The new idea, which aims to differentiate itself from the aggressive-looking diesel vans currently on the market, is a sneak peek at the Flexis, the first vehicle from the French company’s partnership with Volvo Trucks. It takes after the Estafette’s smooth curves and twin round headlamps, which, along with its eye-catching grey and yellow livery, are meant to brighten up European city streets, according to Renault.
“Vans will no longer be anonymous shapes. They will be endearing, expressive and come in eye-catching pop colours,” said Sandeep Bhambra, chief designer of concept cars for Renault’s electric car spin-off Ampere.
At 4.87 meters, the ZFlexEVan’s turning circle is comparable to that of a Renault Clio, but being longer than a BMW 3 Series. It is also remarkably tall, rising to a height of 2.59 meters—even higher than a Ford Transit. This is designed to prevent a driver from having to stoop when walking the entire length of the van, from the cockpit to the cargo area.
“We were trying to get every second out of interaction between the driver and the van, because every 30 seconds that you save in a delivery we estimate is [worth an extra] 1% profitability for the logistics operator,” Renault Group chief Luca de Meo explained in April.
Beyond the fact that it is electric, Renault has not yet disclosed any information about the ZFlexEVan’s powertrain, but it has stated that the van is its first software-defined car. This implies that it can be greatly customized using the on-board operating system of the car, just like a smartphone.
Additionally, it stated that updates to the van’s onboard safety systems, connectivity, and range (including to fleet management systems) could be made in the future. Renault stated that this will result in a 30% lower operating cost for businesses compared to current vehicles.
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