Renault Scenic Vision previews future electric SUV and hydrogen powertrain

PARIS -- Renault’s Scenic Vision concept previews both the automaker’s upcoming compact electric SUV, and a future hybrid powertrain that combines hydrogen fuel cells and lithium ion batteries.

The Scenic concept, shown in Paris on Thursday, also showcases Renault’s sustainability efforts, with a range of environmentally friendly features that include 70 percent recycled materials.

A production version of the Scenic is expected to be launched by 2024, following the debut this year of the Megane E-Tech Electric compact car.

"It's anticipating what the Scenic will be," Renault CEO Luca de Meo said Thursday at the concept's official reveal here. "It's the future of Renault production cars."

The Scenic concept is 4490 mm long, with a 2835 mm wheelbase, and rides on 21-inch wheels. It is powered by Renault’s 160-kilowatt electric motor driving the rear wheels; charge comes from a 40-kilowatt-hour battery and a 16-kW fuel cell stack. A small hydrogen tank rides in the front compartment.

Range would be 800 km, Renault said, with hydrogen refueling taking about five minutes.

Renault said the hybrid powertrain gives it a 75 percent smaller carbon footprint than a battery-electric vehicle, as it has a smaller battery and could use so-called green hydrogen, extracted with renewable energy such as solar and wind.

The battery is planned to be two times lighter than one for a comparable full-electric vehicle, Renault said. 

Hydrogen fuel cell powertrains remain in their infancy for road transport. Renault and Stellantis are starting to produce hybrid hydrogen-battery commercial vans, while Toyota and Hyundai have put fuel cell cars on the road, but in very limited numbers.

Most fuel cell players predict that heavy trucks and commercial vans will be the first mass applications of the technology, with the fueling infrastructure barely developed in Europe.

However, pickups and SUVs could also benefit from the technology, because adding enough battery power to enable towing, off-road use or long trips fully loaded could mean unacceptable cost and weight. 

“There are several advantages to this platform and this new kind of propulsion system. You can drive long distances only stopping briefly to fill the hydrogen tank (roughly every three hours) and they provide an appealing alternative to all-electric motors -- even though they are still in the exploratory phase,” Renault said.

Renault said the car's exterior design “reflects the shape and style of a new family model that will hit the market in 2024.” Short overhangs and a long wheelbase maximize interior space, while the silhouette “expresses strength and movement.” 

The Scenic Vision’s interior design optimizes entry and exit, with clamshell doors, and seats that automatically move back before front seat passengers get in the car. 

Passengers have a total of 10 configurable widget screens throughout the cockpit that are dedicated to different functions. Cameras monitor the passengers’ vision, and move the screens accordingly to improve ergonomics.

Other interior features include a yoke-style steering wheel and “cocoon” airbags in the seats that reduce the mass of the dashboard.