Renault Group’s Mobilize sustainable mobility arm has unveiled a new all-electric ‘minivan’ designed to help small businesses shift to greener operations.
Dubbed Bento, the single-seater quadricycle was announced two years ago and has now been revealed at the Solutrans trade show for industrial and urban vehicles, alongside the new Renault Master large van.
A rival to the Citroën Ami and an unofficial replacement to the Twizy, it’s due for launch in the first half of 2024 and will be offered on a Mobility-as-a-Service basis.
It’s aimed at business customers looking for a delivery vehicle in urban areas that will offer a practical solution while complying with the growing number of ultra-low emission zones. Its all-electric powertrain provides a driving range of 140km (87 miles).
Built using 50% recycled materials (compared to a claimed average of 15%), it features glass side doors that open up, saving space, along with a load capacity of 1m and 80kg payload. Both the body and cargo box can be customised to meet business needs.
It’s equipped with an airbag, as well as air conditioning, and offers fleet access to connected data, including charge status and location, in real time. Bento also features a digital key to access and start the car, from a smartphone for example, enabling its use for car sharing.
It’s backed by a range of tailored charging solutions with Mobilize Power Solutions as part of its proposition to help all types of fleet make the transition to sustainable mobility. Services include advice on charging strategy, deployment of appropriate charging solutions and implementation of operational monitoring, and service continuity for businesses.
Mobilize also offers its Fleet Monitoring package of solutions for monitoring, managing and optimising fleet management. These include Mobilize Fleet Data, which provides easy, real-time access to raw vehicle data such as mileage, maintenance and operation alerts, range for electric vehicles, and geolocation, as well as driving information such as current fuel and energy consumption, and an eco-driving score for educational purposes.
Mobilize also offers its Fleet Connect online and mobile platform for smart, simple fleet management. It provides a complete service encompassing real-time data on vehicle operation, as well as financial and mobility aspects. Fleet managers are able to better plan expenditure, manage maintenance, and reduce both energy consumption and carbon emissions by planning business travel in advance using geolocation data.
