Renault SA (Euronext:RNO) Korean unit Renault Samsung Motors Ltd. has unveiled at a car show in Seoul the first pictures and details of its future sedan that will be the basis of the electric car for Better Place. The car, nearly identical to the Renault Megane, except for the front fender, will be marketed in South Korea as the "SM3", and marketed in Europe as the "Fluence".
The Fluence's specifications show that it is quite large, nearly as big as the Mazda 6. It is 4.61 meters long, 11 centimeters longer than the Megane, 1.81 meters wide, 10 centimeters more than the Megane, and 1.48 meters high, 4 centimeters more.
Car industry sources say that the Fluence's larger dimensions were partly intended to make room for the large batteries and rapid battery replacement mechanism that will be installed in the electric engine model of the car, while still leaving room for the trunk.
Better Place recently imported two experimental electric cars to demonstrate them to customers. The cars are based on the chassis of the Nissan Rouge crossover SUV, which is sold in Europe and Israel as the Qashqai. The two cars have no direct relevance to the electric cars that will be sold in Israel, as they were privately built in the US.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 2, 2009
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