Renault Kangoo Z.E. Gets Pickup Makeover

Elon Musk has brought up the topic of electric pickup trucks on more than one occasion, and for a brief time citizens of California could buy an electric Ford Ranger. But if you want to get your hands on a brand new electric pickup truck, your only option is to move to France, where a company is giving the Renault Kangoo Z.E. electric van an American-style makeover.

InsideEVs reports that the company, called Kollé, will charge about $16,400 for the conversion on top of the cost of a Kangoo Z.E. Alas even for all that money, the tail lights remain awkwardly out of place in the van-turned-truck, and the 59 horsepower electric motor won’t do much wowing with all 167 lb-ft of torque. The 22 kWh battery gives it a Euro-rated range of 110 miles though, which is, you know, not terrible, and neither is the 1,400 pound payload capacity.

That said, it is embarrassingly hideous, and frankly looked better as a van. Kollé will also remake the Kangoo with gas or diesel drivetrains, but I can’t really see any advantage of turning a perfectly good electric van into an awkward electric pickup.

I guess the French just don’t “get” pickup trucks the way us Americans do.