► Racing version of Chinese hypercar
► Compressors employed for long range
► Single-seater in full FIA spec
Outlandish Chinese supercar company Techrules has whipped the covers off the track-focused Ren RS – because the dihedral-doored oddity of a rapid road car unveiled at last year’s Geneva motor show simply wasn’t mad enough.
This time it’s available as a single-seat racer, but is still powered by the same ‘Turbine-recharging Electric Vehicle’ drivetrain. Or TREV, for short.
There are a number of layout options, presumably depending on how massive your racing budget is.
In its most powerful configuration, the Ren RS gets six axial flux, liquid-cooled electric motors (one for each front wheel and four for the back axle) and a pair of 80kW high-density turbines that feed power through a generator feeding the lithium-ion polymer battery. You can downsize to one 30kW compressor and four generators, if you’re feeling strapped.
But back to what matters. Key stats in the most-powerful, Chiron-bothering set-up:
- System power: 960kw (equivalent to 1287bhp and 1725lb ft)
- 0-62mph: 3.0sec, 205mph top speed
- Range: 727 miles on 80 litres of diesel (on NEDC)
- Length/width/height in mm: 5072/2055/1260
- Dry weight: 1854kg
So the Techrules Ren RS is race-ready, is it?
Yup. The Ren RS is based on a carbonfibre monocoque built by Turin’s LM Gianetti, who also built the P4/5 Competitzione for Jim Glickenhaus to race at the Nurburgring during 2011/12, scoring a class win and 11th overall. That’s some pedigree, then.
It’s been built to FIA regs, meaning an 80-litre bladder for fuel storage, lightweight 21-inch wheels all-round, a carbonfibre race seat, proper steel roll cage, carbon-ceramic brakes, air-jack mounts and a mechanical canopy ejection system Techrules claims is better than a pyrotechnic system because it can be reused up to 50 times. Quite how many race teams would reuse parts like this after an accident remains unclear…
You’re also able to change the design of the cage to suit various race series’ requirements, while pushrods connect the GT3-spec double wishbones to KW three-way adjustable coilovers. A six-point harness and a fire extinguisher are thrown in too.
What’s the Techrules Ren RS like to drive?
We can only imagine for now, but it stands to reason there will be some savagery to contend with. This is a car that looks like it means business.
A pair of drive modes will allow the driver options – Race provides full-beans performance and Standard is for optimum fuel economy.
How much will it cost?
No word on pricing right now, despite the fact it’s billed as being ‘production ready’. It’s unlikely to be Golf money, though…
You can expect the Ren RS’s high-tech drivetrain to appear elsewhere though – we’re told it’ll serve as a testbed for applications throughout the automotive and wider transport industries. As we learned from Jaguar’s very similar C-X75 concept, these compressors can be powered by all sorts of fuels rather than just relying on diesel.
William Jin, chairman of Techrules, said: ‘We have been working hard to establish major joint ventures with leading global companies to increase our international capability ahead of the launch of the electric Ren supercar. We are also in advanced discussions with a number of potential new partners to form strategic alliances that will allow us to bring our cars to markets around the world and develop new products and commercial applications for our advanced propulsion system.’
More news from the 2018 Geneva motor show here
