The Renault Kangoo Van E-Tech is no longer going it alone. The VP version, understand dedicated to individuals, inherits in turn an electric motor. What’s new for the rival Peugeot e-Rifter, Opel Combo e-Life and Citroën ë-Berlingo combispace? Owner’s tour in pictures.
The small world of light utility vehicles (LCVs) and MPVs is electrifying at breakneck speed. The third generation of the Renault Kangoo is no exception. After the van, last spring, the electricity fairy has just looked into the cradle of the version reserved for individuals. What are the novelties brought to the combispace compared to the thermal model? The argus offers you a tour of the owner on the sidelines of the Paris Motor Show, where the vehicle will be officially revealed.
TO READ. All the news from the 2022 Paris Motor Show
Discreet exterior changes
Externally, the changes are almost invisible on the Kangoo E-Tech Electric. Renault has only retouched the grille, affixed badges E-Tech on the bodywork and added a new Sodalite blue color to the catalogue. To say how much the manufacturer has limited costs: the fuel door still exists on the right rear side. It was just sealed.
As with all the manufacturer’s other electric models, the charging socket is housed at the front, behind the diamond. Three trim levels are offered: Authentic, Balance and Techno. As standard, the Kangoo receives 16-inch steel rims. They are adorned with rim-like hubcaps on the upper level. 17-inch aluminum rims equip the most chic finish. The latter receives in addition roof bars that can be transformed into a gallery. An ingenious device that requires no tools, unlike its equivalent at Dacia.
A raised and sliding rear seat
Access to the Kangoo’s front seats is facilitated by doors that open to 90°. At the rear, the combispace still benefits from two sliding doors. The opening width reaches 615 mm. Compared to the petrol or diesel models, the electric version requires you to raise your leg more and bend your spine to take a seat on the bench seat. The reason ? The presence of the 45 kWh battery (CATL) under the floor, which forced the engineers to raise the latter by 10 cm.
Parents and children will find it useful. The former will have easier access to car seats, and the latter will dominate the road more. Another new feature of this Kangoo E-Tech Electric: its 14 cm sliding seat. What to play on the habitability or the volume of trunk according to the needs. Renault also wanted to improve the thermal comfort of rear passengers by adding air vents under the front seats and in the extension of the central console.
Improved equipment and quality of finish
Aviation tablets are still offered to enhance the trips of the youngest. Many storage spaces have been integrated, particularly at roof level, for a total of 49 l. Like that of the Captur, the glove box takes the form of a sliding drawer. The Kangoo has taken care of its finishes, and its materials have a rather flattering rendering.
All versions receive a 10-inch screen in the middle of the dashboard. It is the same as that of Captur and Arkana. The multimedia system offers a route planning service based on the vehicle’s range and the charging stations available nearby. Counters can be digital, but only on versions equipped with the driving assistant on the highway. The Kangoo E-Tech Electric receives a slew of driving aids (fourteen in total) and can boast of offering a level 2 “autonomous driving” function.
120 hp and 285 km range
Unlike the engine of the Opel Combo e-Life, Peugeot e-Rifter and Citroën ë-Berlingo, which delivers up to 100 kW (136 hp) and 260 Nm of torque in Sport mode, the Kangoo’s electric unit only develops 90 kW (120 hp) and 245 Nm. A few watts (and newton-metres) less which… promote autonomy! Thus, despite a somewhat smaller battery, the Kangoo outperforms its competitors by 5 km. It would be able to travel 285 km in the mixed cycle or 430 km in urban mode, specifies Renault. This will not fail to be checked by our testing department.
It is possible to optimize the vehicle’s electrical consumption with the Eco driving mode. This limits the power to 56 kW (75 hp) and the maximum speed to 110 km/h. Perfect in town. Brake mode allows you to take advantage of more pronounced braking, without, however, bringing the vehicle to a complete stop.
Two chargers are offered: one of 11 kW (AC), the other optional of 22 kW (AC) combined with one of 80 kW (DC). With the latter, the MPV could recover 170 km in just 30 minutes (compared to 3:50 for the first) on a fast terminal. If you opt for this charger, Renault incorporates a liquid cooling system and electrical resistance to optimize battery charging according to the outside temperature. Still with a view to improving performance, the Kangoo EV is fitted with a heat pump as standard. Heated seats, steering wheel and windshield are available as options.
| Kangoo E-Tech Electric | Peugeot e-Rifter | Opel Combo e-Life | Citroën e-Berlingo |
|
| Powerful | 90kW (120hp) | 100 kW (136 hp) |
| Couple | 245Nm | 260Nm |
| Battery (usable capacity) | 45 kWh | 46.2kWh |
| Battery warranty | 8 years or 160,000 km* | 8 years – 160,000 km |
| Autonomy (mixed WLTP) | 285km | 273 to 282km |
| On-board chargers | 11kW (AC)** | 7.4kW*** (AC) – 100kW (DC) |
* Renault replaces for free battery if its capacity falls below 70% of its nominal value (SoH).
** optional: 22 kW AC combined with an 80 kW DC charger
*** optional: 11 kW charger
An XXL chest
The Kangoo is the ultimate family vehicle. With its 4.48 m long, the combispace acts as a giant against its competitors (+ 8 cm). Generous dimensions that allow it to position itself as a reference from a trunk volume point of view. Loading capacity fluctuates between 850 and 2,500 l (under the shelf), once the 2/3-1/3 bench seat has been folded down. Access to the hold is by choice, by means of:
- a tailgate: heavy and bulky, but ideal for protecting yourself from the rain during a picnic;
- two utilitarian-style swing doors: less glamorous, we grant you!
| Kangoo E-Tech Electric | Peugeot e-Rifter Opel Combo e-Life Citroën e-Berlingo |
|
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 4.48 x 2.16* x 1.84m | 4.40 x 1.92 x 1.88m |
| Trunk volume | 850 and 2,500 l (under shelf) | 775 to 3,000 liters |
* 1.86 m with mirrors folded down
The electric Kangoo III, at what price?
Renault has not yet announced the price of the electric Kangoo E-Tech. The order book should open on October 17, simultaneously with the opening of the doors of the 89e edition of the Mondial de Paris, where he will make his first appearance. Deliveries will begin in early 2023.
Conclusion: an attractive Kangoo E-Tech Electric but…
The third generation of the Kangoo, developed on the CMF-CD platform, has serious advantages. It combines tips to make life easier for occupants with modernized technologies to enhance travel. In addition, the recreational vehicle ” made in Maubeuge is visually upscaled. However, this electric motor is sorely lacking in autonomy to meet the needs of a family in search of escape.
Renault concedes: this vehicle will be more intended for local authorities… while waiting for a variant capable of covering more kilometers. This could point the end of its grille by 2025-2026 with, in its chassis, the new N-Vision batteries that the manufacturer initially reserves for the R4-R5 duo. Until then, new electric versions of the Kangoo will be launched: the seven-seater in 2024 and, in the process, the Kangoo SpaceNomad (leisure van).
