was rated as poor. Chest protection of both occupants was rated as marginal, based on measurements of compression. In both the side barrier test and the more severe side pole impact, rib compression indicated marginal levels of chest protection, but that of other critical body areas was good.
      The Spring is not equipped with a centre airbag to protect against occupant to occupant injuries in side impacts. Tests on the front seats and head restraints demonstrated good protection against whiplash injures in the event of a rear-end collision.
      Renault Kwid Electric Crash Test
      However, a geometric assessment of the rear seats indicated poor whiplash protection. The Spring has an advanced eCall system which partially fulfilled Euro NCAP’s requirements, and the car has no multi-collision braking system to prevent secondary impacts. The score was penalised for the high forces needed to open the door post-impact.”
      Renault Kwid Electric / Dacia Spring – Specs
      It sports a grey body colour with fluorescent orange accents and gets high ground clearance, faux skid plates and an aggressive bumper design. All LED lights are seen at the front while there is a horizontal strip positioned on the upper section with 4 graphic features built into the bumper. The rear sports 4 full LED lights with double Y effect.
      Dacia states that this Spring Electric will be ideally suited for semi urban, urban use and is directed to both fleet and private buyers. It is positioned under the Dacia Sandero. It measures 3.37meters in length, 1.57m wide, 1.48m tall, and has a 2.4m wheelbase. Ground clearance is at 151mm.
      Both variants are powered by the same battery and motor which delivers 45 Hp and 125 Nm. It has a claimed range of 305 kms in city and 230 kms combined as per WLTP cycle. It does a 0-100 kmph in 19.1 seconds and as a top speed of 125 kmph. Charging via an AC charger is achieved in 4 hours while via a DC fast charger the EV can be charged from 30 to 80 percent in 30 minutes. More

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      2021 Renault Kwid Electric Debuts As Dacia Spring EV – 295 kms Drive Range

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      What will be launched in India as the Renault Kwid electric car, has been globally unveiled as the new Dacia Spring EV today
      2021 Renault Kwid Electric

      The Dacia Spring Electric small car will be launched in Europe through car sharing service first, and retail sales for private customers will begin later in 2021.
      The Dacia Spring, essentially the fully electric European-spec Renault Kwid, has been unveiled at Renault EWays event. The French automaker describes it as the most affordable electric vehicle in the old continent. The micro-crossover is expected to become the best selling Dacia in due course.

      Dacia Spring EV / 2021 Renault Kwid Electric
      The Dacia Spring carries forward the Renault Kwid’s basic design but incorporates sportier elements. The Dacia badge sits on a revised front grille which also houses sleek LED DRls. Faux skid plates, low-mounted headlamps, high ground clearance gives the compact car a crossover appeal.
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      The Dacia Spring EV is presented in the car sharing version at the Renault EWays event. Series production model will be ready for Europe next year. The profile is identical to the India-spec Renault Kwid while the rear fascia receives revised LED taillights and a new bumper with prominent silver skid plates.

      Powertrain
      The Dacia Spring EV is powered by an electric motor which is rated at 33 kW and 125 Nm of torque. The 28.6 kWh battery is claimed to offer 225 km of range as per WLTP driving cycle. As per WLTP City cycle, the vehicle has a claimed range of 295 km.
      Using the Wallbox charger, the battery can be fully charged in 4 hours and 27 minutes. The optional DC fast charging cable will allow you to charge 80% of the battery in 50 minutes using a fast charging column. The car can also be charged using domestic socket.

      Features
      The Dacia Spring EV receives a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 3.5-inch color MID, assisted and camera parking, power windows and remote lock. It also gets LED headlights and 14-inch alloy wheels.

      Launch Timeline
      The Dacia Spring will be available first through car sharing services across Europe from early 2021 with Zity being one of the launch partners. The private customers will be able to book their cars in summer 2021 with deliveries starting in spring 2021. There will also be a cargo version with 800 liters (with a payload capacity of 365 kg) of storage volume for zero emission last mile delivery.

      Coming to India?
      With the popularity of electric vehicles steadily increasing in India, the Renault Kwid EV is likely to be introduced in our market a few months after its European debut. The car will compete with the likes of Mahindra eKUV100, Maruti WagonR EV, new Citroen EV, Tata HBX EV in the domestic market. Expect price to be in the Rs 8-10 lakh range. More

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      Renault Kwid 800cc modified into an Electric Hybrid in Kerala

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      A group of 5 mechanical engineering graduates from Kerala have been working upon modifying a Renault Kwid into a hybrid vehicle
      The group had graduated from Rajagiri School of Engineering back in 2018 and had worked upon converting a Maruti 800 into an electric vehicle (with a range of around 50km). They had displayed the modified vehicle at multiple expos and got appreciation for the same.

      Iype Koshy, a businessman from Trivandrum also came across their previous project and decided to set up a company with the group which now specializes in converting cars into hybrid vehicles and has aspirations to get into Hydrogen and Electric powered cars. The company is known as HyMotiv and their latest project involves the Renault Kwid Hybrid, which is the focus of our story.
      Powertrain
      The highlight of the project happens to be its Hybrid powertrain. The team has retained Kwid’s petrol engine but additionally added electric motors in the rear wheels to make the vehicle an hybrid. So now, the vehicle can run on petrol alone, electric power alone or a combination of both the two.

      The engine produces power like in a conventional Kwid, however the 34 hp motors in the rear wheels help with additional power output for the Kwid. All 4 wheels have been fitted with disc brakes, which help with sufficient braking power to safely maneuver the vehicle.
      The total range of the electric-only powertrain is 150 km. The battery of the project has been sourced from China but the team intends to replace it with an Indian-made battery soon. The motors and controllers have been imported from USA. Overall for the drive, the major traction comes from the electric motors which contributes to around 65% of the power output.
      A synchronizer further helps to balance the speeds between the front and rear wheels of the vehicle. Combined mileage of the powertrain stands at 48 km/l. The team also states that they have installed a pollution reduction mechanism through which they can reduce the emissions by 60% and improve the mileage by 20%. Team claims that they have already filed a patent for the same.

      The battery takes 5 hours for a complete charge via a standard wall mounted charger. On the inside, the car includes an electric motor drive selector on the dashboard. Upon start, the car automatically starts in the ICE mode and then manually needs to shifted to EV-only mode or Hybird mode, as per requirement.
      Additional Tech
      The team has also worked upon a fatigue detection system which includes smart spectacles which can detect closing of driver’s eye lids. The first level alarm includes a vibration in the spectacles while the second level alarm includes a pronounced warning from the speakers. They are also working upon monitoring brain waves to further improve the accuracy of their fatigue detection system.
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      Taking a cue from Global OEMs which have worked upon autonomous driving technology, the team has plans to introduce auto park function which will allow the car to park in a designated spot while taking directions from the mind of the driver remotely. This technology too is under preliminary development stage and it will be interesting to see the final result sometime in the future.
      Overall, the Renault Kwid Hybrid Electric is an impressive attempt at localized modifications, however it is still far away from being commercially viable. However, we are hopeful that in the coming years, similar entrepreneurs can possibly help to change the auto-landscape of the country. More

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      Renault Kwid Electric makes India debut at 2020 Auto Expo

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      Renault Kwid Electric debuts as K-ZE. Renault Kwid based electric small car has made its debut at the Auto Expo 2020. Already launched in China, the new Renault Kwid electric hatchback is expected to be launched in India later this year. It has now been showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo to gauge customer interest. […] More