The Renault Megane E-Tech electric has come in for a midlife revamp, sharpening up its exterior design, simplifying the model lineup, enhancing the connectivity and technology on board and extending the range between charges.
You better start with the Megane's increased range
A new French-made battery pack is fitted to the new Renault Megane. It features LFP (lithium iron phosphate) chemistry, but its cell-to-pack architecture with 232 cells packed together as 'Pouch 2 Cell' is claimed to be a world first by Renault, enhancing packaging, energy density and usable energy capacity.
That figure has not been confirmed, but we're told that the battery is a 67kWh unit and the new Megane will do up to 500 kilometres on a charge on the WLTP cycle - up from 450km previously.
And it can be charged up quicker than before on suitably powerful DC outlets thanks to an increase of the peak charging rate from 130kW previously to 165kW on the new car. Renault says that means 24 minutes for a 15-80 per cent charge.
The Megane gets 11kW AC charging as standard, with the option to upgrade to a 22kW bi-directional charger. That means powerful vehicle-to-load (V2L) capabilities, allowing the plugging in of devices rated at up to 3.7kW. It also enables vehicle-to-grid (V2G) functionality.
A heat pump and battery preconditioning are included.
Any downsides to this battery upgrade?
Well it does make the car heavier, up from 1,711kg to 1,772kg, but that's unlikely to make a great deal of difference to the performance or roadholding, as all the extra weight is low down in the car.
Renault's chassis department has worked on the suspension and steering to accommodate the changes.
On the performance side of things, there's a single 220hp electric motor available, driving the front wheels. It produces up to 300Nm of torque as before, though the 0-100km/h time has yet to be announced.
An additional change brought on by the bigger battery, which isn't easy to spot, is an increase in overall height by some 20mm.
Is that the only visual change to the Megane?
No, Renault has completely restyled the front of the car, giving it a more defined and assertive appearance. Apparently only the headlights are carried over from the old model.
The most obvious change is the addition of a new LED light signature pushed wide to either side of the new front bumper. This is made up of eight diamond-shaped elements, echoing the new outline of the Renault logo, itself repositioned for more prominence.
A change to the full-width rear lights means they're more sculptural and do without an all-enclosing cover. There's a more defined rear bumper as well.
The base model gets 19-inch alloy wheels as standard, while the Esprit Alpine version pictured here sits on a set of particularly stylish, bi-colour, 20-inch rims.
Talk us through the trims
Only two have been confirmed by Renault, in a bid to make choosing a Megane E-Tech electric an easy task for buyers.
The entry-level car is the Techno, while the Esprit Alpine gets the expected visual upgrades outside and in we're used to from Renault, including a set of sportier seats and other material and trim enhancements.
All versions of the new Megane now get the full 'openR' infotainment system, featuring 12.3-inch digital instrumentation and an upright touchscreen measuring 12 inches across the diagonal.
This has Google built-in, including Google Maps, the Google Play app store and Google Gemini for AI-boosted voice interaction. There's also an EV route planner on board.
New to the Megane is a driver-monitoring camera, as per EU regulations. Renault uses it for driver recognition if so required, allowing creation of a profile from a simple facial scan and saving of various settings. Notably, the data for this is stored only in the car.
Neat. Any other new tech?
The Megane E-Tech electric is adopting the latest generation of wireless smartphone chargers, identifiable by the raised circular magnetic design. This conforms to the Qi2 or Magsafe standards and holds the device in place while it's charging, ostensibly delivering faster charging without overheating.
In terms of driving, the new Megane adopts the Smart driving mode first seen on the new Renault Clio, where the car adapts to the driving style, so the driver doesn't need to choose from the usual Eco, Comfort or Sport settings.
And complementing the one-pedal driving function is the option to vary the level of brake energy regeneration over four levels, by using the paddles behind the steering wheel.
An all-new app for the owner has also been rolled out. It's called 'my rnlt' and it allows a variety of functions, interfacing with the car, with much more to come.
And when can an Irish buyer take ownership?
The new Renault Megane E-Tech electric should hit showrooms in Ireland ahead of the "271” registration period in January 2027. Irish pricing has yet to be confirmed.