The Renault Kwid EV is nearing its expected launch time – summer of 2019 – in certain global markets like China and now we have the first official drawings of what the production version could look like. A heavily camouflaged test mule of the Kwid EV was spied testing in China recently, but these leaked drawings confirm how it’ll differ from its petrol-powered counterpart.
As per these drawings, the production-spec Kwid EV will look more like the regular petrol-powered Kwid than the K-ZE concept shown ahead of the 2018 Paris Motor Show. The China-spec Kwid EV will get different rims, new headlights and tail lamps, a new front grille as well as revised bumpers at both ends. Earlier spy shots of the Kwid EV undergoing tests in China gave us a glimpse of its cabin. The interior shots reveal a blue accent on the centre console that houses the electric drivetrain controls.
Overall, the electric and the petrol-powered Kwid have the same body styling and stance but are easily differentiated their bumpers, headlights and wheels. The EV’s headlamps feature a sharper design and are likely to pack LED projector lamps instead of the halogen units seen on the regular model. The fog-lamp housings are now air vents, possibly to channel air for cooling the batteries, and the front grille, as well as the skid plate, feature a different design.
At the rear, the new bumper has a noticeably different cladding flanked by two vents and no exhaust. However, there’s a possibility that the regular Kwid could also get these cosmetic changes soon as part of a mid-life refresh.
Renault’s claims that the Kwid EV will have a range of around 250km. However, a production-spec model is yet to be tested under the new WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test) cycle defined by the European Union.
Renault is expected to begin production of the global-spec Kwid EV in mid-2019. However, it is not expected to arrive in India until the early 2020s, or until the affordable electric car market in India becomes viable. Meanwhile, Maruti Suzuki is set to launch an EV based on the new WagonR in 2020.
By: CarDekho
