Renault Clio hybrid, Captur PHEV unveiled

Both cars feature a new "series-parallel" hybrid drivetrain covered by around 150 patents. It features a naturally-aspirated 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with high voltage starter/generator, and a more powerful electric motor built into a "multi-mode clutch-less" transmission.

In the full hybrid Clio E-Tech, this powertrain is rated at 103kW and is paired with a 1.2kWh battery pack located behind the rear axle.

In the city, Renault says the Clio hybrid runs solely on electric power for about 80 per cent of the time. Using the WLTP testing standard, the Clio E-Tech will reportedly use less than 4.3L/100km in mixed driving.

Standard features include a 7.0-inch instrumentation display, an animated hybrid system diagram for the infotainment system, and a driver-selectable EV driving mode.

For the Captur E-Tech plug-in hybrid power, output has bumped up to 118kW. Fitted with a 9.8kWh battery, the Captur PHEV has a driving range of 50 kilometres and a top speed of 135km/h when operating in pure electric mode.

In addition to automatic drivetrain management and battery save modes, the Captur E-Tech also has a Sport setting, which forces all three motors to work together when the accelerator is mashed to the floor.

The Captur PHEV also has rear seats capable sliding forward by 160mm, and an under-floor storage area in the boot for car's charging cables. Also standard is a 10.2-inch digital instrumentation display, and a 9.3-inch touchscreen infotainment unit.

The company plans to add a plug-in hybrid drivetrain option to its Megane small car "soon".