Renault started out early on fully electric cars, but recently the French have delivered the intermediate form that you see everywhere: the plug-in hybrid. With this Captur, Renault is at the forefront of the compact SUV segment. After a brief introduction last summer, we will now look at the practical figures.
It is probably a matter of time before more manufacturers in this class switch to the combination of a petrol engine, an electric motor and a battery pack that you can charge via a plug. Because the PHEV is the magic bullet to reduce the CO2 emissions of the vehicle fleet. We notice that the Renault is not very much for sale with its special technology for this class. Plug-in Hybrid logos on the butt and the B-pillars are the only subtle references to the character of this latest version. And of course the two ‘tank valves’. The left for the petrol tank, the right for the charging connection. It’s nice that it is mirrored on the filler hole for the fuel tank, because we like to park in reverse at a charging station.
Two electric motors
Under the barely adapted appearance of the Captur Plug-in Hybrid, special technology is hidden. Renault goes its own way and approaches it differently than, for example, Mercedes-Benz
electrified versions of the compact model line. You might not expect that, because the brands share powertrains. Where Mercedes uses the 1.3 turbo four-cylinder as a combustion engine, Renault opts for an atmospheric 1.6 with 91 hp. The PHEV powertrain differs from Renault in other ways too; for example, the petrol engine works together with two electric motors. The largest (67 hp) is responsible for the drive, the smaller one only works as a starter for the petrol engine and as a generator. The system power is 158 hp. The way of propulsion is quite different from other brands. A so-called Multimode transmission connects the engines to the wheels, which actually consists of two gearboxes. The electric motor uses one with two gears, the combustion engine transmits its power via a four-speed gearbox. The latter happens without a link; instead, the smaller electric motor takes the power off the drivetrain so that a different gear can be selected. In this way, the E-Tech powertrain not only functions as a parallel hybrid, but also as a series hybrid, where the combustion engine generates electricity in neutral while the electric motor provides the drive. It becomes clear with a simple display in the instrumentation with arrows to and from a battery, an engine block and a wheel. Remarkable: the battery and motor are shown on the left / right in the instrumentation, while in the central screen the display is exactly the other way around. But even without choosing that view, it is noticeable what happens: you can feel it too.
You can charge the 9.8 kWh battery pack, which very cleverly neither of the interior space nor of the luggage compartment, be charged via a plug. The battery placed under the rear seat is good for an electrical range of 50 kilometers WLTP. A value that you may achieve when you mainly drive in built-up areas or on provincial roads; with highways added, we arrive at a maximum of 41 electric kilometers. As with any PHEV, you have to be extremely careful with the accelerator, because pressing too hard leads to the petrol engine jumping in. You also notice that the 67 hp of the electric motor does not deliver too flashy performance. Ultimately, you can accelerate to 135 km / h. Remarkably, the shift moment is just before 80 km / h, then it goes into second gear. If the battery is empty and the car continues as a hybrid, it will continue to do so, because the Captur always drives away electrically. But then you also notice that the petrol engine changes gear, via the four-speed part of the Multimode gearbox. In short, quite a few actions take place under the hood. You also hear light, mechanical noises when releasing gas.
Sluggish
When measuring the consumption without plugging the Renault Captur scores a very nice value, because with 1 in 19 it makes more impression than with the electric range of 41 kilometers. It means that you will not often be at the pump when you plug to the maximum and make little longer rides. Even when you put the plugging on the back burner, you go very efficiently from A to B. The drivetrain does not feel very smooth and is quite sluggish, but a quiet driving style suits him fine. We also see this modest power delivery in our measurement of the acceleration figures. For a compact SUV with 158 hp, the numbers on the stopwatch are surprisingly low. Our plug-in hybrid sprints to 100 km / h in an entirely acceptable 10.1 count. In comparison: a Captur TCe 155 with the 1.3-turbo 155 hp engine does that trick in 8.5 seconds. But the Plug-in Hybrid is more than 300 kg heavier and the powertrain is completely geared to economical use of energy. The quiet character of the E-Tech technology thus fits perfectly with the comfortable character of the Captur. The car clearly distinguishes itself from its cousin, the Nissan Juke, which has more dynamic pretensions. The extra pounds can be felt and the center of gravity is higher, but this does not lead to a character change compared to the regular Captur.
Extra cost justified
In general, the Captur has made a significant step forward. In his current guise he appears more mature in all respects. The driving characteristics and comfort are on a higher level and the finish of the interior has also improved considerably. Especially in this Edition One, the materials used are neat, they radiate much more class than before. The lever of the automatic transmission is the same as in a regular version with DCT automatic transmission, so a beautiful specimen with special design. It’s also nice that Renault does not want to put all functions in one screen, which means that you can operate the climate control with physical buttons. Tribute.
The seat behind the wheel is high, as you would expect from this type of car, and the rear seat can still shift despite the battery pack underneath. In the luggage compartment you will find compartments under the floor for storing the charging cords. The capacity of 350 liters is not impressive, but it is nice to know that the towbar is allowed to hang 750 kg. This offers perspectives for a modest trailer or folding trailer. Do you have a caravan of any size? Then you’re better off with a Captur TCe 155, the most powerful ‘normal’ version, because it can pull twice as much. The price difference is € 2,200, making the Plug-in Hybrid more expensive than the conventional equivalent. Not nothing, but given the complex technology and the possibility to drive many electric kilometers, we think that the extra price is justified. The Edition One version has a more extensive audio system and the large 10.25-inch screen for multimedia. On the outside it is also completely finished, thanks to the two-tone color scheme and the 18-inch wheels. This brings it to € 35,490 roadworthy. A slightly larger SUV with PHEV technology like the Kia Niro starts at € 36,195; the Captur Plug-in Hybrid with less equipment can be ordered from € 30,190. Correct positioning, because the Korean plug-in SUV is simply bigger. Now the big question remains: which of the manufacturers is following Renault’s example? Because the Captur may be unique in its kind, the concept certainly deserves a broad following.