Renault Megane E-Tech Electrical Evaluate — 1st Impressions

Renault doesn’t want an introduction. It began working in the direction of electrical mobility in earnest over 20 years in the past. Yep, that’s earlier than Tesla was based. On the gatherings of the Earth’s mighty, just like the well-known one in Davos, its CEO was introduced as “Mister EV.” Its Zoe mannequin was the very best promoting BEV in Europe, with simply over 100,000 autos delivered in 2020.

Alas, these glory days are over. New administration has tried to go the way in which of PHEVs on the similar time that the market is saying goodbye to this know-how. They’re dabbling in hydrogen gasoline cell know-how as a attainable various for battery electrics. The one a part of transport the place there’s a theoretical area of interest for HFCEV powertrains, heavy trucking, was way back bought to Volvo.

The successor for the getting older Zoe is anticipated in 2024, a retro mannequin that hopefully will obtain a form reception in Renault’s homeland of France. The Twingo ZE is a fun-to-drive little metropolis automotive. It suffers from a battery that’s too small and no DC quick charging, making it solely match for city use. Upgrading it with an even bigger battery and bettery charging system from cousin Dacia Spring might double or triple gross sales.

Table of Contents

Beginning of the BEV

Renault Megane E-Tech going to cost at a Fastned station. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Renault and Alliance companions Nissan and Mitsubishi developed a brand new devoted battery electrical car (BEV) platform for the C-/D-segment. This CMF-EV modular toolkit is anticipated to be the platform for no less than 15 fashions the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance is bringing to market later on this decade. The primary two fashions are the Renault Megane E-Tech absolutely electrical and Nissan Ariya.

Renault did name its hybrid and plug-in hybrid fashions E-Tech fashions and the absolutely electrical fashions Z.E. or Zero Emission fashions. Now the moniker E-Tech is used for all “electrified” fashions. It’s a means of complicated the shoppers. It’s most likely from a advertising and marketing drone pondering it will probably promote one model on the popularity of one other model, not realizing that folks prefer to know what they’re shopping for, and that complicated your clients isn’t good for gross sales.

The CMF-EV toolkit incorporates two battery modules, one with a 63kWh battery and one with a 87kWh battery. These are the batteries you’ll find within the Ariya. The Renault advertising and marketing whizz-kids determined that for Europe, batteries of 40kWh and 60kWh can be adequate.

They even had the intense concept of providing the 40kWh model with out DC quick charging. This configuration was not welcome in most (all?) nations.

Renault Megane E-Tech. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Renault Megane E-Tech. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

The Renault engineers have demonstrated that they do know what it’s to construct an electrical car. On many points, they labored along with the Renault F1 group. Plainly all the pieces that was not beneath management of the advertising and marketing division is great.

It was second in final 12 months’s European Automotive of the Yr competitors, proper between the Kia and Hyundai new fashions. It scored on all of the metrics that old-fashioned automotive journalists worth. The general public is much less impressed by it. The small battery and weak motor will not be what individuals search for in C-segment vehicles. Many opponents have batteries which can be 40%+ larger.

Specs:

Battery — 40/60kWh, with about 158/208 miles of vary.
Motor — 96/160kW and 250/300Nm, front-wheel drive.
Charging — 90/150kW DC and 22kW AC.
Security — Euro NCAP ***** (5 stars)
Size * Width * Top — 165.4” * 73.2” * 59.3”

There may be some confusion concerning the dimension of the battery. There’s a nominal and a usable dimension with most batteries. The distinction is generally 5% to 10%. Renault makes use of the identical quantity for each. EV-Database thinks it’s 55kWh for the larger battery. If the Megane is as environment friendly as claimed, the battery dimension is 55kWh.

Adaptive cruise management, prolonged parking help, and a warmth pump are all choices, some solely obtainable on the upper trim ranges. A lot of the competitors have some or all of those as customary, no less than within the greater trim ranges.

Driving Machine

It’s a driver’s automotive. That’s what the critics agree on. The affect of the F1 consultants and the selection to go for a automotive as shut as attainable to an ICE automotive ends in a light-weight and easy-to-drive automotive. However it sacrifices vary.

Renault Megane E-Tech infotainment, steering wheel, and entrance sprint. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Getting used to my Zoe, the 10-year-older, but smaller, sister of the Megane, I didn’t discover a lot distinction in driving expertise. That’s unhappy.

In my driving fashion, the load of the automotive just isn’t essential, the suppleness is. The Mercedes EQS and the Volvo C40 have been clearly higher driving machines, as was the MG5. However then once more, I’m not a automotive journalist. Driving vehicles is simply not thrilling to me. Relaxed touring is what I like.

Using bikes — now, that’s totally different. On two wheels, going by way of a nook, using alongside a river dyke with out a straight stretch longer than 10 meters — that’s enjoyable. That’s like dancing on two wheels. It’s important to discover the rhythm that’s proper for the highway and your pace. However alas, I’m too outdated for that sort of enjoyable.

Infotainment & Driving Help

Renault Megane E-Tech infotainment. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Renault and Nissan have been each creating their very own infotainment and driving help techniques. Merging two totally different techniques is concerning the worst you are able to do in IT improvement. Discarding one and selecting the opposite was a non-starter after the civil warfare between the events. There may be now an armistice, and peace appears to be like attainable.

They did the smart factor, discarding each techniques and continuing with a ready-made system from a software program firm. Google was the fortunate one chosen to promote its suite of automotive techniques to the Alliance. That makes my overview of the infotainment system very simple. Most individuals know extra about Google performance than I do.

The driving help techniques are prime notch. However it’s important to pay further for them. It’s important to spend no less than €3,000 on prime of the checklist value. For a pleasant colour or flashy rims, €5,000 is in sight.

Usability

Renault Megane E-Tech seat controls. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

As one of many unique pioneers of electrical driving, Renault didn’t need to look to Tesla. It had its personal expertise and excellent relations with a bunch of seasoned automotive journalists. However these journalists don’t criticize the hand that feeds them. When Tesla confirmed its Mannequin 3 to the general public, the general public was present and future Tesla drivers. Earlier than the night time was over, it was clear that the trunk was not simply accessible. The promise to proper this mistaken was made inside a number of days. The trunk of the Megane is barely virtually accessible for weight lifters. The brink is just too excessive. Older individuals and smaller females may have bother getting their groceries or baggage out and in.

Don’t attempt to go on vacation with this automotive. It doesn’t have the vary it wants. Even with the quick charging, it will likely be hopping from charging station to charging station. Its effectivity is by advantage of its low mass. Absolutely loaded, you lose that benefit, however you might be caught with the tiny battery.

When making an attempt to make a totally electrical car that is rather like a fossil gasoline car, there’s the danger of ending up with the worst of each worlds. Renault ought to overlook about its F1 experience, and the enjoyment of driving an Alpine two-seat sports activities automotive. Cease listening to journalists that drive for enjoyable. Most clients are on the lookout for a spot to outlive a number of hours of every day site visitors jams and attain a trip vacation spot with out the children killing one another.

Renault Megane E-Tech backseats. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

I used to be one of many first to drive the unique Megane Scénic. I’ve had three of them. I liked my Twingo, similar to my spouse liked hers and my parents-in-law liked theirs. I’m nonetheless glad to drive my Zoe (the three-year anniversary was two days in the past) and count on to take action for an additional two years. I’m not an entire Renaultofile (Renault lover), however I prefer it much more than BMW, Audi, or Toyota. Simply to call a number of uninteresting manufacturers.

I actually don’t perceive what Renault is doing in the intervening time. The gross sales numbers and market alerts must be a really robust incentive to alter the present coverage of pleasing journalists and regulators however ignoring clients.

Listed here are some extra pictures of the Renault Megane E-Tech:

Renault Megane E-Tech air-con vents and USB-C ports. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Renault Megane E-Tech backseat. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Renault Megane E-Tech trunk. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Renault Megane E-Tech charging wire in trunk. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Renault Megane E-Tech. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Renault Megane E-Tech. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Renault Megane E-Tech. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Renault Megane E-Tech data sheet. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Renault Megane E-Tech going to cost at a Fastned station. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Renault Megane E-Tech charging at a Fastned station. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Renault Megane E-Tech. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Renault Megane E-Tech entrance seats. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

Renault Megane E-Tech entrance door. Picture by Maarten Vinkhuyzen | CleanTechnica.

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