The specialist in utility vehicle retrofits, TOLV, already associated with Renault, offers an electric conversion kit for the Renault Master. While it is financially interesting, it falls a bit short in terms of autonomy.
As the automotive electric retrofit industry seems to still be in its early stages, perhaps salvation will come from the utility sector. This operation, which involves replacing the existing internal combustion engine in a vehicle with a 100% electric one, is gaining momentum through a partnership established in 2022 between Renault and the utility vehicle retrofit specialist, TOLV (formerly known as Phoenix Mobility). The company has been given approval by Renault to electrify the Master 3.
TOLV had already shown interest in the Renault Trafic, with an electric retrofit kit that has already proven successful among customers, with deliveries to professionals and municipalities starting in 2023. After receiving a one million euro grant to help achieve its goal of producing 1000 kits by 2025, the Grenoble-based startup is now focusing on the Master.
A somewhat low autonomy…
And it is at the Flins Refactory (78), a Renault factory specializing in circular economy, that TOLV’s expertise now offers professionals who own a Master 3, currently running on gasoline, to switch to all-electric.
The proposed transformation for the large utility vehicle includes an automatic transmission, a synchronous wound rotor motor with a power of 57 kW, equivalent to 81 horsepower, and a 52 kWh lithium-ion battery (12 modules, 192 cells) capable of recharging from 20 to 80% in 1.5 hours on a 22 kW charging station. But what about the autonomy?
This is where it falls short as it is only around “200 km”. This seems quite low compared to the 460 km offered by a new Master E-Tech Electric currently available in the catalog. However, the retrofitted Master 3 has a significant advantage: its price!
… but an attractive price!
The advantage of retrofitting is to offer an economical alternative to modernize a vehicle, extend its lifespan, and reduce its ecological footprint (not only by eliminating exhaust emissions, but also by keeping an existing vehicle). Thus, while a new Renault Master E-Tech Electric costs 58,000 €, the conversion kit offered by TOLV is only half the price: 26,900 euros excluding taxes, after deducting the national retrofit grant of 7,000 € (for class 2 vehicles). An interesting option for professionals who want to switch to electric without breaking the bank … as long as the autonomy is sufficient!
Read also. Renault Master E-Tech Test: New with the old