Renault Trucks will begin mass production of the D ZE and D Wide ZE electric trucks at its Blainville-sur-Orne, Normandy plant this month. The plant was expanded for the assembly of the e-distribution trucks. This start of production represents a decisive turning point in the transformation of urban mobility.
The manufacturer itself, which is independent of Renault passenger cars, had already introduced the vehicles in June 2018. The Blainville-sur-Orne plant specializes in medium-weight distribution trucks - the 16-ton D ZE and 26-ton D Wide ZE also fall into this category.
The two electric Renault trucks are assembled on the same assembly line as the equivalent diesel vehicles. A special “ZE building” with a surface area of 1,800 m² was built in the immediate vicinity of the final assembly.
Due to the proximity to the assembly of the distribution vehicles, fast processes are possible. In the ZE area, the additional technical steps are carried out on the e-trucks before and after the actual assembly. It is also used as a warehouse for component parts, including a temperature-controlled area for storing the batteries. The assembly of the e-trucks begins in the ZE building, where the drive, motor, transmission and electronics are installed by trained employees.
At the end of the production line, the electric trucks return to the ZE building so that the technicians can carry out the last electro-specific work steps and carry out quality controls.
A total of 50 working hours are required to manufacture an electric truck.
Renault Trucks expects electric vehicles to account for a total of 10% of its own sales volume by 2025.
Renault Trucks D Wide Z.E. technical specifications:
- GVW: 26 tonnes.
- Weight: 27 tonnes
- Available wheelbase: 3,900 mm
- Two electric motors with a total rating of 370 kW (260 kW continuous output)
- Maximum torque of electric motors: 850 Nm
- Maximum torque rear axle: 28 kNm
- Two-speed gearbox
- Energy storage: lithium-ion batteries, 200 kWh
- Real-world operating range: up to 200 km
- a counterpart of the Volvo FE Electric
via renault-trucks.com.
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