The electric Renault Mégane E-Tech © Renault Group/Greg Jongerlynck/DDPI
Luca de Meo has no shortage of ideas for Renault. The new boss of the French group wants to pull the diamond up, by selling more expensive vehicles in order to improve its margins. Renault intends in particular to position itself as “leader of the ecological transition” and placing technology at the heart of its vehicles.
A Renaulution not as frank as expected for the Mégane
The first vehicle to respond to this new strategy is the 100% electric Mégane E-Tech. Launched last year, it inaugurates at Renault a new visual identity and a new logo, the platform dedicated to CMF-EV electric cars and the OpenR Link multimedia system based on Android Automotive.
Despite this, “the Mégane does not take off”explains the CGT at the Renault plant in Douai, where the electric Mégane E-Tech is assembled (source: Capital). Worse, its sales fell again in July, with only 998 registrations in the VP version, according to data from the Automotive Platform (PFA), against 1,937 in July 2022. The model thus left the top 10 best-selling cars in France. last month.
Number of monthly registrations of the electric Mégane E-Tech and its main rivals, according to data from the Automotive Platform (PFA)
Summary of the races, from January to July 2023, the Mégane E-Tech sold 10,486 copies in France, compared to 8,127 for the Mégane IV thermal, yet very aging. Indeed, Renault wanted to keep it in the catalog temporarily, allowing the two models and the different strategies they embody to coexist. Intended to replace the old Mégane, the new electric E-Tech version therefore struggles to attract customers.
A technically successful, but not competitive Mégane
However, the Mégane E-Tech is far from being a bad car. On the contrary: it benefits from excellent road handling and its new infotainment system is very successful.
One might be tempted to explain the relative commercial failure of the Mégane E-Tech by invoking the state of the electric car market, but this is not the case. Over the first seven months of 2023, electric cars accounted for 15% of registrations and 13% last month (12% in July 2022). The Tesla Model Y also manages to climb to 9th place among the best-selling cars in France from January to July, far ahead of the Mégane.
Cumulative monthly registrations of the electric Mégane E-Tech and its main rivals, according to data from the Automotive Platform (PFA)
No, if sales of the Mégane E-Tech are not taking off, it is above all because its prices are not sufficiently competitive. “It’s a good car with real technological advances. But the problem is the price war waged by Tesla and MG”explains Laurent Giblot, industrial designer and elected CGT at the engineering center of Villiers-Saint-Frédéric (Yvelines).
The French compact starts at €33,000 (€5,000 ecological bonus deducted) in the entry-level Equilibre EV40 version, equipped with a 130 hp engine and a WLTP range of just 300 km. For the EV60 version with the 220 hp engine, which increases the autonomy to 450 km, it is necessary to count from 39,500 € (techno finish and deducted bonus). By way of comparison, the Tesla Model 3 is now available from just €36,990 (drive version and bonus deducted), while the American is larger, more efficient and has a WLTP range of 491 km.
MG is also pulling prices down with its new MG4 electric compact, in direct competition with the Mégane. Its sales have exceeded those of the Mégane E-Tech in France since May 2023. It is sold with a bonus deducted from just €24,990 in the 51 kWh version, for a range of 350 km, €28,990 in the 64 kWh version, for a range of 450 km, and €34,490 in the 77 kWh version, with a range of 520 km.