Renault Australia has confirmed a fourth quarter arrival for the pure-electric Megane E-Tech SUV, with a single, highly-specified model predicted to land in the low- to mid-$70K bracket.
Unveiled in Europe in late 2021, the sleek five-seater will be offered here with a single electrically excited synchronous motor sending 160kW/300Nm to the front wheels. That’s enough to propel the 1.6-tonne Megane from 0-100km/h in a claimed 7.4 seconds.
A ‘current-excited’ motor uses the feeding in of electric power to induce the rotor, rather than magnets, avoiding the use of rare earth elements (the mining of which is increasingly controversial environmentally) in its construction.
In fact, environmental considerations feature heavily in the Megane E-Tech’s design and construction with recycled materials and the car’s eventual recyclability being prominent factors.
For example, the combined TEP/fabric upholstery is 100 per cent recycled and Renault says more than 90 per cent of the car is able to be recycled at the end of its life.
Manufactured at Renault’s Douai factory in northern France, many of the parts used in the electric Megane are sourced locally in a “supply and manufacturing ecosystem” to minimise supply chain complexity and further reduce the Megane’s carbon footprint.
Sitting on the Renault Alliance ‘CMF-EV’ platform, shared with Dacia, Mitsubishi and Nissan (Ariya), the Megane E-Tech also features a thin and relatively light 60kWh battery that delivers a 470km (WLTP) range. On a 130kW DC fast charger Renault claims it will go from 10-80 per cent charge in 30 minutes.
At a fraction over 4.2m long, just under 1.8m wide and 1.5m high the Megane is right-sized for city and urban use, yet the tightly packaged battery and a 2.7m wheelbase free up an impressive amount of interior space.
At a local preview of the car CarsGuide determined rear head and legroom is above average for the class, as is 440 litres of boot space with the second row seat upright. Yet the car is impressively aero efficient, boasting a drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.29.
Dynamically, the steering ratio is low, with far fewer turns lock-to-lock than existing competitors. We’ll have to wait for a first drive to see if Renault’s claims of agile handling and direct feedback stack up.
Various powertrain settings are available, with Eco, Comfort and Sport modes tuning the steering, motor calibration, and accelerator response on the fly. Regenerative braking operates across four levels.
Tech is on the pace with a 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen and 12-inch instrument display part of the standard specification.
The Megane E-Tech received a maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety score. Renault Australia says more than 20 driver assistance features will be standard on the local version of the car, and the company is confident it will achieve the same five-star result when the car is assessed locally by ANCAP.
Expect to see front and rear AEB, lane keeping assistance, active cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, blind-spot warning, an ‘Around View’ 3D monitor, full auto parking, and more.
The car also features a ‘Fireman Access’ QR code on the windscreen providing rescue teams with rapid access to the car’s structural information (battery and airbag location, places for quick and risk-free cutting).
Overall, Renault says it has filed more than 300 patents for innovations incorporated in the Megane E-Tech. For example, the ‘Smart Cocoon’ wraps a single piece of cushioning foam around the battery under the car’s floor to improve noise suppression in the cabin.
Another patent relates to recovering heat generated by the battery and engine when they are being used intensively (fast recharging or highway running) to warm the cabin, optimising vehicle range.
Renault Australia general manager, Glen Sealey says exact pricing will be announced closer to the car’s launch but told CarsGuide the aim is to position the car in the low- to mid-$70K bracket (before on-road costs).
Keyword: 2023 Renault Megane E-Tech electric car coming for Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia Niro EV in Q4 this year