New electric Renault Megane arriving soon
New Renault Megane crossover previewed in exclusive images
- SUV looks for new Megane
- 130kW fast-charging available
- 0-62mph in under eight seconds
The next-generation Renault Megane was only previewed last October but it’s thought Renault is planning to launch the new car in the next few months. The name will remain but the new 2021 Megane will be an electric crossover. It’ll spearhead a range of new Renault EVs, all based on the same platform.
Our exclusive images, based on recent spy shots, show how the car might look when it goes on sale, which may be the later stages of 2021 or the first few months of next year. These spy shots suggest that the production-ready Megane’s design will be very close to the Megane eVision concept, with a higher ride height and sharp LED lights.
The car will actually be a little shorter than the current Megane, and may have similar dimensions to the Renault Captur.
It’s expected that you’ll be able to order from a wide range of paint colours, and personalisation options will include having the roof in a contrasting colour. Several trim levels should be available but, if Renault’s other models are to go by, even the base model is likely to be well-equipped. Features like sat nav and the ability to see charging progress should come as standard.
The current Megane has suffered slow sales despite its eye-catching looks but the new version will be right on-trend and should pinch sales from rivals such as the Volkswagen ID.3, Kia e-Niro and Peugeot e-2008.
The Megane crossover will sit on a new platform called CMF-EV and, as the name suggests, it only supports electric cars. Shared with the Nissan Ariya, it enables a spacious passenger area by pushing out the wheels to each corner and minimising the space taken by the electric powertrain. Renault says the new Megane will have the thinnest batteries on the market and an ultra-compact power unit.
The skinny battery is 60kWh in size, which is equivalent to the Volkswagen ID.3’s mid-range battery. We’re told the Renault Megane eVision can travel between London and Newcastle - a distance of 284 miles - in the same time as the journey would take a petrol or diesel car. A range of around 250 miles should be feasible, and would be quite similar to the ID.3, and 130kW fast-charging would enable a partial recharge in the time it takes to have a coffee at a service station.
Like the entry-level Ariya, the electric Megane promises 214bhp and a 0-62mph time of under eight seconds. This model will be two-wheel drive but the chassis can also accept a second electric motor for four-wheel drive and increased performance. It’s not known whether the Megane would be available with this setup, or whether it’d be reserved for bigger models to be launched on the same architecture. Likewise, the Ariya also gets a larger 90kWh battery, which allows 310 miles on a charge.
The Megane eVision concept is a little shorter than traditional family hatchbacks but short overhangs and a wheel at each corner means you’ll gain interior space, rather than lose any. There’s also a flat floor because the car doesn’t need a transmission tunnel.
We haven’t seen the inside yet but the exterior shows you what to expect from the production model. The confident design features full-width LED tail-lights and Matrix LED headlights, with a sharp daytime running light design that’s an evolution of the current Megane’s look. The rear bumper is inspired by the Morphoz SUV concept, while this show car demonstrates a grey and gold colour scheme which may be referenced in the production version. Alloy wheels measuring up to 20 inches will be offered.
Read about the upcoming electric Renault 5, or see where the Megane places on our list of best family cars.
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