Renault Zoom

The Renault Zoom was a concept car created by Matra and Renault and was first introduced at the 1992 Paris Motor Show.

Renault Zoom
Zoom in retracted state
Overview
Manufacturer	Renault and Matra
Production	1992 (Concept car)
Body and chassis
Class	Supermini (B)
Body style	3-door hatchback
Layout	Front-engine, front-wheel-drive
Doors	Scissor
Powertrain
Engine	Electric motor
Dimensions
Length	2,650 mm (104.3 in) (2,300 mm (90.6 in)) (retracted)
Width	1,520 mm (59.8 in)

Renault Zoom

The small 2-seat car[1] had a length of 2,650 mm (104.3 in) and a width of 1,520 mm (59.8 in). The Zoom was powered by a 45 kW (61.2 hp) electric motor. It was unique in having fold up rear wheels resulting in a shorter length 2,300 mm (90.6 in) when parked. Width remains constant at 1.52m, which means Zoom is 230 mm (9.1 in) higher in retracted wheelbase configuration. 2 scissor doors mounted on inclined axes reduce lateral bodywork clearance to a minimum and make Zoom easy to use in the tightest of spots.

The Zoom was an urban and suburban concept car born of common research by Renault and Matra into modern electric cars. The Zoom was a relatively early venture into the world of city runabouts and utilised an electric power system in addition to a variable wheelbase. The engine is 90 percent recyclable. A communication centre mounted between the two seats houses a hands-free telephone and power-up control for Carminat navigation system.

The concept for a variable wheelbase city car was revisited by the MIT CityCar and applied in the development of the Hiriko folding two-seat urban electric car.[2][3]

References

1. The Car Book. DK. 2011. pp. 290–291. ISBN 978-1-4093-7871-6.
2. Steven Ashley (2012-07-13). "Shrink-to-Fit Car for City Parking". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
3. "City Car: Hiriko Electric Fold-Up Car for Crowded Cities". ABC News. 2012-12-21. Retrieved 2012-01-01.