The next-generation Renault Kangoo was originally set for an early 2023 launch, but it now won’t arrive until later this year.
The company has confirmed it’s now set to launch in the third quarter of this year, and CarExpert understands this is due to issues securing supply.
The new Kangoo was first revealed late in 2020.
The range will continue to offer a choice of combustion and electric powertrains in Australia, though full specifications won’t be revealed until closer to launch along with pricing.
The electric version has been rechristened Kangoo E-Tech Electric in line with other Renault EVs, as the brand retires the old Z.E. nameplate.
The outgoing Kangoo Z.E. has been on sale locally since 2017 and, while it has had the local electric van market to itself for much of that time, it’s showing its age.
The Kangoo E-Tech Electric has a 90kW and 245Nm motor driven by a 45kWh lithium-ion battery pack capable of 80kW max DC charging, with 170km of range added in 30 minutes.
The battery takes just under four hours to go from 15 per cent to 100 per cent charge when plugged into a 11kW wallbox, and “less than 6 hours” on a cheaper 7.4kW AC wallbox.
The WLTP driving range is a claimed 300km, more than ideal for “last mile” couriers and freight operators. It also has three levels of regenerative braking force: ‘sailing’, default, and ‘maximum’ for added energy recuperation.
Renault also says it has a 615kg payload and braked towing capacity of 1500kg.
Despite the addition of a battery, the E-Tech Electric has no less space than its combustion-powered counterparts.
For context, the outgoing Kangoo Z.E uses a weedy 44kW and 225Nm motor, a 33kWh battery, and has a claimed 200km maximum range.
The E-Tech Electric has also received a tech upgrade, with remote access for the air-conditioning. Combustion- and electric-powered Kangoos alike can be had with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The Kangoo range has a full suite of available active safety and driver assist technology, including autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, traffic jam assist, traffic sign recognition, and semi-automatic parking assist.
Combustion-powered Kangoos offer a choice of 1.3-litre turbo-petrol and 1.5-litre turbo-diesel engines in Europe, the latter available in three tunes: 60kW/230Nm, 70kW/260Nm, and 85kW/270Nm.
The petrol engine has 75kW and 200Nm.
All use a six-speed manual transmission apart from the most powerful of the diesels, which uses a seven-speed automatic.
The Kangoo E-Tech Electric will once again have a rival locally in 2023 after the BYD T3 came and went in a flash.
Fellow French brand Peugeot will launch its E-Partner in the first half of 2023.
