Renault DeZir concept to debut at Paris 2010

Renault has unveiled a new concept car which it says symbolises the company’s new design direction for its cars in the future. Design at the front looks similar to a Corvette, while the back and sides seems to remind me of the Audi E-tron concept car.

Given the designation DeZir, the Z in the name symbolises zero emission which means that this concept is an electric vehicle. The powertrain in question will be an electric motor producing 150hp with 226Nm of torque from its vertically-mounted 24kWh lithium-ion battery, located behind the backseats.

his provides a driving range of 160km and has three different recharging options when it runs out of juice. This includes a standard charge from a normal household plug, a fast charge using a 400V three-phase current (recharges 80 percent in 20 mins) or a fast battery exchange where you drop your old battery off for a fully charged unit.

The DeZir uses lightweight materials such as Kevlar and a tubular steel frame. Driving dynamics are further egged on by a full underbody and a rear diffuser which results in a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.25. Other neat features include KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) along with a futuristic driver graphic display.

This goes hand in hand with the exterior design which will feature gullwing doors that are hinged to different sides of the door frames, full-width front air intake that stretch from the Renault logo, along with Audi-R8-like side intakes.

Moving on inside, you will find a design synonymous to concept cars which Renault say is supposed to make you feel like you’re floating on a cloud. The new concept is expected to debut at the 2010 Paris Motor Show this year. If you can’t make it to the show, have a look for yourself after the jump for a picture gallery.