Yahoo Autos Renault Scénic Vision features unique hydrogen plug-in powertrain
Renault has released another concept previewing its greener, electrified future. It's called the Scénic Vision, and the design seems to borrow a bit from the angular and squared-off design of the Renault 5 Prototype concept. It also previews the design of a 2024 version of the Scénic MPV. But perhaps more interesting than all of that is its plug-in hybrid hydrogen fuel cell powertrain.
Every hydrogen fuel cell car to date is effectively an electric car. It's just that instead of a battery, it relies on a fuel cell to generate electricity from hydrogen, which is itself stored in a tank. What the Scénic Vision does is add a decent size battery that can be charged from the grid. It's a 40-kWh battery. Renault didn't give an estimated range on battery-only, but the base Nissan Leaf has a 40-kWh battery and can go up to 150 miles on a charge, just for reference. But for longer trips and faster fueling, there's a 2.5-kg hydrogen tank on board with a 16-kW fuel cell for producing additional electricity. The idea is that this allows for the use of a smaller battery that weighs less and uses less material and energy in production, while also maintaining long-distance flexibility on relatively green fuel. And in fact, with hydrogen in the mix, Renault claims a range of 497 miles (probably a bit less on EPA testing).
As for how all this is laid out, the battery and the fuel cell are placed in the floor of the car. The hydrogen tank sits in the front, and the motor is in the rear, powering the rear wheels. It also happens to make 160 kW of power, or 215 horsepower.
