2022 Renault Megane e-tech review
The ranks of electric cars in Australia are swelling and one of the fresh machines on its way promises to be an affordable, top-notch EV.
Cleverly engineered and skilfully designed, the battery-powered Renault Megane E-Tech could be the best mainstream model from the French brand in decades.
The Megane E-Tech is headed for Australia, though it won’t arrive until next year. While first deliveries to customers in Europe are scheduled for April, production in right-hand drive won’t begin until September.
It’s manufactured in the north of France, and the voyage to Australia takes months. Also, it’s likely initial right-hand drive production will go to markets where demand for EVs is strong, such as the UK.
Even so, the Megane E-Tech is the kind of car that could persuade EV-curious potential buyers to be patient. While Renault’s first generation EVs such as the little Zoe are very popular in Europe, they were a total failure Australia. The Megane E-Tech, in contrast, is sized and shaped for widespread success.
It’s a little shorter and taller than a Toyota Corolla, easily the world’s best-selling small hatch. The Renault’s exterior design stylishly blurs the line between car and SUV. With its large wheels, short overhangs, high-waisted style and smooth contours, the E-Tech is a looker. It’s also the first Renault EV built on a completely new foundation. Known as CMF-EV and jointly developed by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, it introduces big improvements in battery pack and e-motor technology.
The platform, which can be built in both front-drive and all-wheel-drive forms, will be used in other upcoming Alliance EVs. The Nissan Ariya will be one of them.
Slimmer liquid-cooled battery packs are one of the most important CMF-EV advances. According to Renault chief EV engineer Jean-Paul Drai, the 11cm-thick slab beneath the Megane E-Tech’s floor is 3cm or so thinner than the competition.
The Megane E-Tech is front-drive and has a new-generation e-motor. Made by Renault, it weighs less but produces more power than earlier designs. The e-motor, together with its single-speed transmission, power electronics and AC charger, form a solid block of tech that takes up all the space beneath the Megane E-Tech’s bonnet. There’s no Tesla-style frunk.
This layout, explains Drai, maximises cabin and cargo space compared to other small EVs with rear-mounted motors. Weight saving is another benefit, he says. The Megane E-Tech weighs almost 200kg less than the VW ID. 3, a direct competitor.
The Renault has a big 440-litre boot and roomy interior, but the arresting design of the interior is what you notice when settling into the driver’s seat. The digital driver display and tablet-like centre touchscreen are surrounded by quality design and materials.
The infotainment system runs integrated Google Automotive Services and is as quick as a good smartphone.
It’s a tech-friendly car. As well as four USB ports, there’s an easy-to-reach inductive phone-charging tray beneath the centre screen. And iPhone owners aren’t neglected. Apple CarPlay can be connected via Bluetooth, and works just as well as the other apps.
Renault plans to add cheaper and less powerful variants with smaller battery packs, but for now the Megane E-Tech comes only with a 160kW e-motor and 60kWh battery pack in high equipment grades.
This battery pack accepts DC at up to 130kW to enable quick recharges on long journeys. Renault will also offer the option of an AC charger rated at 22kW, instead of the normal 7kW. The car’s official WLTP-rated driving range with the 60kWh battery is 450km.
The Megane E-Tech is a very enjoyable EV to drive. Performance is strong, especially at higher speeds. There’s a sporty flavour to the way it corners, too. The steering is quick and the Renault feels friskily agile through the bends.
Even compared to other EVs the Megane E-Tech is very quiet and its suspension does a mostly good job of blotting out the bumps. It really is a rather classy act.
In Europe the high-specification Megane E-Techs with the large battery pack and powerful e-motor are priced below the least costly version of Australia’s by-far-best-selling EV, the Tesla Model 3. If importer Ateco can position the Megane E-Tech similarly here, this French revelation deserves to succeed.
RENAULT MEGANE E-TECH VITALS
Price: $55,000-$60,000 (estimate)
Safety: Auto emergency braking, predictive adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist
Motor: Electric. 160kW/300Nm
Range: 450km
0-100km/h: 7.4 secs
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