Renault Trucks: First Conversion from Diesel to Electric

Renault Trucks continues its efforts for a stronger circular economy and decarbonization: In France, the first converted electric truck of the French manufacturer has now been approved for road traffic. The 12-ton Renault Trucks D, originally equipped with a combustion engine, has now been converted into an E-Tech D. The first converted Renault Trucks D is now making its debut. By the end of 2023, Renault Trucks, together with Novumtech and with financial support from the French Agency for Ecological Transition "Ademe" (Agence de la transition écologique), completed the conversion of a 12-ton truck with a combustion engine into a battery-powered electric truck.

The vehicle is being rented to the company Extime, which operates the duty-free shops at Paris Airport, through Clovis Grand Paris, a Renault Trucks rental partner. The aim of the truck manufacturer is to evaluate the economic, ecological, and economical relevance of the process. Therefore, the converted truck has now also received approval for road traffic - a first in France. Since the purchase costs for such a converted electric truck are expected to be up to 15% lower than those of a new electric vehicle, this test run is a gain in ecological and economic terms.
 

Approval in Several Stages

To comply with current regulations, several steps were necessary during the conversion of the combustion vehicle into an electric vehicle. The conversion of the truck spanned from the technical development to the approval over a period of two years. After the successful conversion, the teams from Renault Trucks conducted several extensive tests at UTAC, a Paris-based inspection body certified by ISO 17025 for technical approvals. Among other things, the electromagnetic compatibility according to the R100 standard and the conformity of the braking system were verified.

After successful technical approval, all documents, including the test protocols, were submitted to the French Regional Directorate for Environment, Planning, and Housing Auvergne Rhône-Alpes “DREAL” (Direction régionale de l’environnement, de l’aménagement et du logement). On November 20, 2024, Renault Trucks received approval as the first truck manufacturer in France for the road use of a converted electric vehicle.