Performance and Driving
With 0-62mph dealt with in 7.5 seconds, the Megane E-Tech feels sufficiently brisk, albeit not lightning quick.
It might feel rapid if you’re used to driving petrols and diesels, though, as acceleration off the line is instantaneous. Furthermore, the electric motor delivers torque from the millisecond you press the accelerator pedal.
Around town, it's hushed, which almost seems at odds with the car's ability to nip in and out of gaps on ring roads quickly.
While the vehicle looks aggressive and Renault has close links with many forms of motorsport, the E-Tech isn't being sold with promises of sporting prowess.
Nevertheless, the acceleration feels athletic, while the suspension setup is firmer than in most of its competitors’ cars, meaning it handles pretty keenly.
Body roll in the bends is well controlled, and it feels agile, although you don't have to push your luck too far to find the Megane’s limits.
It is also helped by the decent steering, which is light at low speeds before weighting up nicely at pace.
The Megane is also clever in that it retains stability and feels settled, yet it can still smooth out potholes and imperfections in the road surface.
You can adjust the ferocity of the regenerative braking by pulling paddles at the back of the steering wheel, helping to put some energy into the batteries.
Range and Charging
The Megane E-Tech is available at launch with a 60kWh battery and a claimed range of 280 miles, which is competitive but hardly market leading.
In some regions, Renault will be offering multiple charging options, but in the UK, only the top one will be available.
This means the maximum charging speed is 130kW, giving a 10-80% top-up of the batteries in about half an hour.
A 7.4kW home wall box will take about nine-and-a-quarter hours to charge the Renault from 0-100%.
The unique aspect is that the 22kW AC capability of the Zoe is also available, which enables 100% charging in a little over three hours. However, you will need three-phase power for 22kW AC.
Running Costs
Despite current high energy bills, operating costs are expected to be low.
Servicing overheads should also be lower as electric cars generally cost less to maintain.
Road tax is free, at least for the foreseeable future, while it’s comfortably in the lowest band for Benefit In Kind tax, so it will benefit company car users.
Because the E-Tech is so new, it’s too early to say how reliable it will be. Renault tends to be about average for reliability, but that may not necessarily be reflected in its electric cars, which may perform better or worse – time will tell.
Nevertheless, Renault offers a five-year warranty limited to 100,000 miles, although the first two years have unlimited mileage.
That is impressive given how many automakers still only offer the bog standard three years, but not enough to compete with Kia's seven-year guarantee.
Kia, as a brand, has excellent reliability, too.
Safety
The venerable Renault Zoe made the news for the wrong reasons when Euro NCAP gave the 2021 version zero stars. So it’s a relief to report that the Renault Megane E-Tech was put through its paces by crash-testing experts Euro NCAP earlier this year, with much better results.
It was awarded a five-star rating, scoring 85% for adult occupants, 88% for children, 65% for vulnerable road users (for example, cyclists and pedestrians) and 79% for safety assists.
Those safety assists, 22 in total, include rear park assist, a rear-view camera, blind-spot monitoring and emergency lane-keep assistance with oncoming traffic and road-edge detection. You also get a distance warning alert, traffic sign recognition, automatic emergency braking with junction assist, including pedestrian and cyclist alerts, cruise control with speed limiter, driver drowsiness alert, hill start assist, and emergency e-call. That’s a lot of assistance.
There is a significant jump in the amount of safety kit included if you opt for Techno or Launch Edition trims, too. These grades have adaptive cruise control with speed limiter, lane-centring traffic sign recognition with overspeed prevention, blind spot recognition and intervention, rear cross-traffic alert with rear automatic braking, and front and rear park assist.
Discussion about this post