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Renault Estafette Concept: An electric future built on the past

26/09/2024

Digging into the archives, Renault has announced the revival of its iconic Estafette as a cutting-edge electric van. But is this compact hauler really ‘poised to upend the utility vehicle landscape’ as the diamond badge brand claims?

From Britpop legends Oasis to the controversial SUV Ford Capri, it seems that there is no end in sight to the current era of icons making comebacks. Next in line? Renault’s Estafette; re-imagined as an electric city going van.

A short view back to the past

During its original run from 1959 to 1980, the Estafette gained a reputation deeper than just that of a van with recognisable peeping headlights and a friendly faced grille. The front-wheel drive LCV was viewed as radically innovative for the time; the first Renault to install the entire powertrain at the front to create a lager cargo area behind.

Old Renault Estafetee — The high roof became a revered feature of the old Estafette, with Renault going on to release even taller variants.
Image credit: Renault

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Furthermore, available in a range of body styles, the Estafette helped pioneer the path towards the modular vans we see on the market today. At the end of the Estafette’s 21-year run the Trafic stepped in, allowing the little cargo carrier to hang up its gloves, having sold over half a million units.

Stepping into the future

Now, 45 years later, the Estafette has returned with aims to replicate the innovation of its forebear. Two key goals drive the concept: keeping drivers and their cargo safe, while keeping loading and unloading speedy.

renault estafette side angle — Riding the wave of urban e-commerce, Renault have taken the last mile delivery EV route.
Image credit: Renault

Bulit on the new FlexEVan platform — developed by Renault and Volvos’ Flexis dream team — this represents the French brand’s SDV (Software-Defined Vehicle) debut.

With access to this ‘intelligent, scalable, and modular’ tech, the Estafette features cloud connectivity. This will keep the vehicle and services up to date, allow predictive maintenance, while learning user and fleet habits; contributing to an estimated 30% usage cost reduction. Following the modular blueprint set out by its predecessor, this foundation will also make the new Estafette highly customisable and easy to convert for different purposes.

A fresh look

Looks-wise, there isn’t a whole lot carried over from the old to the new Estafette, aside from a modern interpretation of the charming circular headlights.

Renault Estafette round light — The built-in front camera nestled next to the updated ring light.
Image credit: Renault

Despite a slightly unorthodox prompt from Renault to view the soft silhouette as ‘Smeg fridge meets plush toy’, we’re thinking more Smart Fortwo meets off-brand air fryer with a sprinkling of the new 5 EV. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing as it incorporates modern, inoffensive, yet eye-catching design, broken up with a nice pop of colour on the roof.

The Estafette’s compact dimensions have survived the hiatus though, making it nimble and easy to park like its predecessor. Measuring in at 4.87 by 1.92 m — a smidge shorter and wider than the award winning Kangoo in L2 format — the proto-LCV can achieve a dainty turning circle of just over 10 m. Further minimising its footprint, the rear shutter wraps around itself, and while a step unfolds, this still requires less space than a traditional barn door setup.

Renault Estafette Rear angle — The dual sliding doors are back, now opening in a single swoop to avoid the strenuous outwards pulling motion of the past, boasting additional ‘convenience and safety’. Image credit: Renault

The lofty 2.59 m height lives up to the van’s vintage ‘Hi-Boy’ moniker too. Anyone up to 6’ 2” will be able to stand upright in the cabin, easily moving into the cargo area, which offers a Trafic-esque 7.1m³ of storage space despite the Estafette’s compressed size.

Glowing from the inside

The interior is certainly distinctive and, well, yellow. Leaning into a retro high-tech aesthetic, the cabin packs plenty of contemporary gadgets and gizmos. The dashboard houses a 7-inch instrument display, a handful of square ‘widgets’ which can be tapped to access key features, and a 12-inch central display. This main screen intelligently adapts to the Estafette’s use, for example displaying the temperature in the cargo area, should you opt for a refrigerated conversion.

Renault Estafette cabin — The tongue-in-cheek pause and play pedals and patterned surfaces add an extra splash of personality. Image credit: Renault

Surrounding the dash, cylindrical sections provide the option to attach modular storage compartments, available in open or closed format.

Three sections of curved windscreen wrap around the single luminous seat which is mounted on a secure platform containing 7 drawers, creating a safe, functional perch with a panoramic view of the road ahead. Further eliminating blind spots, the cabin is flanked by two 10-inch vertical screens, taking the place of wing mirrors.

Renault Estafette cargo bay — The SDV architecture boasts high-efficiency power outlets, making refrigerated compartments or additionally lit conversions a less daunting prospect. Image credit: Renault

Like Rivian’s purpose-built delivery vehicle the bulkhead is split by a sliding door which provides access to the rear area, automatically closing to keep precious cargo safe when the driver exits or returns to the cockpit. There are also four handy foldaway shelves to maintain order throughout a delivery or trade shift.

Set to go into production in two years’ time, the new Estafette looks certain to make it past the prototype phase. But do you think this will replicate the success of its ancestor, or is it shaping up to be a comeback too far?

Hero image credit: Renault / Renault