Renault Clio E-TECH Hybrid and Renault Captur E-TECH Plug-in Hybrid revealed

Renault reveals hybrid versions of the Clio and Capture, with a hybrid Clio E-TECH and plug-in hybrid Captur E-TECH. On sale in June.

Renault has turned up at the Brussels Motor Show with a new ‘E-TECH’ brand for hybrid models, and attached it to both the Clio and Captur. But despite the same ‘E-TECH’ badging the two models are quite different.

The new Renault Clio E-TECH gets a new ‘full hybrid’ system – protected, say Renault, by 150 patents – which comes with a multi-mode DHT transmission which is used to control a pair of electric motors and the 1.6 litre petrol engine.

It utilises a small – 1.2kWh – battery pack, despite which Renault claims the regenerative braking and high battery charging efficiency means the Clio can spend some 80 per cent of its time on city roads in all-electric mode, in the process saving up to 40 per cent of fuel on the urban cycle compared to an ICE Clio.

Titivations to mark the Clio E-TECH out from its pure ICE siblings include new back bumper and E-TECH badges, with a Smart Cockpit with 7″ TFT instrument cluster and either 7″ horizontal or 9.3″ vertical EASY Link infotainment with hybrid-specific modes and ‘EV’ button to put the Clio straight in to electric mode.

The Captur E-TECH takes things a step further with a plug-in hybrid system using the same ICE and motors as the Clio E-TECH, but with a bigger 9.8kWh battery and 400v electrical system delivering a 30-mile electric range and official emissions of 34g/km (the Clio E-TECH comes in at under 100g/km) and 188mpg. 

Both the Renault Clio E-TECH and Capture E-TECH go on sale in the UK in June.