the ‘frendzy’ concept electric vehicle by renault

 

 

‘frendzy‘ is the fourth in a series of concept cars produced under renault’s senior vice president of design laurens van den acker, each based on a different stage in the human life cycle. interior and exterior alike, the all-electric ‘frendzy’ is designed above all around the split needs and dynamic of work and family life. features like a lack of central pillars between the front and rear seats and wide opening doors are equally equipped for both modes, while other features are designed to be inserted, removed, or operated differently to bridge a range of vehicle use.

the driver’s environment is conceived of as an ‘office on wheels’. a blackberry playbook tablet pluggable into the dashboard offers mobile computing, as well as the means by which the text, video, and images on the car’s exterior screen can be set. this screen is a 37-inch wide display on the passenger side of the car, facing foot traffic, and can be used for commercial purposes as easily as it can be turned off at the close of the workday.

throughout, the vehicle makes use of tablet computers, with another sliding out from the back of the driver’s seat for middle row passengers. alongside a chalkboard slate integrated into the sliding door, these features are designed for the entertainment of children and other passengers.

 

 

renault frendzy a high-mounted hatchback and sliding rear passenger side door facilitate entry and storage

 

 

while capable of switching relatively easily  to a casual, ‘family’ mode, the modular interior is specifically geared for business use. sensors located on each door can automatically log the loading and unloading of packages equipped with RFID chips, offering users realtime inventory of their stock in transit. magnets help secure loads to the floor, and the fabric roof adapts to the shape of bulky objects.

the front passenger seat folds forward to free up space, while the rear bench seat is integrated into the floor. the vehicle’s back hatch pivots far into the roofline, facilitating the loading of tall items.

 

 

renault frendzy 3/4 front view

 

 

renault frendzy 3/4 rear view

 

 

renault frendzy aerial view with doors open

 

 

exterior designer deyan denkov explains, ‘the concept of an asymmetric body design was the most logical way to express this vehicle’s two roles. from the very start, I wanted to move away from the traditional format for commercial vehicles and, in doing so, show that this type of vehicle could also be more emotional, more dynamic and more attractive.‘

interior lighting and coloured repeaters in the head and tail -lamps shift from green to orange to reflect the switch from work to family ambiance.

 

 

renault frendzy interior front

 

 

renault frendzy the blackberry playbook to the right of the driver’s seat can be used for business needs and to control the exterior display screen

 

 

renault frendzy neither vehicle side contains a central pillar, and the driver’s side features center opening doors

 

 

renault collaborated with the institut de recherche et coordination acoustique / musique to customize a range of sounds that the vehicle emits, a safety feature for pedestrians since electric vehicles are silent. the business or passenger car mode and vehicle side can be distinguished by the sound signature alone.

the ‘renault frenzy’ concept vehicle will be on exhibition at the 64th frankfurt motor show in germany this september.

 

 

video overview of ‘frendzy’