Renault has presented a futuristic yet very concrete and therefore relevant concept car. The study model is called Mégane eVision and serves as a preview of a new electric model that will be in showrooms next year.
Renault has the electrification drift firmly. At the beginning of this year, the brand presented the fully electric Twingo Electric and the Clio was introduced to a hybrid powertrain. In addition, the brand put plug-in hybrid E-Tech versions of both the Captur and Mégane in the showrooms. The Morphoz Concept presented at what should have been this year’s Geneva Motor Show was also an exciting study model, with which Renault announced the arrival of a new electric platform. This modular basis is intended for cars in the C-segment and above. Alliance partner Nissan Ariya is the first, but certainly not the last, EV to feature on that EV-dedicated CMF EV platform. With this brand new Mégane eVision Concept, Renault is giving a very concrete preview of an electric hatch box with cross-over elements that will already be on the market next year.
Megane
Don’t let the name of this show car fool you. Although his name is Mégane eVision, Renault does not show the successor to the current Mégane launched in 2016. However, that car will be joined by an electric and almost crossover-like sister model that appears to be added to the Mégane family in terms of naming. Possibly it is a car that you should see as what the XCeed to the Kia Ceed is, but then completely electric. In any case, assume that various design elements of this show car will find their way to the Méganes to some extent. After all, Renault speaks of a show car that represents “the future of the compact class”. Exciting!
Design
The Renault Mégane eVision is 4.21 meters long, which makes the outlook a full 15 centimeters shorter than the current Mégane Hatchback. That seems a bit on the short side, but Renault promises mountains of interior space. This is possible because the wheels are placed far at the corners of the car and because a large number of parts, including the hardware for the air conditioning, are housed in the nose of the car. After all, here you will no longer find a petrol or diesel engine. A conventional transmission is also lacking and that results in a flat floor. That, of course, also benefits the interior space.
Incidentally, something special is going on with the wheels. Although they measure 20-inches, they have a 21-inch ‘cap’ over them that covers some of the rubber. The Mégane eVision may look completely new, but design elements of the current model lines can be seen in particular on the nose and butt. For example, the shape of the rear lights is recognizable from the Megane, Talisman and Koleos, and we see an evolution of the well-known boomerang-shaped LED lighting at the front. The LED matrix headlights are optically connected to each other on this show car. The EV has a relatively steeply sloping roofline, is slightly high on the legs and is decorated with black wheel arch edges. A real mix between a hatchback, crossover and a coupé. Nice design elements: the door handles are recessed and the flap that hides the charging point is illuminated.
Electric
The Mégane eVision has a substantial wheelbase, which is 2.7 meters. Between the front and rear axles is a 60 kWh battery pack that can handle a charging capacity of up to 130 kW on a DC charger. The front wheels are driven by a 217 hp and 300 Nm strong electric motor that knows how to handle the 1,650 kilo show car. Sprint to 100 km / h in less than eight seconds. Not out of the ordinary, but not bad for a normal passenger car.
The electric Renault future includes more than just the final production version of the Mégane eVision. Renault CEO Luca de Meo indicates that there is a whole series of EVs in the barrel. That is where the CMF-EV developed jointly by Renault and Nissan comes into play again. The Morphos Concept, with its retractable carriage, was created to illustrate that various electric models in various sizes are on the way. The brand says, among other things, that ‘low sedans and larger SUVs’ can also be on the platform. The technical base can accommodate cars with a wheelbase of up to 2.77 meters.
Renault’s current EV offering consists of the Zoe, Twizy, Twingo Electric and electric versions of the Kangoo and Master. On to 2021, the production version of the Mégane eVision will already be in the showrooms.