Renault and electric vehicles, the story of a revolution embraced well before all others. More than 10 years of unparalleled experience and expertise, as shown by the 10 billion ‘e-kilometres’ covered by the 400,000 vehicles already sold. Renault Group, EV pioneer, currently stands as market leader in Europe. And the story is just beginning.
Today, it is a revolution that is picking up pace. A new impetus, driven by the Renaulution strategy and Renault’s latest ‘Nouvelle Vague’. This new era will see Renault Group lead the energy transition and Renault EV models will be as much sought after as they generate value.
Inspired by the MORPHOZ concept car in 2019 then heralded by the Megane eVision show car in 2020, the latest model with a sleek, elegant style goes beyond expectations. Thanks to the Alliance-developed CMF-EV platform, it rewrites the rulebook and pushes the boundaries in terms of design, footprint/habitability ratio and versatility. It is as much a joy to drive as it is to behold.
Sporting Renault’s new ‘Nouvel’R’ logo, the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric personifies the brand’s transformation: it symbolises how the core of the market is being revolutionised, represents a gigantic leap forward in all aspects, and is exciting to see and to drive each and every time. It proudly stands as a uniquely technological car with the interior adorned by its crowning jewel, the OpenR screen that brings together the instrument panel and multimedia interface all within the same unit.
The All-New Megane E-Tech Electric is a child of technology, a child of the Renaulution. This will be the first model to be 100% ‘Made in ElectriCity’, Renault Group’s new industrial hub and European leader of EV vehicles located in the North of France. A truly French icon, the windscreen incorporates a rooster silhouette to symbolise the vehicle’s French origin and manufacturing.
Renault’s All-New Megane E-Tech Electric is the first of its Generation 2.0 electric vehicles and marks the beginning of a new chapter of the electric revolution started some 10 years ago. Connected to the EV ecosystem and the digital world of its users, the All-new Megane E-Tech Electric symbolises the beginning of Renault wining ground in the compact vehicle market. The Megane of the future is already here!
Much like a smartphone, the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric merges seamlessly with the digital ecosystem of its user. It is a high-tech vehicle always ready to serve, thanks to its new OpenR display and OpenR Link multimedia system, developed with Google and based on Android Automotive OS. Each user’s profile can thus be linked to their personal Google account for a more in-depth experience. In addition to Google Maps and the catalogue of Google Play apps, Google’s built-in voice assistant and the My Renault app make using the car an interactive and proactive experience.
The All-New Megane E-Tech Electric is equipped with intelligent charging capabilities and, ultimately, it will be able to feed power back into the grid when needed thanks to vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. Renault and the Group’s new brand, Mobilize, have developed expertise in battery management (e.g., second life, recycling) that covers the entire life cycle and value chain.
The All-New Megane E-Tech Electric does even more to protect the environment. All upholstery is made out of 100% recycled materials. Depending on the version, that accounts for up to 2.2kg. A total of 27.2 kg of visible and invisible parts are made out recycled plastics. 95% of the vehicle will be recycled at the end of its life.
The All-New Megane E-Tech Electric is the first model in the Renault range to benefit from all the Alliance’s CMF-EV platform has to offer. This new benchmark platform is dedicated to all-electric vehicles and makes it easier to manufacture, develop, and optimise performance of each brand’s new-generation models.
Thanks to disruptive technology and batteries with greater capacity, the CMF-EV platform offers the opportunity to increase the energy efficiency and range of an electric car while reducing its charging time. The power and comfort when sitting behind the wheel are also greatly enhanced thanks to an overhaul of the chassis and steering systems and a lowered centre of gravity made possible thanks to the batteries mounted under the floor.
POWERTRAIN
With its brand-new motor delivering up to 160kW with 300Nm of torque and four levels of regenerative braking, the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric takes the joy of driving an electric vehicle to new heights. Known more specifically as the electrically excited synchronous motor (EESM), it boasts better power output compared to permanent magnet motors and doesn’t require rare earth metals, thereby reducing the environmental impact and cost of large-scale production.
Thanks to its optimised design, the motor is compact and only weighs 145kg – 10% less than the motor currently used on Zoe, despite a marked increase in both power and torque. Offered in two guises – 96kW (130hp) and 250Nm, or 160kW (218hp) and 300Nm – it takes the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric from 0 to 62mph in just 7.4 seconds.
The All-New Megane E-Tech Electric has been equipped with an optimised regenerative braking system. Active when the gear selector is in the D position, regenerative braking helps recover energy as the car slows down, improving battery efficiency and range while using the brakes less.
The All-New Megane E-Tech Electric further optimises regenerative braking by including four brake levels that can be selected via the paddles behind the steering wheel: Level 0 (no regenerative braking) up to Level 3 (maximum regeneration and optimised engine braking for intuitive city driving).
Much like its new power train, the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric also has a brand new 395kg battery designed to fit perfectly in the CMF-EV platform. At 110mm – 40% smaller than the Zoe battery – it is the thinnest on the market. In order to attain such a compact size, Renault engineers had to turn to new lithium-ion NMC (Nickel, Manganese, Cobalt) batteries from LG, with more nickel and less cobalt for greater energy density, reaching 600 Wh/L, 20% more than the Zoe. They also benefit from a new liquid cooling system that makes the battery more compact and efficient thanks to die cast aluminium tubes.
The All-New Megane E-Tech Electric comes with a choice of two battery capacities: 40kWh for a range of 186 miles (WLTP cycle), and 60kWh for a range of up to 292 miles (WLTP cycle, depending on model). The 40-kWh battery is made of 8 modules of 24 cells each, distributed over a single layer. The 60-kWh battery consists of 12 modules of 24 cells each, spread over two layers. In both cases, the battery’s dimensions remain unchanged, including the record height of 110mm (1960mm length and 1450mm width). They come with an 8-year guarantee, during which they will be replaced free of charge should they deteriorate to less than 70% of their nominal capacity.
The long range of the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric is thanks to a new, patented, three-part system: a new heat pump improves the battery’s coefficient of performance by 30% compared to Zoe, with a new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system; an intelligent system for managing energy lost by the batteries and powertrain, which reuses it to heat the cockpit; predictive charging management uses the route on the vehicle’s navigation system to set the battery at the appropriate temperature as the car nears a planned charging point, making the best use of the charging point’s capabilities for a faster, fuller charge.
With these technologies, a journey between Paris and Lyon, London and Newcastle, Hanover and Copenhagen or Munich and Venice only requires a single short charging stop of 30 minutes.
The All-New Megane E-Tech Electric is available with multiple charging solutions, and is compatible with all AC charging infrastructure: Domestic socket 10A/2.3kW (single-phase); Green’up Socket 16A/3.7kW (single-phase); Wallbox 32A/7.4kW (single-phase); Public charging station 16A/11kW (single-phase); Public charging station 32A/22kW (triple-phase). Depending on the version, it can also be compatible with DC chargers up to 130kW (combo sockets), such as fast charging stations on motorways.
Charge times are among the fastest on the market:
- Up to 248 miles of mixed driving recovered overnight (8 hours) with a 7.4kW wallbox
- Up to 99 miles of urban driving recovered in 1 hour, with a 22kW public charging station
- Up to 124 miles of motorway driving recovered in 30 minutes with a 130kW fast charging station
- Up to 186 miles WLTP recovered in 30 minutes with a 130kW fast charging station
The All-New Megane E-Tech Electric includes the Fireman Access innovation that was born of a long-standing partnership between Renault Group and French firefighters. It adds a special access for rescue teams to utilise when trying to quickly douse a battery fire on an electric vehicle, meaning they can quench the flames in just 5 minutes as opposed to 1-3 hours it used to take. In addition, a switch located under the rear bench enables rescue teams to disconnect the battery from the vehicle.
A QR code is also affixed to the windscreen of the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric. It is intended for rescue teams who, by scanning it when responding to an accident, can quickly recognise that it is an electric vehicle. It also gives them access to the car’s structural information, for example, the location of the battery and airbags, places for quick and risk-free cutting.
CONNECTED EXPERIENCE
With the new OpenR Link multimedia system with Google built-in, the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric boasts state-of-the-art technology to provide helpful and familiar apps and services like Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play, while always keeping the system updated. It makes for a unique connected experience similar to the one of a smartphone or tablet, and combines with a brand-new sound experience thanks to a new partnership with specialist Harman Kardon.
Inside the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric, the OpenR screen stands as the interior design’s crowning jewel. It is powered by Android Automotive OS, based on the same operating system used to run more than 75% of smartphones around the world. Developed by Google, the software is open source, scalable, and always up to date.
Google Maps also includes a specific function for electric vehicles called ‘Electric Route Planner’. It plans an optimal route for long journeys that natively integrates charging stations. Should the set destination be one for which the battery level is insufficient, the system will automatically propose a selection of available and compatible charging points along the route and suggest the best way of arriving as soon as possible. During the journey, it updates automatically according to the vehicle’s actual energy use. It also warns the driver if the planned route needs to be changed, should a charging station be out of order, for example.
In addition to Google Assistant and Google Maps, OpenR Link supports many applications developed by third-party developers on Google Play. On the 12-inch version, in addition to the main display, the interface has been customised to accommodate two widgets among those made available: charging, energy flow, air quality, tyre pressure, music, etc. The interface on the 9-inch version features a screen split between four widgets.
Simple and intuitive, OpenR Link integrates all the functions that can be found in a smartphone or tablet, making the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric an intuitive experience. It can also be used like a tablet, with either a single finger (short tap, long tap, scroll), multiple fingers (pinch, zoom, etc.), or by using the voice recognition software. It receives and displays notifications and allows you to easily navigate between its different spaces (Home/Navigation, Music, Phone, Applications, Vehicle) all thanks to the menu bar at the top of the screen.
The OpenR Link system can also be customised like a smartphone, in particular through the use of user accounts. These allow you to define personal profiles including the vehicle settings, Google Account preferences, My Renault account settings, automatic smartphone mirroring, etc. OpenR Link is compatible with Android Auto® and Apple CarPlay®, and operates by cable or as a wireless system. In this case, however, some services or functions, such as the Electric Route Planner, are no longer available.
Finally, as with a smartphone or tablet, OpenR Link updates automatically via FOTA (Firmware Over-The-Air) technology. There’s no need to schedule an update with a dealership, even though you still can if you wish, you just have to approve the message that pops up on the screen to tap into quality improvements and, as the life of the vehicle continues, to gain access to new features for the multimedia system and the vehicle itself.
As with a smartphone, a 4G bundle with data is necessary to benefit from these functions. An initial subscription will be included with the purchase of the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric, and it can be renewed or replaced by connecting to the customer’s smartphone.
Benefiting from Renault’s experience in connected services dedicated to electric vehicles, the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric is permanently connected to its user’s digital ecosystem, whether they are in the car or elsewhere, via the My Renault app or the various remote services. It includes a wide range of functions for all vehicle types (remote activation of lights and horn to help locate the car, etc.) and other EV-specific functions: remaining battery display, display of charging stations in the vicinity or near a specific location, scheduled charge times chosen by the driver, charging status and monitoring, Mobilize Charge Pass to automatically pay when using compatible charging stations (more than 200,000 in Europe, 50% of which offer 22kW charging), remote activation of air conditioning or heating of the car’s interior, with no impact on range when plugged in. Services adapted to fleets (e.g., fleet management, smartphone activated virtual keys) are also available on dedicated apps. Most of the functions on the My Renault app are also visible and controllable via the OpenR screen in the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric cockpit.
In addition to the two Arkamys sound systems that come as standard on the entry- and mid-level trims, the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric features a brand-new Harman Kardon top-of-the-line sound system on the premium trim (optional on mid-level).
The goal was to give all occupants the same exceptional musical experience. With a total power of 410W, it has no less than 9 audio channels: two tweeters on the sides of the dashboard, two woofers in the front door panels, two tweeters and two woofers in the rear door panels, and a subwoofer located in the boot. The tweeters have been designed with a high-quality supple fabric dome for soft yet faithful reproduction of even the highest audible frequencies. High-power dual-coil front woofers have been optimised for dynamic bass reproduction and mid-range support. Along with the subwoofer, they have been designed for seamless reproduction of bass noises with minimal distortion.
The unique Harman Kardon Externally Coupled Subwoofer technology is lighter and smaller than before and yet it still performs exceptionally well with low frequency sounds. The compact design has been made possible because the subwoofer is plugged into a purpose-specific opening in the chassis on the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric.
SAFETY AND DRIVER ASSISTANCE
The 26 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) on the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric are divided into three categories: driving, parking, and safety. They bring the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric to the top of its class in terms of driver comfort and safety for passengers and other road users.
The All-New Megane E-Tech Electric sees Renault’s well-known Highway and Traffic Jam Companion taken up a level. Now a contextual ADAS, it can monitor more than just what is happening in adjacent lanes and helps the driver deal with any obstacles they may encounter. Classed as level 2 vehicle autonomy, it is now known as Active Driver Assist.
Active Driver Assist combines contextual adaptive cruise control with “Stop & Go” and Lane Keeping Assist. While adaptive cruise control remains much the same, this new system uses geolocation data and specific maps that include commonly encountered features on inter-urban roads such as roundabouts, speed limit changes, and the angle of dangerous turns. In addition to such events being displayed on the instrument panel, the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric can automatically slow to 18 mph when nearing a roundabout and then accelerate back up to speed on leaving. The vehicle also automatically adapts to a change in the prevailing speed limit.
Lane Keeping Assist can now function without any road markings on the outward side such as on country roads. Drivers can now also select a ‘preferred side’ for their lane in order to make it easier for faster vehicles like cars or motorbikes to overtake.
When the Active Driver Assist has been activated and the car comes to a halt in traffic, the car will pull away again on its own when safe to do so within the next 10 seconds (as opposed to 3 seconds previously). Any longer and the driver will have to act by pressing the accelerator in order for the car to start up again.
Renault has taken a step forward to offer drivers even more on-board safety with the smart speed limiter on the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric. Active by default, it allows drivers to automatically set the vehicle’s maximum speed to the current limit. The system uses the front camera to recognise speed signs and combines that information with data from the navigation system to determine the current limit as quickly as possible. It is then displayed on the dashboard and on the navigation screen. In the event that the vehicle is travelling faster than the deduced speed, a visual warning flashes in front of the driver who then has to simply press a button on the steering wheel to adapt the speed limiter, cruise control, or adaptive cruise control to the official speed. This happens automatically when driving in the rain.
As a way of reducing the likelihood of a collision, the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric is equipped with Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA). The latter is more advanced than ever with its latest iteration: Emergency Lane Keeping Assist (ELKA). It combines data from the front camera and side radar to automatically centre the vehicle in its lane should it be about to cross a line, if it detects a possible collision from the front or side, or when the vehicle is about to drive off the road. The Emergency Lane Keeping Assist operates between 40 mph and 100 mph when crossing a line and there is a risk of a side collision or when about to drive off the road, and between 40 mph and 68 mph when there is a risk of a front-on collision.
Rear Automatic Emergency Braking (Rear AEB) is an automatic emergency braking system that activates when the driver is reversing. If the rear ultrasonic sensors detect a potential obstacle such as a pedestrian, cyclist, or a pole, the system gives the driver a visual and audible initial warning. If the driver does not react, the system automatically applies the brakes for two seconds to avoid the collision. The system is active while reversing between 2 mph and 6 mph.
Occupant Safe Exit (OSE) warns an occupant of an approaching vehicle, motorcycle, or cyclist as they open a car door, in order to avoid a collision.
The Around View Monitor 3D uses four cameras to display a 3D model of the vehicle and visualise its immediate surroundings in 360°. The driver can then move around the vehicle via the touch screen, with a panoramic view of the front and rear of the vehicle in order to confidently park the car.
The Full Auto Park feature is an improvement on the Easy Park Assist semi-automatic parking system. The system is nearly entirely autonomous as the driver is no longer required to change gears between drive and reverse, or to use the accelerator or the brakes during an assisted manoeuvre. The driver merely has to press down on the accelerator to indicate to the system to either continue or stop the manoeuvre.
The Smart Rear View Mirror uses a camera located at the top of the rear window and displays a real-time view of the road behind on the vehicle’s interior rear-view mirror, giving an entirely unobstructed view, in addition to that seen in the wing mirrors.
Like all electric vehicles on European roads, the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric emits an external sound that serves to signal its presence to pedestrians. Known as VSP (Vehicle Sound Pedestrian) and active between 0 and 18mph, it has been completely renewed on this latest model. Developed in partnership with IRCAM (Paris Institute for Musical Acoustic Research), the new VSP on the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric has been designed to disturb those on board as little as possible while remaining as effective as possible for those outside. Its purpose is to warn pedestrians without alarming them, while also creating a positive association between the sound and the car. The VSP on the All-New Megane E-Tech Electric will be available in Sport, Pure and Neutral versions, that can be readily changed according to the driver’s mood.
