Renault EOLAB Concept Gulps Less Fuel, Pumps Out Less Gas

They say that execution is key, but everything always starts with a concept. That is most especially true with cars, where future models and features begin in concept cars. One such automobile is the newly unveiled Renault EOLAB concept, which boasts of requiring less fuel, just 1 liter to last it 100 km in fact.

Renault managed such a feat through a thorough and comprehensive diet program. For the car at least. Each and every part of the EOLAB, from the smallest plastic trim pieces to the entire car design has been rethought and reworked to shed off unnecessary weight. For example, there are only three doors in the EOLAB, one on the driver's side and two opposite it. Some materials have been substituted, like using magnesium instead of steel for the roof. All in all, the EOLAB manages to shed off as much as 400 kg compared to a Renault Clio of the same size. The less mass there is, the less power needed to push the car forward.

That power comes from a hybrid engine that combines a three cylinder 1 liter 75 hp engine with a 40 kW motor and a 6.7 kWh lithium-ion battery. As mentioned, it is capable of a driving distance of 100 km per 1 liter of fuel, with speeds up to 120 km/h. Two driving modes are available that try to balance out electric and engine power. Weekday mode uses all-electric engine for the first gear up to 65 km/h and all-electric second gear for up to 120 km/h, with the gas engine kicking in for anything beyond that. Weekend mode switches to gas at lower speeds but tries to balance out the two as much as it can.

Concept cars aren't just for engine tests or new body designs. They're also great for testing out new software technologies. While many concept cars or even existing cars have a tablet on the dashboard, the Renault EOLAB has two! Well, not on the dashboard directly. A larger, centrally mounted, height-adjustable 11-inch tablet sits on the right of the steering wheel and is dedicated to GPS functionality. On the opposite side is a smaller tablet that displays more traditional information. Renault has not detailed the technologies involved in its new Human Machine Interface or how it will connect with mobile devices.

Of course, the EOLAB is just a concept car, so don't expect it to go into mass production. EOLAB does say that it previews a B-segment car that could become an actual retail automobile within the next decade. That said, Renault will be showcasing two versions of the EOLAB, one made by its engineering department and one made by its design department, at the Paris Motor Show next month.

VIA: Gizmag