Renault shows electric concept car that extends for Travel Extender battery

Renault has unveiled its Morphoz concept car. It is a crossover that is equipped with a 40 kWh battery in city mode. The car can extend to make room for an extra 50 kWh battery. Renault calls it the Travel Extender.

According to Renault, a 40 kWh battery offers enough range in most cases. The Morphoz should be able to drive 400km with this. The idea is for car owners to pick up a Travel Extender before they travel. That is an extra 50 kWh battery. With the combined capacity of 90kWh, the range would be 700km.

The front of the Morphoz slides out to make room for the Travel Extender. The additional battery is installed via a valve in the bottom and is intended to be done at special charging stations. If the batteries are not in a car, they can be used, for example, to charge electric bicycles.

In city mode, the car is 4.4 meters long and the wheelbase is 2.73 meters. With the travel battery pack, the total length is 4.8 meters and the wheelbase is 2.93 meters. According to Renault, the aerodynamics are better in extended mode. The car is 2 meters wide and 1.55 meters high.

The concept is based on Renault’s CMF-EV platform for electric cars. The concept offers level 3 autonomous driving functions. This means that the car can drive independently, but the driver must remain attentive and keep his hands and eyes free.

According to Renault, the concept represents the company’s vision for electric mobility after 2025. The Morphoz concept car would be shown at the Geneva Motor Show. The fair has been canceled due to the novel coronavirus.