Renault Trafic E-Tech van: 800-V platform, 81-kWh battery, 15–80% charge in under 20 minutes
Renault has unveiled the Trafic E-Tech electric van with a centralized software architecture on two computers and an 800-V platform. Prices start at €41,500.
New Atlas reports that Renault has unveiled the Trafic E-Tech, an electric light commercial van described as Europe's first fully software-defined vehicle in its segment newatlas.com
New Atlasnewatlas.comOpen source ↗. It combines an 800-volt architecture with a 215-hp (160-kW) electric motor and a choice of 60-kWh or 81-kWh battery. The van has already been named International Van of the Year.
Software architecture and fleet apps
Conventional commercial vehicles use dozens of separate electronic control units, from anti-lock brakes to cabin climate control. In the Trafic they are replaced by a centralized architecture with two high-performance computers running an Android-based operating system. The van is linked to Google Cloud and receives over-the-air updates, for example to electric motor efficiency or driver-assistance systems.
Operators can show their own delivery apps, route-scheduling platforms or temperature-monitoring software directly on the dashboard, without aftermarket tablets and third-party tracking boxes. Cloud-connected predictive maintenance is intended to flag failing components before a breakdown on a route.
800-V charging, range and prices
According to New Atlas, the Ford E-Transit and GM-backed BrightDrop vans use 400-volt systems, while the Trafic uses 800 volts newatlas.com
New Atlasnewatlas.comOpen source ↗. Its 81-kWh pack charges from 15% to 80% in less than 20 minutes, which adds around 174 miles of range. The 81-kWh version supports DC charging at up to 240 kW.
The entry-level model with the 60-kWh battery is rated at up to 217 miles (350 km) on the WLTP cycle, or 317 miles (510 km) in city driving, and starts at €41,500 (about US$49,000). The 81-kWh flagship is rated at 292 miles (470 km) on WLTP and 428 miles (690 km) in the city, carries up to 2,866 lb (1,300 kg), and starts at €47,000 ($55,500). The publication notes that at sustained US highway speeds real-world range of the long-range version drops closer to 200 miles.
The 800-volt system includes standard vehicle-to-load capability. According to New Atlas, this lets camper conversions on the mid-sized platform, a common base for third-party upfitters, draw high-wattage current directly from the main traction battery. The publication adds that such conversions could power induction cooktops and heavy-duty air conditioning without propane tanks or a secondary battery bank.
