The new
Renault Kwid E-Tech
is the exception to the rule among electric cars.
A few days ago in
Clarín
we tested the Porsche Taycan 4S, the most evolved electric car available in the country.
At the other extreme is this product from the French brand.
Manufacturers have taken pains to differentiate their electric range from their combustion models.
They have sought to ensure that the aesthetics send the message of a car with a different technology.
And that deepens in the cabin, where digitalization is the norm.
All of this makes an electric vehicle more expensive.
But
the French company's model does not go there
.
This is the first in a series of launches that the rhombus brand announced for our market and that also includes the Megane E-Tech and the Kangoo E-Tech, both models that will begin to be sold this year in Argentina.
There are many differences that the Kwid E-Tech has with other electric cars, but the one that draws the most attention is the price, since it
costs less than a third of the second most affordable battery-powered model
sold here.
Let it be noted that it is economical
The Renault Kwid E-Tech does not change the proportions of the combustion engine model.
The first big difference that this Renault model has with others is that
it was not developed as an exclusively electric vehicle
.
Many will remember that the Kwid was sold between 2017 and 2021 in Argentina, but with a gasoline engine.
That structure is basically the same one used for this new E-Tech version.
However, this Kwid looks a little different from the one we met here.
It is especially noticeable in the nose, with more stylized headlights and a different grille.
That change came after the model was no longer offered in Argentina.
What is exclusive to the E-Tech is that the grill is a solid piece, without ventilation grilles, since it does not require that type of cooling because it is electric.
The interior of the Renault Kwid E-Tech is almost identical to that of the model that was sold between 2017 and 2021.
But at its core it's basically the same car.
The dimensions and proportions are the same, so it is very unlikely that anyone can recognize this model as electric.
Furthermore, the E-Tech inscriptions on the sides and E-Kwid on the tailgate rather than clarifying, they end up confusing.
Inside, it is almost identical to the Kwid that was previously known here and
it has little or nothing digital
.
Another big difference compared to other electric models.
It didn't lose the economical car impression it had in the past.
The interior coverings are almost all rigid plastics but it should be noted that they show assemblies with good fit.
The dashboard of the Renault Kwid E-Tech is quite simple and with just the right information.
While other latest generation electric models exhibit digital cabins, where everything (or almost everything) is controlled from one or more touch screens, in the Kwid
most of the commands are analog
.
The space inside reflects its tight exterior measurements, but what is most noticeable is that it is a narrow model.
That is why it is only recommended for four adults, who, in any case, will feel very close to the occupant who comes next to them.
Even in the front seats.
The driving position offers few options: there is no steering column adjustment and the seat only allows longitudinal and backrest inclination adjustments.
The Renault Kwid E-Tech gear selector does not have a "Parking" function.
The instrument panel is not analog but it is not a high-quality configurable display either.
Most of the indicators are displayed with lights and printed references and the only hint of digitization is a small achromatic screen showing the remaining battery charge, the speedometer or the on-board computer.
What does it bring and how does it go?
What the technical sheet says is that this Kwid E-Tech
is manufactured in China
and has a 48 kW motor (a power of 65 horsepower) and 113 Nm of torque, associated with a 27 kWh battery that can be charged up to a home plug and allows a range of 298 kilometers in the urban cycle.
This electric variant is almost exclusively for moving around the city and surrounding areas.
It is in urban environments where its agility is displayed.
It moves quickly and its compact size allows you to move with precision
in traffic.
To "start" the Renault Kwid E-Tech you have to turn the key as in a car with a combustion engine.
Its immediate torque makes it fast in games and in speed recoveries in medium and low ranges.
The steering is extremely light and its turning radius is probably the shortest on the market.
But on the road the story is different.
It is a car that accelerates optimally up to 70 km/h.
From there everything costs him much more and he accuses him.
For example,
0 to 50 km/h goes in just over 4 seconds
.
But to reach 100 km/h you have to add 10 seconds.
The maximum speed is limited to 130 km/h and if the ECO function is used, something recommended to maximize energy, the limit is 100 km/h, unless the accelerator is pressed all the way down.
Most of the controls on the Renault Kwid E-Tech are analogue.
The ECO function is also the one that uses energy recovery
through regenerative braking
, but it is far from being as powerful as in other electric models.
In any case, this is the way in which the battery is best squeezed and with which the greatest possible autonomy can be achieved, which in our case was
200 kilometers
(the approval values are obtained in laboratories, impossible to replicate. in normal use).
The battery has a capacity of 27 kWh and its maximum recharging capacity is 30 kW.
That means that on a 22 kW charger, it will take an hour and a half to complete.
The Kwid E-Tech is the first of three electric models that Renault will present this year in the country.
The location of that battery is almost like that of any electric car, under the floor, and that helps lower the center of gravity.
You feel it with a little more poise but retains the body oscillations.
The country's tax labyrinth makes the Kwid E-Tech cost
$27,880,000
, less than a third of the second cheapest electric car (the Nissan Leaf, with a list price of $101,718,200), but double what it would be worth a combustion version.
As a curious fact, one Porsche Taycan 4S is equivalent to 17 units of the Kwid E-Tech.
It is clear that there is still a lot of progress to be made in our market in terms of electromobility, but the arrival of an "economic" model is an important step.
Data sheet
Length3,680 mm
Width1,759 mm
Height1,481 mm
Wheelbase2,423 mm
Front/rear track 1,385/1,365 mm
Weight977 kg
Battery weight 188 kg
Trunk290 dm3
Electric motor
Power65 HP - 48 kW
Torque113 Nm
Automatic transmission
Battery27 kWh
Fast charging 30kW40 minutes (15-80%)
22kW wall charger90 minutes (15-80%)
7kW wall charger174 minutes (15-80%)
Maximum speed 130 km/h
Accel.
0-50 km/h4.1 seconds
Accel.
0-100 km/h14.6 seconds
Autonomy200 km
equipment
Front, side and curtain airbags
Stability control
Hill Start Assist
Tire pressure check
rear view camera
rear parking sensor
Multimedia system with 7” screen
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
Air-conditioning
Electric power steering
14” wheels