Renault’s Scenic, the multi-purpose vehicle from the 90s beloved by many families, has a brand new look and a brand new powertrain. Only, it’s not really an MPV anymore, but a crossover, and that too, an all-electric one!
Unveiled at the IAA Mobility 2023 Motor Show in Munich, Renault says that its all-new Scenic E-Tech is “designed around families and their need to travel freely and safely”, with an increasing awareness of sustainability.
“Fully electric and brimming with useful and intuitive technology, it embodies the Renault Group’s aims as a next-generation automotive manufacturer,” added the French automaker.
Its all a part of the company’s attempt at ushering in a new wave — ‘nouvelle vague’ in French that aims to turn the brand into an industry benchmark for technology, electrification, and connected services as outlined in its ‘Renaulution’ strategy.
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New powertrain, new chassis
The latest generation is fitted with an all-electric powertrain that features a compact 87kWh battery and a 160kW (220hp) motor. And while, the range figures are pending WLTP certification, Renault says the new Scenic will be capable of delivering a tremendous 379-mile range — now that’s a big claim! If that’s true, it will easily go on to join the EVs with some of the best range in the game.
Other details include a quite large 2.78m wheelbase, ensuring a spacious cabin, including a 278mm knee radius at the back and a 545-litre boot.
Its proportions are unique, too, at 4.47m long, 1.86m wide, and 1.57m high, ensuring remarkable roominess and uncompromising comfort for everyone. The extra height of the driver’s seat is reassuring and enhances safety, while passengers in the rear have as much knee- and headroom as the top C-segment family cars.
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The lightweight, 20-inch wheels feature a design that reduces air inlet space, thereby enhancing aerodynamics further. The door handles of the Renault Scenic E-Tech are flush with the body, adding a modern aesthetic while smoothing air flow.
The stand-out feature in the interior is the Solarbay panoramic glass roof, developed in partnership with Saint-Gobain. Its AmpliSky technology uses a combination of PDLCs (polymer dispersed liquid crystals) to change the opacity of the glass one segment at a time.
Renault’s bid to become sustainable
Renault is aiming for carbon neutrality in Europe by 2040 and worldwide by 2050. Consequently, creating more environmentally-friendly vehicles is at the core of Renault Group’s vision and its roadmap to increase the proportion of recycled materials relative to total mass to 33 per cent by 2030. As a result, up to 24 per cent of the Scenic E-Tech’s materials are recycled and 90 per cent of its mass – including the battery – is recyclable.
Additionally, Zoe and Megane E-Tech electric, the Scenic uses an excited synchronous motor. More efficient than a permanent magnet motor, it uses no rare earth materials.
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The Renault Scenic is assembled at the Douai plant within ElectriCity, where it benefits from localised production techniques. Renault Group is aiming for carbon neutrality at all three ElectriCity plants as early as 2025.
The European specification offers a choice of Techno, Esprit Alpine and Iconic trim – the top-of-the-range version being available for the first time in a Renault all-electric vehicle. The Scenic will launch in early 2024.
