Inaugurated on the Austral SUV, Renault’s new 200 hp non-rechargeable hybrid engine still has a weakness. That the Losange will try to solve in the near future.
- Francois Lemaur
With its Zoé launched in 2010, we can say that Renault jumped on the electric bandwagon fairly early on. If this advance did not lead to more “zero emission” models before the Mégane E-Tech – that was not the objective –, it has at least made it possible to acquire a great experience in the field in order to optimize the design and the efficiency of the descendants of the Zoé. On the other hand, the Losange had to work hard to update itself on the hybrid. And to do this, has designed a unique traction chain consisting of a 4-cylinder atmospheric 1.6 and associated with one (non-rechargeable) or two (rechargeable) electric motors.
All set to music by a gearbox without clutch or synchro but with dogs and which has 4 gears for thermal and 2 for electric. Result, no Toyota-style skidding and sobriety on the agenda for the Clio, Captur or Arkana. Malignant, this technology is however not without flaws. There are a few jerks to acceleration, especially when the box has to downshift both for the heat engine and for the electric.. A downside pointed out several times but which does not really seem to be resolvable.
Several engine updates?
However, it is also this solution that Renault has chosen for its new non-rechargeable hybrid engine offered on the Austral. Instead of the 4-cylinder 1.6, a 3-cylinder 1.2 with variable geometry turbo and two electric motors. With 200 hp at first, this chain will then be available in 160 hp on the SUV, as well as on other medium or large models, the Clio, Captur and Arkana retaining their own hybridization. But the famous claw gearbox remains. On the Austral E-Tech 200, we therefore find the same defects in mechanical approvals as before, namely these acceleration holes around 70 or 80 km/h when it is necessary to overtake. Here once more, Renault ensures that it is working to improve this defect by pushing the electric motor harder during acceleration in order to avoid downshifting to 1st electric gear. This first update should be available very soon and might not be the only one. Will there really be anything new? Nothing is less sure. Note, finally, that the current micro-hybrid 130 and 160 hp escape this pitfall.
To read also: complete test of the new Renault Austral
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