- Renault will have a stand (Hall 1, Gate C) at the Autonomic Méditerranée show in Marseilles, France, on December 6-7.
- This exhibition will provide Renault Tech with an opportunity to give two new vehicles their first public airing, namely Renault Grand Kangoo TPMR (Ergo ramp®) and Dacia Dokker TPMR.
- In addition to its range of transfer assist and driving aid solutions, these two new models take the European leader’s range to five vehicles which represent total annual sales of 1,000 vehicles, all of which are made in Heudebouville, France.
Renault Tech is a division of Renault Sport Technologies and has been designing, manufacturing and marketing vehicles for the transport of persons with reduced mobility for more than 25 years. It will take advantage of its presence at the Autonomic Méditerranée show (December 6-7) in Marseilles, France, to reveal two additions to its existing range of vehicles, namely Grand Kangoo TPMR and Dokker TPMR (TPMR = ‘Transport de Personnes à Mobilité Réduite’ / ‘Transport of Persons with Reduced Mobility’).
Grand Kangoo Ergo ramp®: extra passenger carrying capacity
This new conversion is based on Grand Kangoo, the lengthened version of Renault’s celebrated ‘ludospace’ which was introduced last September. This vehicle chiefly targets professional road-users such as taxi-drivers, airport shuttle companies and public transport operators, etc. and comfortably carries up to six people (five seated, plus one passenger in a wheelchair).
Grand Kangoo TPMR, known as Ergo ramp®, will go on sale when the Autonomic Méditerranée show opens, initially in France, and then in numerous European countries (prices will be announced at the show). Just one version will be available, but it will be possible to choose from a long list of options to adapt the vehicle to individual requirements.
This conversion is particularly innovative and a patent has been filed for the mechanism of its access ramp which is extremely simple and effortless to operate. Furthermore, when fully retracted, it provides an entirely flat floor so that users can continue to benefit from Grand Kangoo’s hallmark modularity.
Dokker TPMR – a true Dacia: straightforward and robust
In keeping with its Dacia heritage, Dokker TPMR is both straightforward and robust. This conversion targets persons with reduced mobility who use a wheelchair. Three versions are available and permit the transport of up to five fully-abled passengers and one person in a wheelchair.
Depending on version, a choice of two or three equipment levels is available, as well as numerous options to allow customers to match the specification of their vehicle to their particular needs.
Renault Tech committed a significant research and development budget to the design of this conversion. For example:
– The lowered floor is made from a composite material which not only saves weight but is also more durable and uses fewer component parts.
– The ramp’s aluminium honeycomb structure saves further weight yet supports a load of up to 300kg (one person with reduced mobility plus accompanying person).
Dokker TPMR will be available in France, Europe, Turkey and Morocco from end-March 2013. Prices will be published closer to this time.
A 360° APPROACH TO DISABILITY
Renault has led a proactive policy on disability since 1995, when it signed its first agreement in the area. Today a fifth agreement, signed by all the trade unions, sets objectives on a number of fronts, including integrating people with disabilities at support service and engineering sites, maintaining employment, making greater use of the sheltered sector and raising staff awareness through special events and training courses.
– For employees: the “Mission Handicap” relies on a network of professionals at each site to propose workstation adjustments and training for managers. It also organizes awareness-raising campaigns to dispel stereotypes, including the recent dissemination of a comic book to all employees and the introduction of the in-house collaborative network, Handi@Renault.
– For customers: Renault Tech has for 25 years been designing, producing and selling converted vehicles for people with reduced mobility. The European leader in the field, Renault Tech brings customers a broad range of vehicles responding to all needs, with Master, Trafic, Kangoo and Dacia Dokker. Renault Tech also develops driving aids for the entire range (including Twizy) and systems that make car-wheelchair transfer easier, available on certain models.
– For suppliers and partners: Renault is contributing to the development of a community-minded economy favorable to the sheltered sector by outsourcing part of its activities, such as green space maintenance, printing and industrial cabling, to sheltered sector companies.
