Renault is riding the crest of a wave with a refreshed product line-up featuring two winners of the International Van of the Year award, the Kangoo and Master.
The range now has a complete line-up of electric vans to complement the diesel portfolio and is set to grow further with plans for the introduction of a hydrogen model of the all-new Master as well as a commercial vehicle quadricycle under the Mobilize brand.
A range rejuvenation over two years has included a facelifted Trafic with the first battery-electric version, an all-new Kangoo and E-Tech model, and both diesel and electric versions of the Master. It has resulted in an increase in sales as consumers look to get the newest products in the market.
Although popular in Europe, the Kangoo has perhaps underperformed in the UK, but a brand-new platform with better performance and efficiency for both diesel and EV models has resulted in a sales boom. Renault UK head of LCV, Seb Brechon, says the new model has had a bumper 12 months.
“We finished the year 95% up versus the previous year. So that was our record,”
said Brechon.
“We capitalised on the opportunities we had in the market with new Kangoo coming back. It would have been easy to become a one trick pony, having a good 2023, but struggling to match it in 2024, but by the end of the year we will be ahead of last year. We’ll have had a record year in 2023 and a record year in 2024.”
Brechon points out that these successes come off the back of declining interest in
the Master ahead of the launch of the new vehicle and without the Trafic E-Tech which has seen a delay in its introduction to the market while production of the model with DC charging become available in right-hand-drive. Consequently,
it’s the Kangoo that has had to do the bulk of the work delivering spectacular 191% year-on-year growth.
Trafic volumes have remained stable and there has understandably been little interest in electric versions of the outgoing Master. Brechon is optimistic for a strong performance going forward with a completely renewed portfolio.
“With Kangoo E-Tech, I think we’ve been able to find a balance between large fleet and small local fleet – one in four small electric van [sales] is a Kangoo E-Tech. For the Trafic we decided to wait until we have the DC version – we knew from our customer base and experience that the DC van is a large part of the market. We’ve now got new Master, which should work not just in that large band segment, but the price point we’ve got also will put it into the medium segment as well. If anyone’s looking for a medium eLCV the range and the product, I think, will take some current medium-sized [van] customers and make them say, ‘actually, I’d rather have the bigger, better product’.”
Renault will have completed a total overhaul of its range by mid-2025 with new models and electrified versions of its core vans, Kangoo, Trafic and Master. Future product developments will see the first hydrogen Renault vans with the Master having been designed as a multi-energy vehicle capable of ICE, EV and hydrogen drivetrains. There’s also the recently revealed Renault Estafette Concept by Flexis (pictured) that will offer an additional dimension to the portfolio, in the shape of a high-cube compact city van.
“I think where the Flexis product comes in is building an electric panel van with derivatives. We’ve got the step-in delivery and converted products, so different products on one platform. It may look very modern but ultimately, it’s an electric medium panel van, it’s not something that’s totally away with the fairies and it’s not something that’s far from the norm. It’s a medium eLCV with a lot more capabilities than our current medium eLCV.” said Brechon.
Like the Master, the Flexis van will be available with a hydrogen powertrain as well as battery electric, but Brechon is cautious about the prospects of mass hydrogen uptake in light commercial vehicles, insisting the charging infrastructure must be in place to enable it.
“The one thing [our partner] Hyvia can do is provide a filling station for larger depots, so maybe that’s a way we can expand infrastructure artificially for those big fleets who have this requirement.”
With Master and Flexis hydrogen compatible, Brechon added: “We will have the right products to be able to adapt to market requirements, be it 2025 or 2026.”
Brechon is confident the new Master will be a dominant force in Europe next year.
“I’d be disappointed if it wasn’t number one in the large eLCV segment next year.”
