New Renault Hippie Caviar Motel electric adventure van makes public debut

As the mainstream motor industry transitions to fully-electric power, the campervan market is following suit. Meet the Renault Hippie Caviar Motel, a new Kangoo-based show car designed to preview what an environmentally friendly EV camper could look like, which has made its public debut at the IAA Transportation exhibition in Hanover.

Renault has already revealed a Trafic-derived campervan concept under the Hippie Caviar Hotel (HCH) moniker, and this new version has been built from a Kangoo E-Tech Electric. Its platform is shared with the Mercedes Citan, and the Renault is fitted with a 45kWh battery pack to provide 177 miles of range.

This figure is lower than the 186 mile claimed range of the standard Kangoo E-Tech Electric, likely due to the added weight of the HCH’s interior furniture and roof rack. Still, an additional 106 miles can be added in 30 minutes, with the HCH sending 121bhp to the front wheels. 

Inside, Renault claims that the camper offers “the comfort and amenities of a 5-star hotel”, and utilises a host of sustainable materials in its cabin construction - the floor is made from cork and recycled tyres, for example. 

Elsewhere, Renault has installed numerous storage areas designed to accommodate camping equipment and sports kit, and there’s a purpose-built ski rack integrated into the panoramic glass roof. Sleeping arrangements are catered for by a folding bench, which can be reconfigured into a single bed. 

No production plans have been detailed for Renault’s HCH models, but given that this is the second show car to wear the badge, the firm could be gauging public interest with this in mind. If it does reach showrooms, the HCH would join the Volkswagen ID. Buzz in the pure-electric campervan sector, commanding a substantial increase over the Kangoo E-Tech Electric’s £33,055 starting price.

Now read our full review of the Renault Kangoo...