Electric Cars: The Basics
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
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EV Charging Cables: A Guide For Ireland
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How Much Does It Cost To Charge An Electric Car At Home: The Complete Guide For Ireland
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The Renault Captur PHEV SUV
Groupe Renault (Renault Group/ Renault S.A.), is a leading player in the global automotive sector. The company was established in 1899 and has over the course of its history, manufactured varied vehicles, to include: trucks, tractors, buses and even tanks! Renault has been part of the global Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance since 1999 (previously, Renault-Nissan Alliance). The partnership makes the partnership the 3rd largest automotive group in the world after Volkswagen and Toyota. Renault offers both, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) for passenger cars and commercial electric vehicles. The portfolio includes:
- All-electric Renault TWIZY
- All-electric Renault ZOE E-TECH
- All-electric Renault ZOE Van E-TECH
- All-electric Renault Megane E-TECH
- All-electric Renault Scenic E-TECH
- All-electric Renault 5 E-TECH
- All-electric Renault Kangoo E-TECH
- All-electric Renault Master E-TECH
- Renault Rafale E-Tech Plug-In Hybrid
- Renault Captur E-TECH Plug-In Hybrid
- Renault Megane E-TECH Plug-In Hybrid
- Renault Megane Sport Tourer E-TECH Plug-In Hybrid
The Renault Captur compact SUV was launched in 2013 at the Geneva Motor Show. The concept version was unveiled in 2011. The SUV is now in its second generation. The Captur is also available as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).
If you are not limited by the notion ‘that only premium brands can fit your lifestyle’, then the Renault Captur plug-in hybrid electric vehicle is worth considering for its ‘value proposition’. The relatively more affordable retail price, along with the lower cost of emission-free electric driving, can result in decent financial savings for families and companies.
The PHEV has a 9.8 kWh onboard EV battery and a WLTP certified electric range up to 50 km. Both are typical of this type of plug-in hybrid electric car. However, expect the real-world electric range to be closer to 45 km. The EV range is impacted by a number of factors, to include: driving profile, speed, load, regenerative braking, road condition, weather, wheel size and a lot more. A 45 km pure electric driving range is sufficient for day-to-day commutes.
The Renault PHEV pairs a 1.6-litre (4-cylinder) petrol engine with an electric motor, powered by an onboard EV battery. The automotive manufacturer claims a fuel economy up to 1.6 l/100 km for the electric vehicle (EV). Of course the real-world fuel economy will depend on a number of factors, but none as influential as using the e-mode.
Bottom-line, to increase the fuel economy of the electric vehicle and lower the driving costs, the PHEV should be driven as much as possible on the e-mode. It is also far cheaper to drive on electric mode, compared to using the combustion engine. Depending on where and when the EV is charged, and the cost of charging, driving an electric car will cost between 5 to 10 cents per km. Of course, driving on e-mode has the added benefit of a smoother and quieter drive.
Taking advantage of the EV range will also require inculcating a habit of charging the EV on a regular basis, which again is as easy as charging a smartphone. We at e-zoomed recommend the use of a dedicated EV charging station, like zappi to charge the EV. We do not encourage the use of a domestic 3-PIN plug. The EV incorporates a 3.7 kW AC onboard charger and is not capable of DC charging. It can be fully charged in 3 hours. The manufacturer offers a 8 years or 160,000 km warranty.
The performance of the electric SUV will not set the heart racing, but it does the job! The front-wheel drive Renault Captur E-Tech plug-in hybrid can achieve 0-100 km/h in 10.1 seconds, with a top speed of 173 km/h. The hybrid drivetrain delivers a maximum power of 160 HP (torque: 205 Nm), sufficient for city and motorway driving. Do keep in mind that the additional weight of the onboard EV battery does impact the overall performance of the electric vehicle (EV Kerb weight: 1,564 kg).
The EV has a decent level of standard features and equipment, to include: lane departure warning, lane keep assist, cruise control, rear view camera, eco mode, hands free keycard with keyless entry etc. The electric SUV has been awarded a Five-Star NCAP safety rating. The boot space has been impacted by the placement of the EV battery, nevertheless, the EV offers a cargo volume up to 261 L.
The PHEV tailpipe emissions are low (36 g CO2/km), compared to the conventional combustion engine variant (132g CO2/km). Bottom-line, the Renault Captur plug-in hybrid SUV has much to offer, for those seeking ‘value for money’, in an environmentally-friendly electric vehicle.
Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet!
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Perfect for city driving | Performance will not set the heart racing |
| Affordable PHEV | Alternatives have better electric range |
| Decent level of standard equipment | Some cheap materials |
Gallery
The Renault Captur PHEV SUV (credit: Renault)
| At A Glance | |
|---|---|
| EV Type: | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) |
| Body Type: | SUV (Compact) |
| Engines: | Petrol-Electric |
| Available In Ireland: | Yes |
| Variants (1 Option) |
|---|
| Renault Captur Techno (from € 38,020) |
| EV Battery & Emissions | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
| EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 9.8 kWh |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 3.7 kW AC (0% – 100%: 3 hrs) |
| Charge Port: | Type 2 |
| EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
| Tailpipe Emissions: | 33 – 36 g (CO2/km) |
| Battery Warranty: | 8 years or 160,000 km |
| Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
|---|---|
| Battery net capacity : 8.8 kWh | € 2.10 |
| Battery net capacity : 11.6 kWh | € 2.78 |
| Battery net capacity : 12.0 kWh | € 2.87 |
| Battery net capacity : 13.10 kWh | € 3.14 |
| Battery net capacity : 14.10 kWh | € 3.37 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in Ireland varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for Ireland is 23.97 cents/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
| Charging Times (Overview) | |
|---|---|
| Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
| Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Height (mm): | 1576 |
| Width (mm): | 2003 |
| Length (mm): | 4227 |
| Wheelbase (mm): | 2639 |
| Turning Circle (m): | 11.1 |
| Boot capacity (L): | 261 |
| E-TECH Plug-In Hybrid 160 Auto | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 9.8 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 47 – 50 km |
| Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km): | N/A |
| Fuel Consumption (l/100 km): | 1.5 – 1.6 |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 3.7 kW AC (0% – 100%: 3 hrs) |
| Top Speed: | 173 km/h |
| 0-100 km/h: | 10.1 seconds |
| Drive: | Front-wheel drive (FWD) |
| Electric Motor (kW): | N/A |
| Max Power (HP): | 160 |
| Torque (Nm): | 205 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 5 |
| Doors: | 5 |
| Kerb Weight (kg): | 1,564 |
| Colours: | 15 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
Solar And EV Charging: An Overview
The benefits of renewable energy, in particular, solar and wind energy, is already well established across Europe, and in other parts of the world. With the increase in sales of electric vehicles (EVs) over the past three years, the advantages of using clean and renewable energy has been further enhanced.
Firstly, on-site renewable energy can be used for powering both business premises and homes. For on-site generation, we have witnessed a significant increase in distributed clean energy generating plants i.e. many commercial buildings and residential buildings have become generators i.e. generating electricity on-site! Solar roof projects have been popular for such on-site generation installations.
The ongoing war in Ukraine has further amplified the need to develop energy security, not only at a national level, but also at a local level, to include, businesses and households. Those households and businesses that already generate and consume clean energy on-site have been spared the significant onslaught of energy price rise in 2022, which is expected to continue in 2023.
Installing solar panels on-site, mitigates the risks associated with energy price inflation, a significant contributor to costs for a business or a household. On-site renewable energy generation also impacts the environment positively. For those with electric vehicles (EVs), in particular, pure electric vehicles, we strongly encourage the use of renewable energy for EV charging. Of course, we also encourage the use of solar energy for charging a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).
Apart from the significant cost benefit i.e. generating renewable energy is a nominal cost per kWh (after initial set-up/ installation costs), to achieve true zero-tailpipe emission electric driving, renewable energy needs to be used for EV charging. This is also known as ‘well-to-wheel’. Just one electric car on the road can save an average of 1.5 million grams of CO2.
The good news for electric car owners is that a number of EV charging stations are now compatible with solar/ wind generation and battery storage. The UK manufacturer myenergi zappi is a good example of a solar/ wind compatible EV charger.
We encourage business and households to adopt an on-site ecosystem of ‘renewable energy-battery storage-EV charging’, to gain the maximum from the advantages of low carbon generation and zero-emission electric driving. Bottom-line, renewable energy is good for the environment and the wallet!
While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.
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