Renault Scenic Vision Concept – Car Body Design

From the official Press Release:

Exterior Design

Measuring 4.49 meters in length (1.9 m wide and 1.59 m high), the Renault Scenic Vision is a family car whose dimensions are that of a C-segment vehicle. Its features contribute to an overall futuristic design with plenty of character and a sustainable underbelly.

The vehicle boasts all the advantages of a family car: extended wheelbase, low belt line, large wheels, side and wheel-arch protective strips, and a horizontally aligned bonnet. Its proportions are ideal for optimised interior space.

The highly detailed front end of the Scenic Vision concept car features sculpted surfaces that converge in a dynamic flow of clearly visible lines; it is enhanced by a spectacular welcome sequence during which the front bonnet gives way to a flash diamond-shape animation that comes alive on the grille before rising up around Renault’s new ‘Nouvel’R’ logo.

Close attention to detail can be seen in the rims, bumper air intakes, front grille components, and more; everything has been done to showcase the car’s HD design. The logo is also part of the highly graphic style: each of its lines can be broken into fifths.

The headlights and day lamps feature the same stylistic lines as the logo, thereby further underpinning the feeling of unity with the front end’s design.

All it takes to open the doors is a simple touch of the tactile Renault logo located on the replacement B-Pillar, with the suicide doors and non-existent B-Pillar allowing easy access.

Fitted with large 21-inch wheels, the rims on the Renault Scenic Vision are equipped with flaps for enhanced aerodynamic performance, and therefore greater efficiency. When the car is in motion (≥ 10km/h), the flaps close to improve their aerodynamics; as soon as the car slows down and its speed drops below 10km/h, the flaps open for better cooling as the heat generated by the brakes can escape more readily. A specific mechanism keeps the logos positioned on the wheels in an upright position when the Scenic Vision is in motion.

Interior Design

The interior of the Renault Scenic Vision interior adapts to each person on board; a truly visionary philosophy.

As such, when climbing aboard, the cockpit and seats move back, so as to give passengers and the driver maximum room to move around in. They then move back to a more suitable position by adapting to the morphology of each user. The seats have been designed to suit their primary function. The wrap-around driver’s seat is sportier than the others, making it easier to stay focused on the road when driving; whereas passengers benefit from seats designed to be more comfortable.

The steering wheel is in the shape of a game controller, underscoring the interior’s modern ‘tech’ feel. The vehicle’s large glass roof lets in light, inviting passengers to let their minds wander, and merging with the other glass panels to give a heightened sense of space and luminosity. This is enhanced by the choice of light-coloured, reflective materials.

With the ‘Cocoon’ airbags now located in the seats, the dashboard is thinner and sleeker. The Renault Scenic Vision comes equipped with a very large screen located where the windshield meets the dashboard, as close as to the horizon line as possible. The goal is to give the driver the best possible view. Its position maximizes ergonomics and safety by preventing the driver from taking their eyes off the road as they look for information which is displayed in two distinct areas: one for the driver, one for the passenger.

In addition to the main screen, the interior also features 10 small widget screens, that are readily adaptable, intuitive and configurable, and which control functions spanning everything from music to temperature settings and settings for the automatic gearbox to interior lighting. Content from the widgets can be transferred to the large screen on the dashboard.

A final addition to the Renault Scenic Vision’s on-board equipment is the HEPA filter which helps purify the air inside the car, thus enhancing the well-being and health of passengers.

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Graphic Design

The unique design of the Renault Scenic Vision is heightened by the choice of colours, where black and white create a singular graphic universe. Shades of black on the outside, and white on the inside, offer a contrast of light and dark that reflects the design team’s wish for this concept car to be a work of art where artistic expression takes to the fore. On the outside, black hues are enhanced by an array of pigments and reflective paints that highlight the sculpted forms, where light and shape interact, giving rise to new surfaces.

Inside, the feeling of space and light is embodied by a predominantly white interior. Black highlights stand out on the structural features, encouraging a more intuitive use of the vehicle’s functionalities and a more user-friendly approach to the space. Colour is brought into the space through an ingenious idea: dichroic panels. Installed on door panels where they reflect light, they give off a rainbow of colour, without the use of pigments. The high-tech feel reinforces the interior’s graphic feel. Finally, the car’s two primary colours are featured on the floor panels, creating a bridge between the interior and exterior.

Technologies

The concept anticipates manufacturing methods and technologies that the Renault Group and its brands will use to achieve carbon neutrality in Europe by 2040 and worldwide by 2050. Notably, this includes Renault aiming for an entirely electric range by 2030.

Outside, the Scenic Vision showcases Renault’s future all-electric family cars. Inside, it invites travellers into a new time, a future where technology and innovation will make the world more sustainable and more environmentally-friendly.

The Scenic Vision concept car brings the most futuristic decarbonisation technologies to life today, and it embodies the three pillars of Renault Group’s sustainable development strategy: carbon neutrality, safety and inclusion.

For example, 70 per cent of its materials are recycled and 95 per cent are recyclable – contributing directly to resource preservation. As a hybrid, utilising both electric and hydrogen power, it requires fewer and shorter stops. Its carbon footprint, including the battery, is much smaller, being 75 per cent lower than that of a conventional electric car and being a zero-emission car (in production and in use).

The technology in the car enhances driver and passenger safety by reducing the number of accidents by up to 70 per cent. The design of the Renault Scenic Vision also mirrors the development teams’ intention to create a car that is unique, accessible to all and right for everyone.

Its exterior design provides a preview of an all-electric model that will be unveiled in 2024. This C segment vehicle designed for long family journeys will come with all the advantages of the CMF-EV platform and will take well-being on board to new heights.

Powertrain

The Renault Scenic Vision concept car is powered by a one-of-a-kind hybrid – electric and hydrogen – propulsion system. It has a new-generation motor, a smaller battery and a fuel cell running on green hydrogen. It is ushering mobility into a completely new age, which the Group believes is viable for the coming decade.

Renault Scenic Vision’s 160 kW electrically excited synchronous motor derives directly from the All-New Renault Mégane E-Tech Electric’s motor and is made at the plant in Cléon. It uses no rare-earth elements, which helps to reduce its carbon footprint and create a responsible and sustainable ecosystem. The 40 kWh battery is recyclable and will be made in France by 2024 at the Renault ElectriCity Gigafactory. It is lighter, smaller and costs less than a battery for a similar electric vehicle. It also has a 15 kW fuel cell to recharge it during long drives and thus extend its range. In 2030 and beyond, once the network of hydrogen stations is large enough, it will be possible to drive up to 800 km, with the hyrdrogen tank able to be refilled in five minutes or less.

Hybrid electric and hydrogen technology complements the all-electric range, with the advantage of shorter stops and a smaller carbon footprint, making it perfect for long journeys. And, as it runs on green hydrogen, the car is a perfect fit for Renault Group’s objectives for decarbonised mobility.

Renault Scenic Vision has an all-new platform that is currently in the prototyping phase at Renault Group’s innovation labs. The platform is purpose-designed to fit all the components: the electric motor, hydrogen engine, battery, fuel cell and hydrogen tank. The engine is at the rear, so there is enough space for the 2.5 kg hydrogen tank at the front; the fuel cell is under the floor, at the back of the platform, behind the battery.

This propulsion system’s operation is simple and efficient. The car can be driven as a conventional electric vehicle, without using the fuel cell, on daily trips. When there is a requirement to travel longer distances, a route planner calculates the power the fuel cell needs to supply to keep the battery charged for longer, so that there is no need to charge it on the way. The point of using the fuel cell on long journeys is that it’s quicker to top up the hydrogen tank than to charge the battery. This way, there is no need to charge the battery until the car reaches its destination. When the weather is cold, the hydrogen range-extender also keeps the battery at the right temperate for optimal operation and extra range.

Renault Scenic Vision’s hybrid electric and hydrogen powertrain has all the advantages of electric motors: instant acceleration, less noise and no vibration. And no pollution, because the car discharges nothing but water when you use it. There are several advantages to this platform and this new kind of propulsion system: you can drive long distances only stopping briefly to fill the hydrogen tank (roughly every three hours) and they provide an appealing alternative to all-electric motors – even though they are still in the exploratory phase.

Lower-carbon batteries
Renault Group is developing green, low-carbon and responsible batteries. It has rearranged its entire value chain to preserve resources and cut carbon emissions. The Renault Scenic Vision concept car is tapping into all the options that have been identified so far through the strategic partnerships that Renault Group set in motion in the past. The aim is to reduce the batteries’ carbon footprint by 60 per cent, both by decarbonising the energy used to assemble them and with a more responsible supply chain.

Lower-carbon materials
Extraction of raw materials and production of parts accounted for 15 per cent of the carbon footprint of Renault Group vehicles in 2020. Embarking its 15,000 suppliers on a campaign to reduce that environmental impact is one of the strategic priorities.

Six materials and components add up to 90 per cent of the carbon footprint of purchases: steel, aluminium, polymers, electronic components, glass and tyres. By focusing efforts on these six materials and components between now and 2030, Renault Group aims to shrink this carbon footprint by 30 per cent.

Recyclability

The Group aims to increase the percentage of recycled materials in new vehicles, relative to mass, to 33 per cent by 2030.

Renault Scenic Vision is showing the way with unprecedented rates: more than 70 per cent of its total mass is renewable and recyclable materials, and 95 per cent of the materials in its design – including the battery – are reusable, recoverable and/or recyclable*. This is a virtuous circle for the environment and for Renault Group. Component and battery dismantling and recycling activities at the Flins Re-Factory will generate over €1 billion in revenue in 2030.

Resource conservation and recovery are deeply entrenched in this model. It has intelligent charging capabilities and in due course will be able to feed energy back into the power network using vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology if needed. The know-how that Renault and the Group’s new brand Mobilize can pool in battery management (second life, recycling, etc.), charging convenience and choice of charging options (at home or on the road) covers the entire cycle and value chain.

A full 95 per cent of this concept car’s materials – including the battery – are recyclable. This new approach to design looks beyond the vehicle and includes previously unexplored ventures and technologies. The exterior materials (steel, aluminium, carbon fibre and plastics) can all be recycled at the end of their life. Everything inside is designed responsibly. For example the foams, fabrics and stitching on the light beige seats are made of the same material, produced from fully recycled and recyclable plastic.

Renault Scenic Vision is engineered to be environmentally-friendly, and easy to recycle at the end of its life.

A second life for the batteries

Estimates suggest that the number of electric vehicles on Europe’s roads will increase tenfold between now and 2030, from 10 million to 100 million. Renault Group is the first carmaker to work on the full battery lifecycle. It has thus developed solid expertise in increasing their durability and using them for a wider variety of purposes. Once a battery is no longer fit to power a vehicle, its energy can be reused in stationary storage solutions in homes or offices, or elsewhere (in boats, refrigeration systems, machinery or airport logistics, for instance).

RECYCLED MATERIALS: EMBRACING TRAILBLAZING PROJECTS
More than 70 per cent of the materials in the Renault Scenic Vision are renewable and/or recycled. It has for example adopted materials from the aviation or food-processing industry. Creating this global ecosystem, where materials from various sectors are transformed to be used in new ways, is another step towards a more responsible and sustainable world.

* Under Directive 2005/64/EC on the type-approval of motor vehicles with regard to their reusability, recyclability and recoverability

For example, the steel in the vehicle’s structure is made from 95 per cent recycled steel, while all the aluminium parts in the structure (housings, battery casing, seats) and trims (console, cockpit) are made from 100 per cent recycled aluminium. All the carbon fibre is recycled from aviation industry scrap via a partnership with Airbus, and the hydrogen tank is made with carbon fibre produced from paper-industry waste.

Elsewhere, 70 per cent of the Scenic Vision’s interior and exterior plastics are recycled, with 100 per cent of the textile fabrics made of recycled materials. It is also entirely leather-free. The floor is made of 100 per cent recycled plastics from food and industrial waste (45 per cent milk bottles, 55 per cent plastic pipes, etc.). An innovative project that seeks to recycle day-to-day waste while reducing the overall carbon footprint.

The fuel cell membrane is made of 100 per cent recycled platinum taken from catalytic converters removed from combustion motor cars, while all the copper used in the vehicle’s batteries and electrical cables is recycled.

CARING FOR THE PEOPLE
Provide assistance to drivers, enable them to better avoid risky situations, reduce stress behind the wheel while maintaining road awareness, and increase driving pleasure. This is what Renault promises with the new Renault Scenic Vision concept car, which incorporates technology and systems that will reduce the number of accidents by up to 70 per cent when coupled with conventional safety equipment.

Human error combined with external factors – traffic, weather, infrastructure – accounts for 90 per cent of all road accidents. One in two are due to human error alone (drunk driving, sudden onset ailment, distraction, or stress). Thanks to the ‘Safety Coach’, each of these errors are covered.

Risks are detected, the driver is warned and guided to avoid the accident: the multiple ADAS and three on board systems ‘Safety Score’, ‘Safety Coach’, and ‘Safe Guardian’, ensure extra safety for all, providing a unique level of both physical and psychological comfort.

Safety Score – responsible driving
New Renault models will soon come with a ‘Safety Score’. Using data collected by sensors mounted on the vehicle, it analyses the driver’s driving style – acceleration, smoothness, inattention, speed management, and driver distractibility. It then gives personalised driving tips to each driver based on a safety score calculated at the end of each trip. It helps drivers improve how they drive and provides personalised advice on the various risks associated with their driving style. A customisable proactive system that informs and alters driving practices; it is made fun and incentivised through both virtual and physical financial rewards that engage users.

Safety Coach – identified risks
The ‘Safety Coach’ uses data taken from the surrounding environment and the car’s on-board navigation system to inform users of risks located on their route. Unlike equipment that helps prevent risks turning into accidents or that reduces the severity of a proven accident, the ‘Safety Coach’ gives drivers more room to plan ahead, avoid the risk, change speed to suit the specific situation (roundabout, dangerous intersection, speed limit), and take stock of the various visual, audible, or tactile warnings.

The data is an intelligent mix of input from the road, information from the navigation system, and updates of frequently encountered events shared between vehicles. People are given the most relevant information to avoid risks. Loud, stressful warning signals have been replaced by gentle, multisensory notifications, thereby enhancing the driver’s ability to anticipate, remain alert, and respond accordingly. The Safety Coach helps reduce the number of road accidents – fatal accidents included – by 30 per cent.

Safe Guardian: detect and address a drop in awareness
Training and guiding drivers to adopt better driving practices helps reduce risk and stress, and avoid accidents. However, in case of a real and present danger, connected on-board systems take over. This is the role of the ‘Safe Guardian’ that activates when there is a proven risk (dangerous turning, wheel not under control for a prolonged period, drowsiness, etc.). In such cases, the vehicle slows down and automatically brings itself back in control.

To further aid drivers, the vehicle comes fitted with an array of health monitoring systems. A heart rate sensor placed in the steering wheel and a camera serve to detect signs of driver fatigue or inattentiveness. Should a problem arise, warning signals are sent to the driver and passengers, and emergency services are alerted automatically.

For total visibility and peace of mind, the Renault Scenic Vision concept car has been designed with a new architecture that features an extra-large screen located where the dashboard meets the windshield. It displays the car’s immediate environment thanks to an array of on-board cameras located at the front of the vehicle. The system increases the driver’s field of view by 24 per cent thanks to a visual widening of the windshield and a front bonnet that ‘disappears’. The effective field of view now features an additional 6.7°.

In addition, a Cocoon Airbag is housed in the seats and wraps around passengers in the event of an accident, while new technological solutions help rescue services at the scene of an incident. The Fireman Access and Rescue Code are two such systems already featured on production vehicles, with the former featuring a specialised access hatch to the core of the battery that means it now only takes a few minutes to extinguish a battery fire instead of two hours.

The ‘Rescue Code’ is a QR code that provides emergency services with instant access to all useful information about a car’s architecture, helping to save 15 minutes during the rescue of occupants.

The Renault Scenic Vision has been designed with the ultimate ambition of creating a car adapted to all, where accessibility, comfort, and safety are its guiding principles.

The suicide doors without a B-pillar make it easier to get in and out of the vehicle. There is no door lip to climb over, and lateral supports for the seats have been relocated to the inner door panel, thereby giving even more room to climb aboard.

The Renault Scenic Vision’s ‘responsive’ cockpit guarantees optimal comfort by adjusting to the driver’s morphology: it moves forward at the same time as the driver’s seat to give passengers and the driver plenty of room to move about.

The cockpit’s technological features are readily visible and each part interchangeable. This means that regular upgrades can be made over the course of the car’s life, without having to change car.

A facial recognition device located on the outside of the vehicle, near where the two doors meet, is used to unlock the car and automatically adapt the interior configuration (seat position, widget and app preferences, playlists etc) to the person it recognises, making for a truly tailored driving experience.

Ten configurable screens are located throughout the interior of the Renault Scenic Vision. They are dedicated to different functions and are found in specific places of the vehicle.

A camera located in the front detects where people are looking and turns the screens to face the person seeking to interact with the system, meaning greater ergonomics and accessibility.

(Source: Renault)