Renault Emblem: the obvious complementarity of fuel cells and batteries
The Paris Motor Show will be a showcase for Renault. The group will put on display electric versions of the R5 and R4. Renault, which plans to exhibit hydrogen-powered vehicles, has also chosen this technology for its flagship brand.
Will the range extender make a come back?
Using a fuel cell as a range extender for an electric vehicle is not exactly a brand new idea. Renault applied it for years with the Kangoo H2, using the Symbio fuel cell in its early days. And Volvo planned on doing so for a while too. Equipment manufacturers, whom we regularly meet at Shows and talk to, have already told us that combining batteries and fuel cells was an ideal option. And they believe that this kind of solution will become increasingly popular before the end of the decade.
While H2 bashing is becoming more and more widespread, and that some people proclaim that the battery will do everything, Renault has taken it upon itself to show that another way exists. The Emblem concept is in fact a global response. Instead of taking on board a large trunk loaded with electrons, the size of the battery is limited to 40 kWh (a reasonable size according to Ademe*). It is therefore combined with a 30 kW fuel cell, powered by 2.8 kg of hydrogen. This choice caps the vehicle’s weight to 1,750 kg, with a low centre of gravity and an ideal weight distribution to promote performance and efficiency.
An additional 350 km in hydrogen mode
In this configuration, the Emblem can travel up to 300 km on its battery (the same as on the low-end model of the Mégane e-Tech). And hydrogen provides an extra 350 km of range on long journeys. This will prove to be very useful on motorways, where the battery admits its weaknesses. The solution could make sense in a few years’ time, when hydrogen refuelling stations become more widespread. On a symbolic level, it should be highlighted that Ampere (the Renault entity in charge of electric vehicles and software) is not limiting to the battery alone.
The right mix between batteries and fuel cells is a question of use cases. With the Emblem, Renault favours urban or suburban driving with the battery. While with the new Master H2 Tech, which Hyvia will also be exhibiting at the Paris Motor Show, the choice has been made to focus on the 47 kW fuel cell as the main component, with a 20 kWh battery.
*The French Agency for Ecological Transition
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Article written by Laurent Meillaud and translated by Logan King
