Renault Emblème concept showcases hydrogen fuel cell range extender

Renault has developed a new concept car that uses a hydrogen fuel cell to extend its electric range.

The Emblème was created with decarbonisation in mind and, as such, is said to produce 90% fewer carbon emissions over its entire lifecycle than a petrol powered Renault Captur.

Based on the same platform as the Renault Scenic, the Emblème adopts a new powertrain from Renault's Ampere division. It pairs a 40kWh battery with a compact hydrogen fuel cell, giving a range of more than 620 miles.

For day-to-day driving, the vehicle functions in the same way as a conventional electric car, with the battery charged by regenerative braking, photovoltaic cells on the roof or from a socket or charge point. The range extender is designed for longer journeys where charging stops are inconvenient.

In order to achieve Renault's decarbonisation target, every detail of the vehicle’s composition was set out in stringent specification. This made it possible to achieve a 70% reduction in the carbon footprint for all materials: steel, aluminium, plastics, tyres, glass, electronics, screens and recyclables. Renault Emblème is designed to include at least 50% of recycled materials and is over 90% recyclable. For the exterior, the materials used (steel, aluminium and plastics) are all fully recyclable at end of life.

Weight was also a key consideration and the effective use of lightweight materials has enabled a total vehicle weight of 1,800Kg.