Renault Trucks K

The Renault Trucks K is the heavy construction truck of Renault Trucks, sold as a rigid from 4x2 to 8x8 and as a tractor unit from 4x2 to 6x6. Renault’s corporate construction-range page sets it beside the Renault Trucks C: the C “is designed for site supply applications, where versatility and payload are of prime importance”, and the K “is particularly suited to public works, quarries and challenging construction sites calling for robustness and pulling power”. The K’s DE11 and DE13 engines are printed with the same figures in Renault’s May 2023 brochures for the K and for the Renault Trucks T. This page is built from Renault Trucks’ English K brochure dated 05/2023 and its Spanish edition of the same date; the French K brochure dated 01/2021, the file Renault Trucks UK’s K page offers for download; the English “Long haul & construction ranges” brochure dated 06/2026; the English C & K leaflet of November 2021; the engine pages of the GB T / T High brochure of May 2023; Renault Trucks’ corporate construction-range and history pages and its UK, German, French and African K pages, all read on 7 October 2026; and Renault Trucks and Volvo Group press releases from 2013 to 2026.

Overview and generations

Renault Trucks presented its renewed Euro 6 range on 11 June 2013. The Volvo Group’s release of 12 June 2013 describes two construction ranges, “the C Construction range and the K Heavy Construction range”, and gives the K “a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of up to 50 t and a Gross Combination Weight (GCW) up to 120 t” and an approach angle of 32°. In the same release Optitrack, “the hydrostatic traction system on the front axle”, is available on the C, while “the K range includes conventional all wheel drive versions”. The release says the construction vehicles are equipped with cornering lights, “the automatic Optidriver transmission as standard” and an electric parking brake applied at engine shutdown, and lists all-steel bumpers, impact protection for the most exposed parts and a step on the side of the vehicle from which the driver can check the load. Renault Trucks’ history page lists the C and K for construction among the models of 2013. No Renault Trucks document opened names a predecessor of the K.

Renault’s French K brochure dated 01/2021 prints the DTI 11 and DTI 13 engines; the same brochure marks a multidirectional steering column, keyless starting with a start button and the Sérénité bunk as new.

On 16 April 2021 Renault Trucks announced the 2021 evolution of the T, T High, C and K, “the most important evolution since the total renewal of the manufacturer’s ranges in 2013”: headlights “reduced in size” and “a new honeycomb grille”, a steering column adjustable on three axes with a single foot control, a start button, modular seats, a tablet and smartphone holder with two USB-C sockets, an A4 document drawer, a Serenity bunk with a mattress 13% thicker and twice the springs, an emergency application of the parking brake, and oil-change intervals for 13-litre Euro VI engines that can be extended, depending on use and mileage, to 150,000 km or 18 months. The release’s sentence on LED lights as standard names the T, T High and C; the C & K leaflet of November 2021 lists “LED lighting”, footnoted “With the plastic bumper and steel corners”.

On 17 November 2021 Renault Trucks announced the DE11 and DE13 Euro VI Step E engines for the T, T High, C and K, with “patented Wave Piston technology”, and a new generation of the Optidriver gearbox with “a new calculator, new control software and a new clutch actuator”. On 4 June 2026 it announced the DE13 R engine and a new generation of Optidriver for the same four ranges, and its release of 15 September 2026, from IAA Transportation in Hanover, says the new powertrain “is introduced across the Renault Trucks T, T High, C and K ranges for the 2027 model year”.

Engines

The corporate construction-range page lists two engine families for the K: “DE11: 380/430/460 hp” and “DE13: 440/480/520 hp”. The 05/2023 K brochure prints a table and a set of curves for each, with the same figures as the engine pages of the GB T / T High brochure of May 2023. Both are headed “Euro VI”, with six cylinders in line and an 18:1 compression ratio. The DE11 displaces 10.8 litres, with a 123 mm bore and a 152 mm stroke, and weighs 965 kg with oil; the DE13 displaces 12.8 litres, with a 131 mm bore and a 158 mm stroke, and weighs 1,067 kg.

For combustion the brochure lists wave pistons, new injectors and latest-generation filters; against parasitic losses, lower engine friction, a ball-bearing turbocharger, an electrically controlled variable steering pump, a more efficient brake air compressor and more efficient lubricants. Its driveline spread, headed “A driveline designed for fuel economy”, pairs the DE11 and DE13 with adapted oil-change intervals and says: “Reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption by up to 5%.” The release of 17 November 2021 gives up to 10% for the DE11 and DE13 combined with new technologies and dedicated services, against “the previous generation of Renault Trucks engines”. It calls them Euro VI Step E engines; the German K page gives “EURO 6d” and “bis zu 520 PS” (up to 520 PS).

Neither the 05/2023 nor the 01/2021 K range poster lists the DE13 TC turbocompound engine, the corporate page gives the K no Turbo Compound line where it gives the C one, and the 17 November 2021 release names the T, T High and C as the ranges that can be fitted with it. Renault Trucks UK’s K page heads its engine panel “New engine DE11 and DE13 TC for further diesel efficiency”, and the German K page says the turbocompound engine (“Der Turbo Compound Motor”) cuts the K’s fuel consumption and emissions by up to 10%.

DE13 R and the 2027 model year

Renault’s release of 4 June 2026 says the DE13 R “is available in versions up to 540 hp with 2800 Nm torque”. It was designed with high-strength grey iron and compacted graphite iron, can reach a maximum cylinder pressure of 250 bar, has an external high-pressure fuel pump, is compatible with HVO and B100, meets the NNR3 noise standard and is “fitted as standard with a more powerful engine brake (Optibrake+)”. With the new generation of Optidriver, whose gear changes are “up to 20% faster”, Renault gives the new powertrain up to 4% lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions than the previous generation. The release of 1 July 2026 announced the 2027 T High with the DE13 R as a world premiere at IAA Transportation in Hanover, 15 to 20 September 2026; the release of 15 September 2026 adds “900 rpm” to the 540 hp and 2,800 Nm and introduces the powertrain on the T, T High, C and K for the 2027 model year.

Renault Trucks France’s K page lists the engine: “Nouveau moteur DE13 R”, up to 540 hp and 2,800 Nm, a cylinder pressure of up to 250 bar, Optibrake+, and a new-generation Optidriver with XTREM and Extended gearboxes “optimisées pour le secteur de la construction” (optimised for construction). The 06/2026 brochure’s driveline page, printed for the four ranges together, rates the Optibrake+ engine-braking effect at up to 90% above the DE11’s and up to 27% above the DE13 TC’s at 1,500 rpm, and lists a new urea dosing system and extended service intervals for engine and transmission. Engine brakes and retarders are set out in retarders and engine braking explained. None of these documents gives a kilowatt figure for the DE13 R. No document opened says which of the DE11 and DE13 steps remain in the K’s 2027 model-year offer.

Transmission

The 05/2023 range poster lists three versions of the automated Optidriver gearbox against every K configuration: Optidriver with 12 speeds, Optidriver Xtrem with 12 speeds and Optidriver Xtended with 13 or 14 speeds, the 14-speed version “available with 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8”; the 01/2021 poster gives the 14-speed version to the 4x4 and 6x6 only. Renault describes the Xtrem as “focused on mining, quarrying, transport and heavy earthmoving applications, with reinforced components and a gearshift management programme adapted to the vehicle’s load”, and the Xtended as adding “one or two extra-slow speeds” for moving off with heavy loads. The 05/2023 brochure credits the latest Optidriver update with “30% quicker and smoother gear shifts”, with dedicated Optivision software. The German K page ties Optidriver Xtrem to a pulling capacity of up to 120 tonnes (“eine Zugkraft von bis zu 120 Tonnen”). The workings of an automated manual gearbox are covered in automated manual transmissions.

Drive layouts and weights

The 05/2023 range poster draws rigids (“straight trucks”) in 4x2, 4x4, 6x4, 6x6, 8x4, 8x6 and 8x8 and tractors in 4x2, 4x4, 6x4 and 6x6, on Medium, Heavy and Xtrem chassis, with the 8x8 rigid “with DE13 engine only”; the chassis page marks every layout “Off-road”. The 05/2023 and 06/2026 brochures list “4x4, 6x6, 8x6 and 8x8 models to increase vehicle traction”. Wheel formulas are explained in axle configurations explained.

The corporate page writes the K’s span as “GVW: 18/19 > 54 t” and “GCW: 18/19 > 120 t”; the poster’s highest gross vehicle weight is 50 t, the figure the 2013 release gives. What the two weights measure is explained in truck weights: GVW and GCW.

Chassis, axles and suspension

The frame has 8 mm straight side members, drawn as a 300 x 90 mm section, and a reinforced side member marked 5 mm; it is made of high-quality class G steel and assembled with rivets and bolts, with “several reinforcements available”. The same panel gives “1 080 mm in the front” and “850 mm in the rear” without naming the dimension.

The front suspension is mechanical, from 8 to 10 t, with greased joints in the 05/2023 brochure and “with heavy-duty solutions for severe conditions” in the 06/2026 one. The 05/2023 chassis page lists parabolic front suspensions of 7.5 t (tractor), 8, 9, 10, 14.2, 15, 16, 18 and 20 t; parabolic rear suspension of 13 or 15 t for a single drive axle; 26 t parabolic and 32 t semi-elliptical suspension for a tandem; and, for the Xtrem, a reinforced 38 t parabolic rear suspension. The robustness spread of the same brochure, the 06/2026 brochure and Renault Trucks France’s K page list semi-elliptical or parabolic suspensions of 26 t with 3 leaves (parabolic), 32 t with 11 leaves (semi-elliptical) and 38 t with 4 leaves (Xtrem parabolic); the 01/2021 French brochure and Renault Trucks UK’s K page give the 4-leaf Xtrem parabolic as 32 t. Renault lists a double-reduction tandem axle, and inter-wheel and inter-axle differential locks as standard on all models.

Ground clearance is 515 mm under the tank and 380 mm under the axle, and the approach angle is 32°, in the 05/2023 and 06/2026 brochures and on the German and French K pages; the French page gives the 515 mm under the tanks of the 4x4, 6x6, 8x6 and 8x8 models, and the 05/2023 brochure footnotes the angle “With 24 inch tyres”. The German page gives the 32 degrees as an approach angle (“Böschungswinkel”) in its profile and as gradients (“Steigungen von bis zu 32 Grad”) in its text. The 05/2023 brochure also lists a reduced turning radius “to make manoeuvering easier”, and the 06/2026 brochure a reduced turning circle.

For protection Renault lists a cyclonic air pre-filter for dusty environments; a “protective screen under the radiator and the air management elements as well as the steel engine bowl”; protection screens on the EACU and the pneumatic devices; a 100% steel bumper in three sections as standard; and headlamp grilles with polycarbonate lenses set back in the bumper. Wiring and air hoses run in separate bundles. The fuel tanks are steel and aluminium in the 05/2023 and 06/2026 brochures; the 01/2021 French brochure and the UK K page list steel tanks. No document opened gives a fuel-tank capacity or a turning-circle figure for the K.

Cabs

The French brochure describes the Day cab as short with a standard roof, the Night & Day cab as deep with a standard roof and the Sleeper cab as deep with a raised roof. Every cab has a 200 mm engine tunnel. Cabs on the 4x2, 6x4 and 8x4 have three steps and on the 4x4, 6x6, 8x6 and 8x8 four; below the cab floor, every side elevation, drawn with four steps, carries five stacked dimensions from the ground: about 530 mm, then 290, 290, 290 and 325 mm.

Inside, the 05/2023 brochure lists keyless starting with a start button, smart direction-indicator management, a new steering wheel, an optional induction charger, two USB-C sockets, a storage drawer and a cup holder; a 9-inch HD touch screen for driver aids (cameras, navigation), calls and music; a modernised dashboard with a dynamic digital information display and a multifunction screen; and a steering column adjustable at three points with a foot control. The 01/2021 French brochure and Renault Trucks UK’s K page list a 7-inch HD touchscreen, with DAB radio, TomTom navigation, Bluetooth pairing for two phones and connections for four cameras.

The English K brochure presents its bunks with the Night & Day cab, and its plan views draw a bunk in the Night & Day and Sleeper cabs; both bunks are marked optional. The “Extensia” lower bunk is 2,009 mm long and 680 mm wide, extendable by 120 mm, with a 120 mm mattress of 40 kg/m³ density or an optional memory-foam mattress of 80 kg/m³; the 01/2021 French brochure gives it a width of 800 mm. The “Sérénité” lower bunk is 2,018 mm long, 671 mm wide behind the seats and 791 mm in the centre, with an optional memory-foam topper of 2,000 x 700 x 30 mm; the November 2021 leaflet gives its mattress as 170 mm thick at 41 kg/m³. The 01/2021 French brochure lists a 40-litre silent electric refrigerator; Renault Trucks France’s K page lists a 26-litre one, a swivelling table and a passenger seat that turns through 90°.

Safety and driver-assistance systems

The 05/2023 K brochure lists:

• Hill start assist, which “automatically manages braking when starting to climb”.
• Driver fatigue detection and lane departure warning (LDWS/DDAW), with an audible and visual warning.
• Tyre pressure monitoring (TPMS), marked new, with sensors on the rims of the truck and of its body.
• Radars and cameras all around the truck, marked new, with the option of five digital cameras for the load or the fifth wheel and an analogue camera for the trailer.
• Security sensors: ultrasonic presence sensors that detect vulnerable road users on the side opposite the driver, with a visual (LED) and audible alert.
• Antirunaway mode: “Vehicle immobilised in case of driver-side door open.”
• Vision door: an additional window in the door opposite the driver, at the height of cyclists and pedestrians.
• Neutral avoidance, which “prevents the driver from shifting into neutral mode when driving downhill”, with ESC (electronic stability control) and ASR (anti-slip regulation).
• Yellow-painted cab access steps and handles.

The 06/2026 brochure’s safety spread, printed for the T, T High, C and K together, lists Driver Assist, Smart Steering, a lane departure warning with corrective steering, AEBS and AEB Turn, hill start assist with autohold, radars and cameras around the vehicle, automatic tyre pressure monitoring, an overspeed warning, automatic headlights and wipers, rear-view cameras, mechanical anti-intrusion locking, automatic activation of the electric parking brake and yellow-painted steps and handles. Renault Trucks UK’s K page lists the Rear Digital Vision system as available for the T High, T, C and K, and Renault Trucks France’s K page lists Retrovision cameras with infrared night vision.

Equipment and options

The 05/2023 brochure’s personalisation pages show a compact dashboard and offer metal wheels with chrome nut covers, Alcoa Dura-Bright aluminium wheels or Alcoa matt brushed aluminium wheels; textile, leather and textile, or leather upholstery, the leather with red stitching available; and paint adaptations carried out at the plant. Its accessories are an independent air conditioner, a twin-LED roof bar, an anti fuel theft device, a white work light, a bottle holder (standard on vehicles with a bunk), a water fountain, a cooler and Force seat covers. The Renault Trucks driver’s handbook it points to covers T, C and K trucks produced after July 2021. The German K page lists heavy-duty construction work, demanding terrain and site conditions, and winter and road maintenance (“Winter- und Straßendienst”) among the K’s uses. Tipper bodies and the chassis built for them are covered in tipper trucks.

The K on Renault Trucks’ African site

Renault Trucks’ African regional site, in its English edition, lists the K with a DXi13 engine: its power-output row reads “DXi13 420/460/500 €3”, across rigids from 4x2 to 10x4 and tractors from 4x2 to 6x6, for “Mining & Quarrying, Construction, Heavy haulage, Timber, Environmental, General cargo”.

The same page gives the K it lists “a 500hp drivetrain and xtrem gearbox with low crawler gear”, 8 mm straight frame rails with a 5 mm reinforcement, the 32° approach angle, 515 mm of ground clearance under the tank and 415 mm under the axle, an off-road mode, off-road ABS, a manual accelerator and ergonomic differential-lock management, and lists fatigue and vulnerable-road-user alerts, AEBS, an automatic parking brake, autohold and a neutral gear lock.

Source notes

Gross vehicle and gross combination weights are published by configuration and not as one figure: Renault’s 05/2023 K range poster gives 18-19 / 70 t for the 4x2 and 4x4 rigids, 26 / 100 t for the 6x4 rigid, 35 / 100 t for the 6x6 rigid, 32 / 80, 42 / 80 and 50 / 80 t beside the 8x4 and 8x6 rigids, 50 / 70 t for the 8x8 rigid, 19-21 / 70 t for the 4x2 tractor, 19-21 / 65 t for the 4x4 tractor, 26 / 120 t for the 6x4 tractor and 35 / 100 t for the 6x6 tractor; the corporate construction-range page writes the span as GVW 18/19 > 54 t and GCW 18/19 > 120 t. The 8x8 rigid is offered with the DE13 only. The DE11 and DE13 rows are the Euro VI Step E engines Renault Trucks announced on 17 November 2021 for the T, T High, C and K; that release names the T, T High and C as the ranges that can take the DE13 TC turbocompound engine, and neither the 05/2023 nor the 01/2021 K range poster lists it. The K was presented on 11 June 2013; Renault’s French K brochure dated 01/2021 lists the earlier DTI 11 at 279 to 338 kW and DTI 13 at 324 to 382 kW. A DE13 R of up to 540 hp and 2,800 Nm, announced on 4 June 2026 for the T, T High, C and K, is introduced for the 2027 model year; Renault’s 2026 documents give no kilowatt figure for it, so it has no row above. Exterior dimensions are published cab by cab and wheelbases as a grid from 3,000 to 6,000 mm by configuration, so no single length, width, height or wheelbase is recorded. Renault’s brochures describe their dimensions and characteristics as indicative only.