Renault Kwid-based City K-ZE electric car revealed: Looks like a SUV

Renault has just unveiled the electric version of the Kwid hatchback at the ongoing Shanghai Motor Show in China.  Called the City K-ZE, the electric hatchback looks like an SUV from the front and will be sold mainly in China. In due course of time, other emerging markets such as India and Brazil are expected to get the Kwid-based City K-ZE  electric hatchback.

Renault has revealed that the Kwid-based City K-ZE electric car will have a range of 240 kilometers per charge. The  battery stack will get a fast charging option, which recharges up to 80 % of the batteries in just an hour. The car gets styling that’s different from that of the Kwid at the front and rear.

There are new headlamps that sit on the  bumper, while the traditional headlamp location now gets LED DRLs. The front bumper is new and so is the grille. At  the rear, the tail lamps and bumper have received revisions. The profile remains unchanged save for the restyled alloy wheels.

The Renault Kwid-based City K-ZE electric car’s interiors get more minimal. The gear shifter makes way for a rotary  knob that is used to control the various modes of the car. The seats are similar to those offered on the Kwid, with  different texture and stitches.

There is a touchscreen infotainment system that occupies a prominent place on the  center of the dashboard. The car also gets a sensor-based air conditioning system that will toggle between fresh air  and re-circulation modes based on the level of ambient pollution. This feature is expected to be quite useful in most  Indian cities, which suffer from extreme air pollution.

Renault India has announced that the electric version of the Kwid – the City K-ZE – will arrive into India only after  2021, when there’s more clarity about electric vehicle subsidy offered by the Indian government. For now, there’s no  indication on the exact timeline for the Kwid Electric’s launch in India.

Currently, the Kwid sold here is available  only with petrol engine options. There are 2 petrol engines on offer, both three cylinder, naturally aspirated units.  There’s an 800cc motor with about 54 Bhp-72 Nm on tap, and a 1 liter unit with 68 Bhp-91 Nm on tap. While both engines get a 5 speed manual gearbox as standard, there’s a 5 speed AMT option on offer with the bigger motor.

The electric version of the Renault Kwid will get an automatic gearbox as standard, making it very convenient to  drive. The car will be sold mainly for city buyers, who seek a small, affordable option for intra-city use. Exact  pricing of the Kwid-based City K-ZE electric car is yet to be revealed even for the Chinese market, where the car will soon go on sale.