September 10, 2008 – The Paris Motor Show sees the wraps come off Renault’s top-of-the-range concept car Ondelios designed for lovers of long-haul travel who set store by comfort and refinement. Ondelios epitomizes Renault’s vision of the high-end crossover, combining a comfortable ride with respect for the environment. Clear illustrations of that vision are the vehicle’s ethereal design, its interior layout, and an original hybrid powertrain.

Exterior

The 4.8-metre-long, 1.6-metre high Ondelios has drawn inspiration from the world of aviation design to deliver high drag efficiency and a Cd of just 0.29. This long-distance voyager boasts sleek, smooth, amazingly fluid lines that make it appear as though it glides over the ground. It embodies Renault’s vision of high-end car.

The aluminium-finish grille is flanked by headlamp units that also suggest flowing motion, while its high-performance LED headlights are both longer lasting and more efficient. Another feature of Ondelios’ aerodynamic styling is the boomerang-shaped tail lights. They are built into the bodywork and ringed with air extractors to control the flow of air from the wheel arches.

The glazed roof further emphasises the vehicle’s airy look and feel, bathing the interior in natural light. The steeply raked windscreen, which extends well down the bonnet, further accentuates this ethereal feel.

Interior

There are three rows of seats that offer individual seating for six. With their cantilever mounts they give the impression of floating, while their kinematics are redolent of airplane seats. The electrically adjustable backs fold into comfortable, business-class positions, while occupants can deploy and retract their footrests at will.

Unlike conventional door opening systems, the doors are hinged to the roof, which makes getting into the car extremely easy. The second row of seats slide forward and folds down to facilitate access to the third row.

In addition to seating comfort, the cabin exudes a highly refined ambience. The materials used are drawn from contemporary interior design and give the impression of sitting in a lounge on wheels. They blend soft, supple textures like light grey leather and fabric, as seen on the dashboard, seats and door panels. The colour of the seatbacks blends gradually from ochre to purple, further enhancing the sense of security and comfort.

The ample, flowing yet sober design of the broad dashboard echoes the car’s aerodynamic exterior. It is further highlighted by a roomy, suspended stowage compartment which is protected by a lit shell, while all the dashboard’s functional components are particularly userfriendly:

Drivetrain

Ondelios is powered by a hybrid powerplant which combines a more powerful 205hp (150kW) version of the 2.0 dCi engine, with two 20kW electric motors at the front and rear. They operate in mild hybrid mode, giving the engine extra boost as required. They use a brake and boost system, recovering energy during braking then delivering it to the engine to boost acceleration. The front motor also uses fuel-saving stop-start technology.

The electric motor mounted on the rear axle drives the rear wheels when the ESP sensors detect a loss of traction, thus giving Ondelios the capability of a 4WD vehicle. The car is equipped with a lithium-ion battery that can deliver power of up to 4kW/h.

With torque of 450Nm between 1,700 and 3800rpm, the diesel engine provides comfort and flexibility at all engine speeds for long-distance driving pleasure. The 2.0 dCi unit takes Ondelios from a standing start to 100kph in just 7.8 seconds. Driving through a seven-speed,
double-clutch gearbox, it affords outstanding driving pleasure, while keeping fuel consumption
at a frugal 4.5 litres/100km and CO2 emissions at a lowly 120g/km – very impressive for a topof-
the-range vehicle.

Story by Renault