She fell asleep on guard, but now returns with electricity in her eyes
After years of stagnation, Renault is coming up with a new electrical product: the Megane E-Tech.
A short introductory tour of Renault's family car that promises to be accessible and competitive
Joel Schwartz
22/05/2022
Sunday, 22 May 2022, 07:19 Updated: 07:26
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Huge 20-inch rims, pushing the wheels to the edges.
Together with the surrounding plastic cladding and high bow, the appearance of an almost recreational vehicle is obtained (Photo: Joel Schwartz)
- Wait, how did you say you call a car?
- Renault Megane E-Tech.
- But there is already another familial in this name, and it is even still produced.
- Right.
We wanted to maintain the continuity of the name Megan.
- Do they have anything in common?
- Yes.
the Name.
Get to know the Renault Megane E-Tech in the electric version, unlike the Renault Megane E-Tech in the PHEV hybrid version.
The first is a family-friendly, completely new tram that is starting its first steps in Europe these days.
The second was introduced in 2020, offers a rechargeable hybrid array with an additional electric motor used as a generator, and was scheduled to reach us at the end of that year.
But you already know - Korna, a lack of chips and a change in Israeli taxation have closed the window of opportunity for us.
So we are currently facing only the Megane E-Tech electric.
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To the full article
Despite the large rims, the ride comfort is very good (Photo: manufacturer's website)
So with the face to the car and the first thing that catches you is the hoop.
Not less than 20 inches.
In a family home.
It's huge.
And not just for family.
I'm not a fan of big rims, probably when you need to change a tire and then find out how expensive this beauty is, but this beauty is just adorable.
It also pushes the wheels to the edges, helping to lift the hood so that at least the front gives the impression of an almost crossover.
Just almost because the car is only a few inches short of infiltrating the leisure category.
But height is not really lacking and inside the headroom is excellent and it is without sitting low.
The total appearance and dimensions are a family failure, with the wheelbase being one of the largest in the segment, about 269 cm.
But somehow the space at the back is not very big.
That of the knees is no more than satisfying, and that of the feet is simply lacking.
A fifth passenger will find a soft and comfortable seat, not a typical thing in a modern family car, and even a completely flat floor, but the center console that continues along the entire car avenue, penetrates deep into the rear space and takes up valuable space that is missing anyway.
At least there is an air vent.
The digital dashboard offers detailed and yet simple to understand views, the rest of the cabin also excels in very convenient operation (Photo: Manufacturer's website)
Up front does not have this problem.
There is plenty of room in every direction and what there is even more, it is a very modern and advanced look.
Not futuristic and challenging-to-operate, but just the opposite, very functional, accessible and yet super-innovative.
It starts with the nice dashboard.
As a fashion order, this is a projected board with alternating displays that look great and provide lots of clear and legible information.
In the center of the car is a vertical multimedia that is also tilted towards the driver.
It blends in superbly with the space and finish, Google-based, and the ease of operation I have ever encountered.
The screen itself is high resolution and the response speed is excellent.
Below it are also various shortcut buttons, a compartment for charging a smartphone and a variety of compartments in different sizes for storing various objects.
Here and there simple plastic parts have been incorporated (in the ceiling for example), but the overall compartment is exemplary, well-finished, easy to operate and at least in front also quite airy.
In the spirit of the period, the design is not symmetrical.
It does not matter or interfere, because the look is charming.
The multimedia screen is based on Google, and is very easy to operate (Photo: Manufacturer's website)
This airiness was achieved, among other things, by raising the gearbox to the steering column. So that 4 handles now emerge from the steering column. Lots of buttons and mini controls.These create a visual load, but like the rest of the interfaces, are very easy to use and look great.Yes, everything looks great in glossy black, until it accumulates dust and fingerprints, then it's a little less.
The center console between the front seats, goes deep backwards and takes up valuable space.
The other rear passengers lack space for their feet (Photo: Joel Schwartz)
The Renault Megane E-Tech is based on a new platform, the CMF-EV, which is also shared by the Nissan Arie (which is also expected to reach us), and different from the regular CMF platform used by the models with internal combustion engines.
The engine is also the same as the one in Ariya, and different from the one in Zoe - Renault's old tram.
There are two engines to choose from, 131 or 218 hp. I drove the strong version, and as expected the performance is excellent.
It does not feel like 200+ horses, partly because after the strong shot from the spot, around 80 km / h the pumping effect decreases.
This is by the way the situation in most electric cars and different from Tesla for example, where the idea is to provide agile urban performance, without "tearing" the battery.
Still, a figure of 0 to 100 km / h in 7.4 seconds is a very nice figure. There are also some driving modes, with the 'calm' mode definitely calm while the 'sport' mode, less sporty than you might expect.
The trunk is large and offers a sub-compartment for the charging cable (Photo: manufacturer's website)
And calm and definitely flattering to this familial.
Even with such huge 20-inch rims, the Megane arranges for itself very good ride comfort.
Road roughness is noticeable at almost any speed, but the seats are still comfortable, and the absorbent suspensions manage to eliminate most of the flaws and provide very good ride quality.
Noise isolation also received special treatment when we broke stories about acoustic materials that separate the batteries from the body floor.
The actual result is of a fairly quiet car, with only the side mirrors creating a wind noise present around 80 km / h, even if not in a disturbing or increasing way.
A low center of gravity, a successful chassis and well-calibrated dampers allow it to behave exemplary on the winding road (Photo: Manufacturer's website)
When you push the Megane E-Tech into the corner, you discover very high capabilities.
This is less because of the steering wheel that even in sporty mode is too light and not communicative enough, and more because of the successful chassis, the restrained suspensions, the sticky tires and like quite a few electric cars also because of the low center of gravity.
In these situations it is also found that the brakes bite hard but their action is not linear enough.
It is interesting that precisely in the administrative journey is calm and slow, it is more difficult to control the dose of the intensity of the pressure and braking is less subtle.
It is difficult to examine energy consumption in launch conditions.
But according to computer testimony, the consumption was 16.7 kilowatt hours. With batteries with a capacity of 60 kilowatt hours, a real range of 359 km was created.
Renault also offers the car with 40 kW batteries and a reduced range, but this option will not be offered in Israel.
Megan E-Tech comes with a clear goal: to make the electric car accessible to the family segment (Photo: manufacturer's website)
Come to think of it, Renault was there before everyone else.
Before everyone else with the electric car - with the electric Fluence of the Better Place venture and Shai Agassi in 2012.
It is true that the plans did not go up as planned, but Renault continued in the same direction and in the same year Kango Electric and Zoe joined.
From then until about two years ago Zoe (and also Nissan Leaf) were the best-selling electric cars in Europe.
Renault managed to break out and escape forward, with an entire industry on its trail.
But over the years something in Brno has stalled, in part because its head Carlos Gohan got into a crisis in 2018, and it's hard to make fateful decisions when the head is elsewhere.
More on Walla!
Renault's electric future
To the full article
4 different handles from the steering wheel, three on the right and that of the signal on the left (Photo: manufacturer's website)
It took the industry about a decade to catch up, but when that happened the industry took a big step forward.
This Megane E-Tech does not take the extra step or something in style, and mostly aligns a line from another goal - to keep an affordable price in the emerging segment.
Electric family segment.
Marketing in Europe has started very recently (France, Germany and Italy), and it is expected to reach us in the third quarter of this year.
Here it will find 3 main electric competitors (for now): Gili Geometry C, Citroen C4 and to some extent also the Kia Niro which offers slightly larger dimensions.
The price range of these is wide, from 135-185 thousand shekels, and the price of Megan E-Tech has not yet been determined.
But the importer's people are very optimistic and promise that the price in Israel will also be competitive.
Still with the old name, but in a completely different serving (Photo: manufacturer's website)
On the technical side: Renault Megane E-Tech
Engine, propulsion:
electric, front
Battery:
for lithium-ion 60 kilowatts / h
Power (hp):
218
Torque (kg):
30.6
Transmission:
Direct transmission ratio (1 speed)
Dimensions:
Length (cm) :
420.0
Width (cm):
176.8
Height (cm):
150.5
Wheelbase (cm):
268.5
Trunk (liters):
440
Weight (kg):
1,636
Tires:
215/55/20
Performance :
Acceleration 0-100:
7.4 seconds
Maximum speed:
160 km / h (limited)
Declared range (km):
450
Competitors:
Gili Geometric C, Citroen C4, Kia Niro
Price:
Not yet determined
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Tags
Renault
Renault Megane
electric car
electric car
