The EOLAB concept is a response to a challenge set by the French government that asks the country’s automakers to build a regular production car capable of returning at least 117 mpg by the year 2020. Renault has exceeded the government’s requirements and designed a fully-functional car that is rated at 265 mpg in a mixed European cycle.
Power for the EOLAB comes from a gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain made up of a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine derived from the mill found in the Twingo and a compact electric motor. The SCe generates 75 horsepower and 70 lb-ft. of torque, while the electric motor uses power stored in a compact battery pack to produce 67 horsepower and 147 lb-ft. of torque. Both units send power to the drive wheels via a highly-compact three-speed clutchless transmission.
The EOLAB offers two driving modes called weekday and weekend, respectively. When weekday mode is selected, the car runs on electricity alone for up to 41 miles at speeds of up to 75 mph. The three-cylinder automatically kicks in if the battery runs low or if the car exceeds 75 mph. In weekend mode, the EOLAB operates like a standard plug-in hybrid by relying on both power sources to use as little fuel as possible.
Beyond the Engine Bay
The EOLAB weighs just 2,100 pounds – 880 pounds less than a similarly-sized Clio hatchback – thanks in part to the use of lightweight materials like magnesium, aluminum, Very Very High Elastic Limit (VVHEL) steel and thin glass. Designers avoided using carbon fiber in order to simplify the manufacturing process and keep costs in check.
Renault has also gone to great lengths to make the EOLAB as aerodynamic as possible. It features a narrow rear track, a low roofline and a host of active aerodynamic add-ons like an automatic spoiler. Additionally, the car is equipped with a variable air suspension that gradually lowers the ride height as speed increases in order to limit the amount of air that passes under it. Finally, the EOLAB packs innovative active wheels that are covered when the brakes don’t need to be cooled, such as when driving on the freeway, and uncovered as soon as the temperature rises.
Inside, the concept packs a height-adjustable instrument cluster and an 11-inch tablet-like touch screen that groups the car’s entertainment, connectivity and navigation functions. The tablet can be positioned either horizontally or vertically.
The EOLAB concept will not reach production as-is. However, many of the 100 technical innovations inaugurated by the concept are expected to trickle down to Renault’s production cars over the next decade or so.
Stay tuned to Leftlane for live images of the EOLAB concept straight from the show floor in Paris starting on October 2nd.
What’s in a Name?
Renault explains the name EOLAB is a portemanteau that fuses the name Aeolous, the God of Wind in Greek mythology, and the word “laboratory.”
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