Nine months have passed since the CEO of Renault, Fabrice Camboliveannounced at the Munich Motor Show that the electric Megane E-Tech is awaiting a makeover inspired by sports racers.
That update has now arrived, and while it doesn’t bring a true sporty RS model, and is even marginally slower, it makes the E-Tech more appealing in almost every other way. It is a mature and comprehensive redesign that responds to growing competition and shifts the focus from pure performance to practicality, technology and reach, key elements for the modern electric car driver.
A more aggressive family signature
It is impossible not to notice the changes in the design. Renault completely reworked the front of the vehicle with a new bumper, grille and lights, giving the Megane E-Tech a much sharper and more determined look. Gone is the previous, somewhat rounded expression, replaced by a new family signature seen on models such as the Captur and Symbioz.
The new light signature with diamond-shaped daytime running lights visually widens the vehicle and gives it a more assertive stance on the road. The changes are rounded off by new rim designs and a fresh Satin Blue color, further emphasizing the vehicle’s modernized character.
Bigger battery
The biggest changes are hidden under the sheet metal. Renault has replaced the old 60 kWh battery with a new, larger pack of 67 kWh usable capacity. Also significant is the switch to LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate) chemistry, which offers longer life and improved thermal stability at a potentially lower cost.
With this move, Renault follows trends in the industry, looking for the optimal ratio between price, performance and durability. The result is a significantly greater WLTP range, which grows from the previous, somewhat modest 459 kilometers to a more competitive 499 kilometers. Charging performance has also been improved, with peak power on the DC chargers now reaching 165 kW, enabling charging from 15 to 80 percent capacity in approximately 24 minutes.
The front-wheel-drive powertrain remains familiar. The electric motor still delivers 217 hp (160 kW) and 300 Nm of torque. However, the larger and heavier battery left a small dent in performance. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h now takes 7.6 seconds, which is one-tenth slower than before.
However, to compensate for the extra mass, engineers have retuned the steering and revised the suspension settings, so chances are drivers won’t even notice this minimal difference in performance when driving.
A smarter interior with Gemini
At first glance, there are no major changes in the interior of the Megane. The dual-screen digital cockpit still dominates, but the software that powers it has seen a significant upgrade. Google Gemini, an advanced AI assistant that enables more natural and capable voice interaction, is now integrated into the OpenR Link system.
In addition, there are more than a hundred downloadable apps available to drivers, and a new driver recognition feature can automatically load personal settings as soon as someone gets behind the wheel. The equipment range has also been simplified to two levels, Techno and Esprit Alpine, both of which come with more standard equipment than before.
