Renault has launched the all-new Mégane E-Tech Electric.
Much like a smartphone, the All-new Mégane E-TECH Electric merges seamlessly into the digital ecosystem of its user. It is a high-tech vehicle always ready to serve, thanks to its new OpenR display and its new OpenR Link multimedia system, developed with Google and based on Android Automotive OS, comes with Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play built-in for a helpful, personalized and seamless driving experience.
As such, it is part of an ecosystem where the vehicle represents a hardware platform housing state-of-the-art software and optimized connectivity to deliver new experiences. Thanks to the new CMF-EV platform, Mégane E-TECH Electric offers great roominess on the inside and dynamism on the road with its direct yet precise steering.
“The All-new Mégane E-TECH Electric embodies the electric revolution that Renault started a decade ago. By democratizing the electric technology, New Mégane succeeds in making the electric vehicle affordable, with no compromise on efficiency and driving pleasure. What this vehicle conveys is emotion, we have created it as the GTI of electric vehicles.” said Luca de Meo, CEO, Renault Group.
The All-new Mégane E-Tecc Electric is in France, at the Douai factory, located in the heart of ElectriCity, Europe’s leading EV hub. Renault ElectriCity will soon be Europe’s largest and most competitive centre for electric vehicle production. Located in the north of France, it is ideally located at the heart of market demand.
Features
It incorporates technological elements (rear micro-optical LED lights, OpenR screen) as well as others that draw heavily on the world of high-tech and hi-fi design (vents grilles, laser engraving on lower door protection grates decorations).
With the extended wheelbase (2.70 m for a total length of 4.21 m) and reduced overhang offered by the new CMF-EV modular platform, the All-new Mégane E-Tech Electric displays unprecedented proportions that have given designers the opportunity to design a powerful hatch with a mastered footprint.
The battery is thinner than ever (only 110 mm!) meaning designers could refine the external proportions while also boosting the car’s interior roominess vs. footprint ratio and lowering the centre of gravity for a more fun and exciting driving experience.
It combines a compact design with a contained height (1.50 m), and yet the considerable space inside is still clearly felt from outside the vehicle.
Design elements and specific features give a sense of robustness : large 20-inch wheels, protective strips on the lower side and wheel arches, high beltline. The dropping line of the roof, wide tracks, and flush door handles (as standard) feel more like a coupé. The contained height, the spaciousness, and boot volume are reminiscent of traditional hatchback models.
Each version of E-TECH Electric incorporates flush door handles. When the driver or front passenger approaches to open a door, or when the vehicle is unlocked, the handles hidden in the body are automatically and electronically pushed out. They pop back into place after two minutes of remaining stationary, when the car begins to move forward, or when the doors are locked.
Full-LED lighting in the front and back of the E-TECH Electric has been finely laser cut to express its modernity. The car features a brand-new lighting signature with ‘electrifying’ patterns that cross over to the central logo for heightened excitement. In the front, day lamps appear to extend beyond the projectors and continue their path up to the side air vents on the shield. In the rear, numerous laser-cut micro-optic fibres laid in criss-crossing lines create an intriguing 3D-like shimmer effect: overlapping lines appear to vibrate. In addition, the brake lights are displayed in two clear lines, much like a ‘pause’ sign.
The welcome sequence comes to an end when the driver sits down in the driver’s seat. The OpenR screen with dashboard displays and multimedia screen turns on displaying the logo and brand name. Ambient lighting illuminates the cockpit while the speakers play a brand-new Renault audio cue.
Improving the aerodynamic performance thanks to an efficient styling was a main aspect of the design process. The contained height, the narrow-rimmed tyres, sculpted shoulders with air-vents at the front and a character lines being part of the bumper sides, all give a streamlined feel to the vehicle, but also help improve its overall fuel efficiency.
The OpenR Link system is powered by Android Automotive OS which is based on Android OS, the same operating system used to run more than 75 percent of smartphones around the world. It ntegrates all the functions that can be found in a smartphone or tablet, making E-TECH Electric an intuitive experience as it is fully integrated into the digital ecosystem of its user. It can also be used like a tablet, with either a single finger (short tap, long tap, scroll), multiple fingers (pinch, zoom, etc.), or by using the voice recognition software. It receives and displays notifications and allows you to easily navigate between its different spaces (Home/Navigation, Music, Phone, Applications, Vehicle) all thanks to the menu bar at the top of the screen.
OpenR Link updates automatically, via FOTA (Firmware Over-The-Air) technology. The OpenR screen has a display area: 321 cm² for the 12.3-inch dashboard screen (1920 x 720 pixels, landscape) and 453 cm² for the 12-inch multimedia screen (1250 x 1562 pixels, portrait). The on-board digital interfacing therefore measures a total of 774 cm², unlike any other vehicle in the category, more in line with the much larger top-end sedans! The entry level model features a 9-inch multimedia screen (1250 x 834 pixels, landscape).
The E-TECH Electric will be available in six colours: Rafale Grey, Schist Grey, Midnight Blue, Flame Red, Diamond Black, and Glacier White. For a more personal touch, it can also come in a two-tone finish by having the roof, pillars, and – depending on the chosen trim – the side mirror guards in Schist Grey, Diamond Black, or Glacier White, enabling 30 possible combinations.
