Renault is ramping up its electrification efforts, and the headline act is a new all-electric member of the Megane family.
The company has teased the upcoming Renault Megane E-Tech Electric, which it has confirmed will be introduced in 2022.
It’s a small crossover that bears a strong resemblance to both the combustion-engine Megane line-up and last year’s Megane eVision concept.
There’s a full-width LED tail light assembly, plus Renault’s new interlocking diamonds logo which will be on every one of its models by 2024.
While Renault previewed the Megane E-Tech Electric’s exterior with last year’s concept, it didn’t preview the interior.
Two teaser images of the production electric crossover reveal a minimalist interior in the vein of a Volkswagen ID.3 or ID.4.
With no need for a conventional shifter, the centre console is instead freed up for storage. There’s a substantial shelf, plus cupholders and a wireless charging pad.
There’s also no traditional centre stack. Instead, there’s a large touchscreen mounted high, which is also used to change climate settings.
There’s a few hard buttons underneath plus a small shelf that juts out.
The Megane eVision concept is underpinned by the CMF-EV platform used by the upcoming Nissan Ariya, with a 60kWh battery pack and a front-mounted electric motor producing 160kW of power and 300Nm of torque.
It has a claimed 0-100km/h time of under eight seconds, while also supporting 130kW DC fast charging and vehicle-to-grid technology that’ll allow it to supply excess electricity back to the grid during peak periods – like the Nissan Leaf.
In addition to christening its first all-electric crossover with the E-Tech name, Renault is also applying the name to a raft of hybrid models.
Last year, it introduced E-Tech plug-in hybrid versions of the Captur and Megane wagon, plus a hybrid version of the Clio hatch.
Megane E-Tech Plug-In Hybrid 
Captur E-Tech Plug-In Hybrid
This year, it’ll introduce hybrid versions of the Arkana and Captur plus a plug-in hybrid Megane sedan.
It’s also rolling out more electrified powertrains. Larger vehicles will use a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine combined with an electric motor, producing a total output of 149kW of power in hybrid models and 208kW in all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid models.
The new hybrid powertrain will launch in 2022, with the plug-in hybrid following in 2024.
Renault Arkana
Renault is putting a renewed focus on the C-segment (small cars), with plans to introduce seven models across both the C and D segments by 2025. All of these will be electrified.
The company wants to be the greenest brand in Europe by 2030, with nine out of 10 cars sold being electrified.
Currently, 25 per cent of Renault sales in Europe are of electrified models. At this stage, the French company hasn’t outlined any plans to introduce its hybrid and plug-in models to Australia.
