A relatively cheap, no-frills EV for the masses
The new Renault Kwid E-TECH has been officially launched in Brazil with a price tag of 142,990 Brazilian Real (about RM132,550 based on current exchange rate), making it the most affordable electric vehicle there. It was first shown at the Auto Expo 2020 as the K-ZE, which is what it is known as in the Chinese market.
Following in the footsteps of many other EVs in the market, the Kwid E-TECH comes with a number of unique styling cues to distinguish it from the internal combustion-engined version. These include a closed-off grille with two U-shaped chrome strips below the emblem, E-TECH badges and new alloy wheels.
This continues into the cabin, where the Kwid E-TECH gets an EV-specific instrument cluster and a four-spoke steering wheel. Elsewhere, things remain pretty much the same as the Indian market Kwid. There’s a 7-inch touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard, power windows and a rotary gear selector, to name a few.
Powering the Kwid E-TECH is a sole electric motor that generates 65 hp, enabling it to sprint from 0 to 50 km/h in a blistering 4.1 seconds. Equipped with a 26.8-kWh battery, the 977-kg electric crossover is capable of covering a distance of up to 298 km in city traffic and 265 km on a mixed cycle which includes both city and highway driving.
When it comes to charging, Renault claims the Kwid E-TECH takes around 9 hours to achieve a range of 190 km with a domestic 220V/20A outlet. The same amount of range can be recovered in just 40 minutes if charged at a fast-charging station. When hooked up to a 7-kW Wallbox charger, the car requires about 2 hours and 50 minutes to charge from 15% to 80%.
Safety-wise, the Kwid E-TECH comes with basic features including six airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, hill-start assist and tyre pressure monitoring system. Pedestrian safety is also taken into account with the inclusion of Auditory Vehicle Alert System (AVAS), which generates an audio warning at speeds up to 30 km/h.
Due to the fact that the Kwid is assembled in India and Brazil, and local brand guardian Tan Chong Euro Cars (TCEC) is focusing solely on the local assembly of the Captur, the likelihood of the Kwid E-TECH making its way here is very low. However, if it does arrive to our shores, an estimated ballpark price of RM135,000 to RM140,000 should stir things up in the segment as it will undercut the Nissan LEAF and Hyundai Kona Electric by some margin.
