Electric vehicles deliver the goods

The vehicle manufacturer and energy giant will test the best methods for electrically transporting goods locally and study the performance of lithium-ion batteries in this type of application. Their collaboration will centre initially on the Maxity Electric, a light-duty vehicle with a payload of two tonnes. The partners are leaving open the possibility of future collaboration on other vehicles in the Renault Trucks range.

Renault Trucks is developing electric technology as an alternative solution to the use of the combustion engine, particularly for vehicles in the delivery and distribution ranges. Their first attempt, the Maxity Electric — an electric version of its light-duty vehicle, the Maxity — will be tested and evaluated while in use by customers of Renault Trucks.

The manufacturer describes the Maxity Electric as a quiet, zero-emissions emitting vehicle that can be driven with a category B driving licence at a top speed of 90km/h. Optimisations performed on its electric engine and regenerative braking to recharge the batteries have helped the vehicle reach a range of approximately 100km.