Is Renault turning the Mégane into an electric saloon?

According to a report from France, the next generation of the Renault Mégane E-Tech planned for 2028 will change from a compact electric SUV to a saloon to compete with the Tesla Model 3. Renault is also rumoured to be planning a competitor to the Model Y.

According to French magazine L’Automobile Magazine, the next Mégane generation will be repositioned within Renault’s model range. The current model series, launched in 2022 and due to receive a facelift this year, is at the lower end of the compact segment with a length of 4.20 metres. At the same time, the model is slightly higher than a classic compact car, which is why some see it as a crossover between a compact model and a compact SUV (also due to its appearance).

However, as the Renault 5 is an attractive model positioned below the Mégane, the next generation of the Mégane will be larger again – and flatter. The report mentions “a long, streamlined saloon with a low height” that is “clearly aimed at the Tesla Model 3.” However, the renderings published by L’Automobile Magazine do not show a classic, flat saloon car rear end, but rather a kind of shooting brake – not as flat as a saloon, but not as steep as a compact car.

In fact, the renderings are based on the Renault Emblème concept car, which the manufacturer presented last autumn. It was a technology carrier that Renault developed together with its electric subsidiary Ampere and 20 other partners. The Emblème is based on the AmpR Medium platform and combines a new type of battery-electric drive with a fuel cell range extender. However, the report no longer mentions such a drive system. It is unknown whether the study’s futuristic design was even intended for a series model. In other vehicles such as the Renault 5, 4 and the upcoming Twingo, the French are focussing on a retro design.

Whether Renault will really change the concept of the Mégane so radically is not confirmed – there is no comment from the manufacturer. However, looking at the past, it certainly seems possible, as the French have not shied away from using familiar model names for completely different body concepts – such as the Scénic or Espace.

The fact that the upcoming Mégane could switch from its crossover style to a significantly flatter body is also linked to the rest of the model range: With the Scénic E-Tech, Renault now has a 4.47-metre-long electric SUV on offer – the next Mégane could probably also enter this size class, just flatter. According to the report, the next generation of the Renault Austral, a 4.51-metre-long combustion/hybrid SUV expected for 2027/2028, will also be purely electric. To differentiate the Austral 2 from the Scénic E-Tech, the model will reportedly grow significantly – to roughly the dimensions of a Tesla Model Y.

The Tesla bestseller is currently 4.75 metres long; with the Juniper facelift, it will be 4.79 metres. L’Automobile Magazine does not provide any information on the platforms of the upcoming Mégane and Austral generations. There is only the information that a switch to a 400-volt system is planned. At the very least, the supplier Valeo is said to be working on a new family of electric motors with 800 volts. In addition, there will be a large “panorama panel” in the interior at the lower edge of the windscreen, extending across nearly the entire width of the vehicle – almost like BMW’s Neue Klasse.