Renault Electric Concepts

It’s an electric revolution! Renault is planning to reveal three all-new electric cars in Frankfurt, without a petrol-powered model in sight!

First up is a bespoke electric family hatch, which borrows its underpinnings from the Nissan Leaf. There’ll also be a radical new city-car concept – shown here in our exclusive spy shots, as well as an electric version of the Megane hatch slated to go on sale in Israel as soon as next year.

The electric motors will range from 70bhp to 140bhp. That means acceleration should be comparable to a 1.6-litre hatchback – think 0-60mph in around ten seconds. More intriguing though is Renault’s claim that the top speed of each electric car sold will be specific to the country in which it’s registered. UK-plate cars, for example will be electronically capped at 70mph.

We’ll have to wait until 2011 before battery-powered Renaults make it to the showroom. But you might just spot one on the road as soon as 2010, when Renault will be conducting a number of trials throughout the UK.