Renault truck undergoes full electric retrofit

Renault has undertaken an ambitious project in alignment with its sustainability goals

French vehicle manufacturer Renault Trucks is upping its sustainability efforts, converting one of its diesel trucks into a full electric vehicle in a massive retrofit project.

Carrying out the project in collaboration with Novumtech and with financial backing from the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME), the 12-tonne truck has helped to test the feasibility of electric retrofitting heavy-duty vehicles.

The process started with the replacement and modification of the most necessary parts of the truck – the engine, the gearbox, fuel tank and AdBlue tank.

Meanwhile, components including the hydraulic pump (used for power steering), the air compressor (for suspension and braking), and the air conditioning compressor were all completely removed.

They were then replaced by an electric motor, hooked up directly to the drive shaft, a 210 kWh Lithium-ion battery, a 22 kW on-board charger, an electric air compressor (for suspension and braking), an electric hydraulic pump (for power steering), an electric air conditioning compressor and electric heating system.

The project is not fully complete yet however, with the next step being obtaining certification for the truck to ensure it is fully complying with current regulations.

After this, Renault will undertake a testing phase under real operating conditions along with Clovis Grand Paris in France to test out its performance on the road.

One of Renault’s main strategic areas is circularity, working to continually extend the lifespan of its vehicles in order to meet its decarbonisation goals.

The company has introduced a number of initiatives to meet these goals alongside this current project, including doubling the life of trucks for hauliers by encouraging reconditioning rather than renewal as well as offering a second life to its used trucks through repurposing, using rigorous industrial processes.

More than 1500 trucks have been repurposed at Renault’s Used Trucks Factory in Bourg-en-Bresse, and 700 more have been reconditioned in Lyon, saving more than 5000 tonnes of CO2 in total.

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