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Next Renault Clio to go hybrid – report

The next-generation Renault Clio could feature hybrid technology drawn from the new Euro-market Scenic MPV - but it won’t be a plug-in, according to a UK report.


The current fourth-generation Clio, which debuted in 2012, is only available with turbocharged petrol engines in Australia, while European markets also get turbo-diesel options.

British website Auto Express reports that the next Clio is likely to feature a mild hybrid system, similar to that featured in the recently revealed Scenic MPV.

While the Scenic’s ‘Hybrid Assist’ system is understood to be a likely option, the new Clio reportedly won’t go as far as offering a more advanced plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant.

Bruno Ancelin, Renault’s executive vice president, told Auto Express at the Geneva motor show earlier this year that the aim of a Clio hybrid is to bring electrified motoring to a more affordable platform.

“We want to add electrification that’s affordable,” he said. “It means we can give the customer just enough to deliver low CO2 [emissions].”

When asked if the cost-effective Hybrid Assist system from the Scenic would feature with the smaller Clio hatch, Ancelin said that the technology will be considered for the Clio and other Renault models, however it isn’t “the only initiative to reduce fuel consumption”.

Ancelin also confirmed that the Clio hybrid won’t be a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) as the price for the consumer would be “too high”. He didn’t rule out the deployment of PHEV technology to larger models, however, such as a sedan or SUV.

“There’s no need for a massive deployment of PHEV tech on small cars,” he said. “We’ll probably need [PHEV] in the upper segments, depending on future diesel regulations.”

In addition to hybrid tech, the next Clio could utilise a suite of specialised aerodynamic features as seen with the futuristic 2015 Renault EOLAB concept, which had a claimed fuel use of 1.0L/100km.

The Eolab concept featured an active front spoiler, thin tyres and active aero flaps, all of which could make their way to upcoming production models.

The concept’s body also employed a mix of high-strength steel, aluminium, magnesium and thermoplastics to save weight, aiding the Eolab’s ultra-efficiency.

It’s not yet known how far away the next-generation ‘Mk5’ Clio is from production, but, with the current model now into its fourth year on the global stage, a new generation could appear in the next few years.

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