Renault Kangoo Z.E. Concept previews new electric Kangoo

The Renault Kangoo Z.E. Concept has been revealed, previewing the next generation of the French manufacturer’s light electric van set to hit showrooms next year.

No performance details have been revealed at this stage, although Renault is expected to improve on the current model’s real-world range by using the drivetrain featured in the Nissan Leaf.

Earlier this year, the Japanse carmaker launched the longer-range Leaf e+, which boasts 239 miles of range and a more powerful, 215bhp electric motor.

For the time being, Renault is using the Kangoo Z.E. Concept to showcase the new van’s design: the boxy shape of the current Kangoo has been replaced with a sleeker, more car-like profile, which Renault says also improves space in the rear.

At the front, the new design sees the smoother, transparent grille joined by lower air vents in the bumpers. Meanwhile, two ‘C shape’ headlights are joined together by a lighting strip that surrounds the Renault badge.

A similar design is applied at the back, with a luminous strip stretching back between the flush door handles on either side of the vehicle.

The electric concept van is finished in ‘Austral Grey’, with green detailing inspired by Renault’s EZ-Pro autonomous delivery concept, revealed last year.

The charging port can be seen on behind the front left wheelarch; the right-hand drive version of the existing Kangoo Z.E. sold in the UK features a charging port above the left rear wheel.

No details about the interior or the infotainment have been disclosed, although the Kangoo Z.E. Concept features side-mounted cameras in place of more conventional wing mirrors. If these were to make production, significant space would be needed inside to house the relevant screens on the dashboard.

European sales of the new Kangoo Z.E. are set to begin in 2020. By the end of 2018, 38,000 examples of the electric van had been sold worldwide.