Even though a large proportion of our readers and YouTube viewers on the official InsideEVs channel are from North America, so they can’t buy vehicles that are exclusively sold in Europe, we simply couldn’t ignore the Renault MeganE E-Tech Electric when we attended IAA Mobility 2021, this year’s edition of the German auto show - it was one of the venue's most important debuts, alongside the Mercedes EQE.
The MeganE is related to the Nissan Ariya, but you wouldn’t be able to tell based on their body shape - they look completely different and the Renault looks less like a crossover and more like a conventional hatchback (albeit a slightly taller-than-average one). It can only be had in two-wheel drive form, with either a 128 horsepower or 215 horsepower front-mounted motor, as well as 40 kWh or 60 kWh battery packs.
Gallery: Renault Megane E-Tech Electric at IAA 2021
What really impressed me seeing the vehicle in the metal at the Renault stand was just how great it looked. It has to be the best looking Renault for years and stepping inside, it again shows a lot of progress over the rest of the manufacturer’s range, particularly when it comes to the quality of the screens and infotainment.
Materials and assembly quality was also remarkably good for a Renault - the overall ambiance inside felt more luxurious than the vehicle I drove during my stay in Germany, for instance, which was a Volkswagen ID.3. It won’t quite be a match for the VW in terms of specs (especially range), but it should be a bit cheaper buy, especially with the smaller battery pack.
Renault dedicated most of its motor show stand to the MeganE debut and with good reason - it is the first of its core range of models that it going to sell as a pure EV. The manufacturer is slowly pulling its traditional ICE models from its core European markets and it wants up to 90 percent of all vehicles it sells in Europe to be electric by 2030.
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