Groupe Renault has revealed its first plug-in hybrid model, the new Captur E-Tech Plug-in which it claims is also one of the first in the whole of B-segment, including saloons and SUVs.

In the build-up to the new Captur E-Tech Plug-in, Groupe Renault also relied on its alliance partners and its experience from the Renault F1 team. The car comes with an internal combustion engine fitted with a gasoline particle filter to reduce its polluting emissions. The vehicle always start in electric mode and comes optimised with the energy recovery phases through a special braking system. Taking cues from their F1 car, Renault has fitted the Captur E-Tech Plug-in with a multimode clutchless gearbox (dog-clutch) to ensure greater energy efficiency during gear changes.

Groupe Renault claims that the new Captur E-Tech Plug-in has a range of 45 km in all-electric mode in a mixed cycle and of around 65 km in urban use. It is claimed that if the batteries are charged every evening, then it can run all week without a single drop of petrol. On longer trips however, it continues to operate in hybrid mode while retaining the original acceleration.

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