Press Kit: Renault Embleme – a laboratory on wheels for low-carbon mobility
Images are for editorial use only. IN BRIEFResponding to the challenges of climate change and the conservation of resources, the automotive industry is engaged in a major transformation. Through Emblème, Renault is continuing the exploratory studies initiated with the Scenic Vision concept in 2022. Exploring the field of possibilities to the full, its aim is to create a working prototype of a family car –spacious, comfortable and high-tech – while taking decarbonisation to new levels. No aspect of decarbonisation can be studied as an isolated issue. Any approach has to address the entire vehicle life cycle from cradle to grave in five key areas: eco-design, selection of resources, production, use and end of life. Developed by Ampere, Renault Emblème is a demo car reflecting this approach. A vision of a low-carbon family car from start to finish, it emits 90% less greenhouse gases (CO2eq) over its entire life cycle than the 2019 baseline. Every technical, technological and stylistic choice was dictated by stringent specifications, targeting new levels of low-carbon mobility. Renault Emblème explores intelligent, credible and viable combinations, particularly in terms of resources, materials, production, use and end-of-life recovery. In this way, it achieves a 70% reduction in the carbon footprint for the production of all parts. At the same time, 50% of the materials used to build the car are recycled and virtually all the materials used are recyclable at the end of their service life. Engineers and designers worked together to find the best solutions in terms of aerodynamics and energy efficiency. The result is stunning: an elegant shooting brake, 4.80 metres long, with equal emphasis on styling, interior technology and its carbon footprint. Renault Emblème is an invitation to travel with a cabin of contemporary, poetic design. Innovative technologies include a new wide openR panorama screen spanning the length of the dashboard. The dual-energy electric powertrain under the rear floor is powered by electricity and hydrogen, an ideal combination for more low-carbon journeys over both short and long distances. Renault Group is positioning itself as a key player in low-carbon mobility. Following the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015, the Group adapted its strategy in order to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of its activities and contribute to maintaining the global temperature increase well below 2°C. Contributing to the goal of carbon neutrality, Renault Group is seeking to achieve net zero globally by 2050 and by 2040 for operations in Europe. This ambition is supported in particular by Ampere, the Group entity dedicated to intelligent electric vehicles. Renault Emblème is at the forefront of this revolution! “The ambition of the Renault Emblème project was to achieve maximum decarbonisation by designing a car that is attractive, efficient, family-friendly, comfortable, high-tech and versatile in use. More than a concept car, it’s a demo car on the road that’s a pleasure to look at, to be in and to drive – a real invitation to travel!”Fabrice Cambolive, CEO Renault Brand A METHODOLOGY BASED ON VEHICLE LIFECYCLE ANALYSISLife cycle analysis (LCA) is a scientific method used to quantify a vehicle’s environmental impacts from cradle to grave. It factors in raw material extraction and component production, as well as vehicle assembly, transport, use, maintenance and recycling. It is the international, multi-criterion tool used by Renault Group. One of its main uses is to calculate the global warming potential associated with greenhouse gas emissions measured in CO2 equivalent (CO2eq) per vehicle. Renault Group calculates the actual consumption of its vehicles over 200,000 km and 15 years. A Megane E-Tech electric, for example, emits 25 tonnes of CO2eq during its life cycle. This is practically half the amount of an equivalent model running on fossil fuels (50 tonnes of CO2eq in the case of a Captur with a petrol engine built in 2019). All-electric mobility, in other words, is more virtuous in terms of CO2eq emissions. On this basis, the total for the Emblème project is just 5 tonnes of CO2eq from cradle to grave. That’s a reduction of almost 90%! For Renault Emblème, this figure of 5 tonnes of CO2eq from cradle to grave is more than a promise. It has been calculated and audited by independent experts from IFPEN (Institut Français du Pétrole et des Energies Nouvelles). The decarbonisation strategy pursued by Renault Group (= reducing GHG emissions = reducing our carbon footprint) takes account of the entire vehicle life cycle. Emissions in tonnes of CO2eq per vehicle are calculated using a proven methodology covering each stage in the cycle: Supply of raw materials and parts Manufacturing (plants) Usage (when the car is on the road) End of life (vehicle recycling/recyclability). The levers of decarbonisation in each of these phases are: Energy efficiency Use of renewable energy The circular economy A GLOBAL APPROACH TO ECO-DESIGNAchieving this figure of just 5 tonnes of CO2 eq from cradle to grave demanded an ultra-efficient eco-design approach by Ampere, starting with the first stroke of the designer’s pencil and encompassing all the components of the vehicle. The quest for CO2 eq savings involved all stages of the process: from exterior design to the production of interior materials, through to powertrain development. Supported by modern, high-performance tools, project designers and engineers pushed the cursor to the limit in terms of innovation. “Renault Emblème rises to the challenges of decarbonization. It concentrates the engineering and innovation solutions necessary for the cars designed and produced by Renault Group to aim for net zero carbon. It embodies decarbonized and resource-respectful mobility, conceived from design to end of life, in an ecosystemic and collective manner, with our partners and suppliers across the entire value chain. In addition to providing a preview of upcoming design silhouettes, it incorporates technologies developed by Ampère, which will be gradually introduced in the next generations of vehicles.” Cléa Martinet, VP Sustainability, Renault Group Weight and why it mattersA vehicle’s weight impacts its emissions at several levels: when materials are extracted, in production and transport, during use (impact on energy consumption) and when the vehicle is…
Details
