Renault reveals the Scenic E-Tech Electric at the IAA

Two years after the electric Mégane, Renault has now also presented the Scenic as an all-electric vehicle. Scheduled for launch in early 2024, the Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric also uses the CMF-EV platform and will be offered in two power and battery variants. (UPDATE BELOW)

As with the Mégane, the Scenic uses a separately excited synchronous motor – this type of electric motor does not require rare earths. However, the Scenic presented in Munich will differ from the Mégane, which was unveiled at the IAA 2021. The 40 kWh battery from the compact model is not available in the Scenic crossover; the 60 kWh battery is used here. In the Scenic, this battery is offered with a 125 kW electric motor (Mégane: 160 kW), the combination should provide up to 420 kilometres WLTP range. The top-of-the-range Scenic uses an 87 kWh battery and a 160 kW motor, which should give up to 620 WLTP kilometres. As with the Mégane, the Scenic uses a separately excited synchronous motor.

However, the 60-kWh battery is not a 1:1 copy of the version from the Mégane E-Tech Electric (here is our driving report on the Mégane). According to Renault, the LG batteries offer six per cent more energy density than in the Mégane due to an improved NMC chemistry. Renault specifies a maximum charging power of 130 kW for the 60 kWh battery and 150 kW for the 87 kWh battery. This means that the new cells should also be used for the 87 kWh battery, as the platform brother Nissan Ariya only achieves 130 kW charging power with its 87 kWh battery. In addition, the charging curve is said to have been improved; Renault speaks of a longer “plateau” during charging.

Depending on the country, a 22 kW charger will be offered for AC charging ex-works (or otherwise as an option); charging times should then be between three and five hours, depending on the battery. Standard equipment for all Scenic variants includes a heat pump, which should enable efficient thermal management and thus lower energy consumption. In addition, the battery can be pre-conditioned (via Google Maps navigation) for fast charging, with a specific temperature of 25 degrees when arriving at the charging station.

Despite the name Scenic, the model presented at the IAA Mobility is no longer a van, but an SUV-like crossover. The vehicle is 4.47 metres long, which is slightly shorter than a VW ID.4 or a Tesla Model Y, for example. Renault gives the height as 1.57 metres, the width as 1.86 metres and the wheelbase as 2.79 metres. Thanks to the flat interior floor and the slim battery in the CMF-EV, the interior is said to offer “excellent space”. The French company estimates the rear legroom at 27.8 centimetres and headroom at up to 88.4 centimetres. The boot holds between 545 and 1,607 litres.

Incidentally, the headroom mentioned only applies in combination with the so-called “Solarbay” glass roof. The glass, developed by Saint-Gobain, has an active coating that allows the roof to become cloudy or transparent again in segments in a matter of seconds – and this can be regulated separately at the front and rear. The interactive Solarbay glass roof can be operated by voice control via Google Assistant or via a button on the ceiling light. When you leave the car, it activates the frosted glass mode by itself.

The version with the 87 kWh battery is said to weigh 1,842 kilograms; Renault does not give any information about the small battery. The announcement also does not mention a towing capacity or roof load. The French also do not mention prices, which will follow at the latest at the market launch in early 2024.

“The All-new Scenic E-Tech electric is geared for efficiency, accessibility and sustainable integration into the environment. It is designed so that families can travel freely, safely and more responsibly,” says Gilles Vidal, vice president of design for the Renault brand. “Its generous curved surface evoke a lively, humanistic brand, and its sharp and precise lines, combined with the many high-tech details, project the car into the modern and connected world.”

Update 15 December 2023

The Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric is now available to order in the UK at prices starting from £40,995. The first customer deliveries are expected in May.

In terms of technical specifications, the Scenic E-Tech Electric runs on a battery-electric powertrain featuring an 87kWh battery and a 220hp motor, which is capable of delivering a 379-mile range.

Update 28 February 2024

Renault UK has added a new entry-level version of the Scenic E-Tech Electric, slashing the electric SUV’s price by £3500 to £37,495. The vehicle is currently only available in the ‘techno trim’ at this price, taking the place of the entry-level model. The battery is smaller than the more expensive variants, but sufficient for a range of up to 260 miles on the 87 kWh battery.

Charging can be done with up to 22kW on an AC charger and up to 130kW via DC.

renault.com, renault.co.uk (update), renault.co.uk, press.renault.co.uk (both update II)