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Renault is showing off this, the EZ-FLEX concept electric van at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles next month.
Designed for urban deliveries, and supposed to be highly manoeuvrable in tight spots, we're tempted to call this an electric, French, Piaggio Ape but probably shouldn't.
The EZ-FLEX is just 3.86 metres long and 1.65 metres wide, but it can still squeeze three square metres of cargo into that boxy back end. Turning circle? A mere 4.5 metres, which is almost half the width a famed London Taxi needs to swing around. The load bed is just 760mm above the floor, which makes for easy loading and unloading, and the load bay itself can be adapted and configured for different uses - one big space for large items, or maybe small compartments for parcels, or even refrigerated compartments for food delivery.
The cab has been designed with big, wide-opening doors for easy access, and the central instrument display means that the EZ-FLEX could be easily adapted for right-hand drive markets. The idea is that the infotainment system is internet-linked and able to access online services and apps so as to ease the flow of deliveries. Different data types will be collected including but not limited to: Geolocation, mileage, range, use of cargo opening, speed, stops, etc. This data will then be transferred via the vehicle's connected system, either in real time or once per day, to understand the reality of daily use.
Renault is going to make a 12-strong limited run of the EZ-FLEX, to be loaned out to various companies and public service providers in cities across Europe over the next two years. "The analysis of the data, twinned with the users' feedback, will enable Renault to design vehicles which are better adapted to the evolution of urban logistics" says Renault.
Each EZ-FLEX will have a one-charge range of 100km, and Renault claims that on average that's enough for two day's worth of inner city deliveries.