Renault's Ondelios concept inspired by aviation

The designer of the Renault Ondelios pictures it gliding across the ground with the same sort of elegance as an aircraft.

"Ondelios is inspired by motion rather than speed and is a whole new response to the call of the open road," Renault Design Director, Patrick Le Quément is quoted as saying in the company's press material.

To that end, the concept vehicle boasts a drag coefficient of 0.29Cd. This is accomplished through methods such as shaping the wheels like impellers to draw turbulent air in to cool the brake discs and ensure that the car passes through 'clean' air.

At 4.8 metres long and just 1.6 metres high, the Ondelios shares some of the packaging hallmarks of a Lear Jet -- although short-haul commuter aircraft don't normally come with gullwing doors or a diesel/electric hybrid drivetrain driving through a seven-speed twin-clutch transmission.

The car's 'gliding' characteristics doubtless arise from its high ground clearance -- it is described as a crossover by the manufacturer, but it's unlikely to be seen struggling up the south face of a sand dune. It's certainly unlikely to tackle rutted tracks with overhanging branches when it rides on 23-inch alloy wheels and features dark blue anthracite panels, those gullwing doors and a glass roof.

Rather, the Ondelios is a vehicle specifically designed for low-cost operation over long distances. Renault has developed the car with an operational 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine and two 20kW electric motors to assist. The motor at the front is integrated with the internal combustion engine to provide added torque and restart the engine automatically, as required. At the rear, the second electric motor provides traction as deemed necessary by the stability control system. Electrical power for the two motors is stored in a lithium-ion battery until such time as needed.

Renault claims that the modified turbodiesel engine develops 450Nm of torque from 1700 to 3800rpm, yet achieves 4.5L/100km fuel consumption and 120g/km of CO2 emissions. 

Seating for six is facilitated by three rows of seats within the avant-garde interior. Climbing into the back is much the same as with any people mover, necessitating the second row of seats tilt and slide forward for access

Among the more advanced features fitted to the Ondelios are: door mirror cameras, multi-zone climate control, a Samsung mobile phone that doubles as the remote central locking control, polycarbonate 'glass', carbon-based bodywork and certain structural components formed from a naturally-grown flax fibre material.

"Ondelios is a glimpse of what the automobile might be in the medium term future," concludes Patrick Le Quément.

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