Next Monday, September 6, Renault will officially present the Megane E-TECH Electric, it’s new electric compact. This model, which will have the arduous task of standing up to the CUPRA Born and Volkswagen ID.3 in the competitive European C segment, will become one of the cornerstones of the Renault electric range, until now very dependent on the successful but veteran ZOE.
Just a couple of days before its reveal, the first images of the Megane E-TECH Electric have been leaked to the net. From an aesthetic point of view, there are not many surprises: it is practically identical to the Megane eVision prototype that saw the light a year ago, which is good news considering that the final proposal preserves much of the freshness of the concept car.
The Megane E-TECH Electric presents an evolution of Renault’s current corporate design line. With clean and athletic lines, it sports very different proportions than the conventional Megane, which is due to the use of a dedicated electric platform (the CMF-EV of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance): the hood is relatively short, The wheelbase (2.70 meters) is very wide and the overhangs have been reduced to a minimum.
Even though its bodywork is indisputably hatchback, Renault has opted to provide the model with certain aesthetic elements of crossover inspiration (protections on the wheel arches and side sills), which allows it to visually lighten a set that is characterized by having a glass surface very reduced. However, the suspension does not appear to be raised.
On the front, the fine optics merge with the mustache, which converges on the new logo of the brand. The daytime running lights are shaped like a Z, while the lower air intake, which has an interesting rectangular lattice, is divided by a gold molding in the shape of a double Y, which adds a touch of color to the vehicle.
The roof and the mirrors are also painted in another shade, in this case, black. The front door handles are retractable, while the rear door handles are hidden in the C-pillar. These details, together with the steep roof drop and the wraparound spoiler that crowns the rear, improve the aerodynamic coefficient of the body.
The Renault Megane E-TECH Electric will be launched in early 2022
The dashboard design has also been leaked. The leading role falls on the huge floating LIVINGSCREEN display made up of two screens (one horizontal for the instrumentation and the other one for the vertical format touch screen for the infotainment system, which will use the advanced Android Automotive OS operating system already seen in the Polestar 2 and Volvo XC40 Recharge. ).
Despite having a “Tesla-size” central display, Renault has chosen to maintain several physical controls for the air conditioning system, which will improve ergonomics. Of course, details such as a wireless charger for smartphones are not lacking, while the gear selector lever has been moved to the steering column to clear the center console.
The square steering wheel completes the rounding of a cabin that, at least in appearance, has quite a few finishes: an upholstered upper panel of the dashboard, visible seams, wooden inserts in the doors, chrome trim, ambient light …
At the moment, hardly any technical details of the vehicle have been leaked, which will initially be offered with two batteries: one of 40 kWh and the other of 60 kWh, both being structural and ultra-thin (with 11 centimeters high, they will be the thinnest packs of the sector). The 60 kWh model will approve a maximum range of 470 km WLTP, so it will be quite efficient. Although some rumors suggest that the third variant with more capable batteries will be added at the end of 2022, at the moment there is no data in this regard.
