Aesthetically, apart from one or the other detail on the grille – in particular the logo which hides the charging hatch – you will hardly see the difference between this electric Kangoo and its petrol and diesel counterparts.

On board

And this is also true for the practical aspects.

Only offered in utility for the moment, the Kangoo E-Tech retains the same load and payload capacities as the others.

It is therefore possible to carry 3.9 m³ and 600 kilos in the loading space, accessible among other things via the “Sesame open by Renault” side door which removes the central pillar.

An elongated version bringing these values ​​to 4.9m³ and 800 kg will quickly inflate the offer.

And the towing capacity is also preserved, at 1,500 kilos.

Increased autonomy and fast charging

If the previous electric Kangoo launched in 2011, then called ZE, was content with a 33 kWh battery, this new Van e-tech goes to the next level thanks to its 45 kWh battery.

Enough to bring the theoretical autonomy to 300 km, and thus outdo its competitors from the Stellantis group (Citroën e-Berlingo, Peugeot e-Rifter, Opel Combo-e, etc.), which announce twenty kilometers less on the WLTP cycle.

Compared to the latter, the Kangoo is however a little less powerful since its new engine delivers 90 kW (122 hp) and 245 Nm of torque, against 100 kW (136 hp) and 260 Nm of its competitors.

New also in terms of chargers, now available in 2 versions on this Van E-Tech: 11 kW and 22 kW in alternating current.

As an option, an 80 kW fast charger with direct current can recover 170 km of autonomy in half an hour.

It should also be noted that this generation of electric Kangoo is equipped with a heat pump, which recovers heat from the outside air to heat as much as cool the cabin without “pumping” too much on the battery.

It is associated with the 22 kW charger.

On the road

During our test, we were particularly impressed by the comfort at the wheel and the flexibility of the engine.

The car accelerates well and quickly.

We are always comfortable in traffic.

Two driving modes are available: Standard and Eco.

In Eco, the power is then reduced to 52 kW (70 hp) and the speed limited to 110 km/h, against 135 km/h in Standard mode.

Added to this are three levels of regeneration (energy recovery).

In the most powerful mode, you can almost drive with just one pedal, accelerating and decelerating simply according to the pressure on the accelerator pedal, without having to use the brake pedal, which is very pleasant.

We will also insist on the very stable character of the vehicle thanks to its 300 kg of batteries installed in the floor for a very low center of gravity.

Budget and Closing

The Kangoo E-Tech should therefore appeal to a growing number of professionals, especially since this walking comfort is complemented by acoustic comfort and a very high level of equipment, both in terms of infotainment (with Apple and Android connectivity) as driving aids.

But its price remains high: from €33,600 excluding VAT.

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