To develop the cars we’ll be driving tomorrow, Renault's engineers plan ahead to allow for emerging environmental issues and forthcoming regulations.

Biofuels

Fuel from plants (such as rapeseed, sunflower and beet) are an excellent alternative to conventional fuel, especially with respect to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. 

 

Alternative energies

Automotive technology will have to evolve, adopting alternative power sources to wean itself off the current dependence on oil.

 

Hybrids

Hybrid vehicles combine an electric motor with an internal combustion engine to minimize fuel consumption and pollutant emissions.

 

Stratified-charge engine

Stratified-charge technology implements a new fuel spray strategy to achieve fuel savings approaching 40%.

 

HCCI and CAI engines

Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) diesel engines and Controlled Auto Ignition (CAI) gasoline engines reabsorb a proportion of the burned exhaust gases to perform “cold” combustion and thus achieve near-zero soot and nitrogen oxide emissions. 

 

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) trap

Renault keeps one step ahead of increasingly tough regulations on pollutant gas emissions, with developments like the NOx trap, which further improves on the catalytic converter’s function of cutting down NOx emissions.

 

Fuel cell

The fuel cell, which emits nothing more dangerous than water vapor, holds a great deal of promise as an alternative source of energy for the electric powertrains of the future.

 

Engine technologies

Renault's R&D teams are constantly developing new technologies capable of combining engine performance with respect for the environment.