Renault’s Automotive Pedigree Sells the Megane E-Tech Down Under – CleanTechnica

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That’s what the Renault salesperson told me yesterday when I went to check out the Renault Megane E-Tech. After my experience driving the Zoe 6 years ago, I was prepared to be disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised. The Megane is an attractive mid-range CUV. The three white cars, clustered together in front of the model car on display, made quite an impact. Unfortunately, we were unable to test drive one at this point in time.

Renault makes the point regarding its pedigree with a stand full of miniatures of models from the past 125 years. The photo doesn’t do it justice. It is a good thing my grandsons weren’t with us or they would have made strenuous attempts to get at the cars to play with them. The company was started in 1899 by the three Renault brothers. Originally, the cars were luxury handmade products. Renault quickly established a reputation for innovation and for car racing success. The company moved to mass production, and the rest, as they say, is history. The French government owns 15% of Renault.

The recent success of the Renault 5 in the French BEV league tables encouraged me to make this visit to the showroom. It is doing very well. Will we see it in Australia? “To be confirmed,” I was told.

Back to the Megane E-Tech: It looks like Renault is on the up and up with 266 Megane E-Techs sold in Australia in 2024. In France, it is number six on the BEV leaderboard, where Renault has sold 2541 units in the last 3 months alone. Across the full year, 2024, the Megane E-Tech is sitting at number 3 on the leaderboard, with 16,796 units sold.

Our tour of the Megane was conducted by a sales rep with 15 years of experience. I am pleased to say he knew his product and Renault very well. He sells the Megane E-Tech and the Kangoo EV van, as well as other models. He tells me at least 20 Megane EVs have sold from this dealership alone over the past 12 months — many purchased for government fleets. Two of the vehicles on display had recently been sold to a government department. “It seems to be a 60/40 split,” he tells me, “with 60% of sales to private buyers and 40% to government.” Government-leased vehicles will end up in the private sector when leases finish, bolstering the second-hand EV market.

After our early experiences with car dealerships demonstrated a distinct lack of training, I asked how he had been prepared for the shift in drivetrains. He told me that Renault had provided multiple mixed media training sessions — including a hands-on “drive day!” Sales people were also informed of Renault’s environmentally friendly vehicle production methods.

He said that Renault is innovative in its approach to producing a vehicle with a low carbon footprint. Seventy percent of the car’s components are sourced from within 50 km (30 miles) of the final assembly plant. Some components, like the upholstery and any plastic trim, are made from recycled materials. Renault prides itself on being environmentally friendly.

The Megane E-Tech is like the Tardis — larger on the inside than the outside! It comes equipped with a type 2 to type 2 charging cable. I was a little disappointed that there was no granny charger — but now that they can be bought from the local Bunnings, it is not an insurmountable problem. The car has a WLTP range of 454 km (282 miles).

I asked what new car buyers were trading in. A whole range, he said, mentioning BMWs, Nissan X Trails, Toyota Camrys, and “normal SUV type cars.” I asked if he was aware of Tesla and BYD and he told me that when he gets an Uber it is frequently a BYD or a Tesla, so he has had a close-up experience with the competition. He acknowledges that they had more tech in them than his Renault. He specifically pointed out that thus far, there is no Megane app for Australia. I expect that will be rectified in due course.

He believes that Tesla especially has raised people’s expectations of EVs. Renault’s focus for the Megane was to make a car of substance that drove well and suited their clientele.

Did he have to educate the prospective new owners? Yes, if it was their first electric vehicle. He had to dispel their fears around range and charging protocols. He found it useful to show new buyers that a lot of the car was the same — it still has tactile buttons and lots of stalks on the steering wheel. He has taken up to 2 hours to sit with prospective buyers and walk them through the features of the car.

My mischievous thought was that those who are complaining about the new Tesla Model 3 Highland should check out the Megane if they want more stalks.

The car has to be returned to the dealer for updates every 12 months or 30,000 km. The servicing is roughly half the cost of an fossil-fueled Renault. Renault will be running Google IOS by 2026. A good supply of spare parts means there is backup. However, some parts may still have to be shipped in from France. Renault has a robust dealer network in Australia.

Exploring the interior of the car, we were shown the 3 stalks — one on the left for indicators and lights; two on the right — one for gear selection and wipers, the other for “fingertip” music selection. Our guide thought that this last stalk, which he called a “pod” was a great innovation from Renault. First installed in 2013, it means you don’t have to take your hands off the wheel when selecting the source of your music.

The dealership has a charger for keeping the demonstrators charged up and one in the service centre. They are not usually available for public use, though he did tell me of a desperate customer who dropped in because he had let his charge get too low. They helped him out of course.

The Renault Megane has a full metal roof, is front wheel drive, and has a 60 kWh lithium-ion battery. The sales rep told me that there are no rare earths in the motor. The car for sale in Australia is based on the mid-range model — sold in Europe as the Megane Techno. This mid-range unit should give Renault the opportunity to test the Australian market and enable forward decision making regarding future models.

And the cost? AU$59,000 (US$37,000 at current exchange rates), including on roads. It is an extra $400 if you want the car in red. This compares well to an equivalent petrol Renault, the Arkana SUV, at AU$45,000. New car buyers who are interested in a long-lasting brand with a racing pedigree could add the Renault Megane E-Tech to their shopping lists. We welcome all new EVs that increase choice for consumers Down Under.