Megane Electric now available in Australia.

Fordman

Fordman

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I've probably missed previous discussion, but can't find any other recent posts.
Just had this come to me from Renault Australia, and I guess it will be of interest to this forum.
A bit of positive spin on electric vehicles can't go astray?


I note it says you can put down a deposit, so I guess not actually available just yet.

Cheers.
 
Hehehe. Of course. Bet they have no idea when it will be available either. Happy to take your money though.

I have the feeling everybody is trying to implement the banks' business model. You give us money and we give you nothing.

Can't blame them though when it seems to have worked so well for the banks.
 
If you click on the "virtual tour" in the Renault link, this is what you get:

And plenty more Youtubes on the Megane E-Tech from UK/European experience, once you play that video.

Quite interesting really, whether or not one is interested in EVs.
 
So sad they took the Megane from a funky styled car to yet another purile SUV clone… Sigh.
 
Haakon said:
So sad they took the Megane from a funky styled car to yet another purile SUV clone… Sigh.
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Generic SUV with the renault interior / sound deadening treatment.
Might not be such a bad package tho, I feel a Tesla would be great if someone like BMW or Renault did the interior.
 
vivid said:
Generic SUV with the renault interior / sound deadening treatment.
Might not be such a bad package tho, I feel a Tesla would be great if someone like BMW or Renault did the interior.
Click to expand...
I quite like the minimalist Tesla approach. The facelift one in particular is a lovely thing to sit it.
 
Haakon said:
I quite like the minimalist Tesla approach. The facelift one in particular is a lovely thing to sit it.
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problem is like most cars they are not comfortable on long trips. I havent driven one but I have sat in one. feels a bit cheap and no real seat comfort
 
vivid said:
problem is like most cars they are not comfortable on long trips. I havent driven one but I have sat in one. feels a bit cheap and no real seat comfort
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Huh. They seem to have a reputation for very good seats and seat comfort is often cited as one of their strong suites. The facelift one has very revised seats too.

Seats are a pretty personal thing though - everyone is shaped differently :)
 
The Megane E-Tech is far from an SUV in my opinion, its just a normal modern car - does anyone still make a car with a boot?
They have packaged it with a 100mm lower roof height than a Scenic I, and with a 150mm thick hunk of lithium hanging under the floor, that's not a bad effort. I imagine the CofG is pretty low too, unlike your average proper SUV.

But isn't it all about being a Renault EV - in Australia?
 
vivid said:
problem is like most cars they are not comfortable on long trips. I havent driven one but I have sat in one. feels a bit cheap and no real seat comfort
Click to expand...
Yeah, its been all downhill since poogoe allowed them to build the Citroen CX ..... It defines what a car should ride, handle and drive like :)
 
Fordman said:
The Megane E-Tech is far from an SUV in my opinion, its just a normal modern car - does anyone still make a car with a boot?
They have packaged it with a 100mm lower roof height than a Scenic I, and with a 150mm thick hunk of lithium hanging under the floor, that's not a bad effort. I imagine the CofG is pretty low too, unlike your average proper SUV.

But isn't it all about being a Renault EV - in Australia?
Click to expand...
Meh. If it was in any way interesting, innovative and or consistent with Renault’s long history of making cool cars then I’d be more enthusiastic. But it’s a poor effort technically as well as stylistically.

I hope the 5 electric will be better.
 
It seems to be reasonably competitive on price vs something like Tesla Model 3, Volvo XC30 and so on. One advantage is the Renault actually has a dashboard rather than a 'do everything screen' in the middle of the car. If I was Renault's importer I'd be worried about the BYD Seal - which starts at about $50k or the top of the range MG4 for about the same money.
 
The BYD Seal is bloody impressive from a sitting in and crawling around it, and ahead of driving one all the reviews seem very positive. Its a compelling bit of kit.

But with the exception of the quite amazing Lucid Air, no one really touches Tesla on packaging. Certainly not the laughable Megane/Ariya. A bit advantage of an electric platform is that it (should, if done well...) free up space for humans and stuff. Any EV without a big luggage space under the front better have a very very stubby snout or they've done it wrong. BMW and VW products are the worst here, but this reno/nissan job is pretty hopeless too.
 
Odd with the Megane eTech coming to Australia that Renault NZ decided end of last year not to launch the model here. Perhaps because the EV subsidies were being axed and Road User Charges being introduced? (RUCs are pre-paid distance based fees, currently applied to diesels (under 3.5t) and soon to be applied to BEVs and plug-in hybrids. Plug in hybrids will be charged about 2/3rd that of BEVs since petrol is taxed at the pump - diesel is not.)
 
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