All-new Megane E-TECH Electric: road-trip to the heart of innovations - Episode 5
Episode 5
A platform engineered to enhance inside space and interior design
For nearly 125 years, Renault has been constantly seeking to innovate. From the direct drive gearbox in 1899 to the E-TECH hybrid motor in 2020, the brand has constantly found ways of giving its customers access to the ingenious designers of its in-house inventors. The All-new Megane E-TECH Electric – the first of Renault’s Nouvelle Vague – sees Renault still innovating. More than 300 patents have been lodged for the design of the vehicle and its platform, of which we have selected seven to showcase as we head off on a road-trip with Jean-Baptiste Nicolet, a.k.a. TheiCollection. This fifth episode looks at how Renault’s engineers reshuffled the platform’s architecture to unleash the Design Department’s talent.
Join Jean-Baptiste Nicolet, host of the TheiCollection YouTube channel, as he takes us on a road-trip on board the All-new Renault Megane E-TECH Electric, journeying through a selection of innovative features that gave rise to a number of patents. In this fifth episode, he stops at Beuvron-en-Auge, one of France’s most beautiful villages, before heading back to Paris.
Something about the stunning scenery in Normandy prompts Jean-Baptiste to contemplate the car’s interior looks. He loves the modern feel and roominess in the cockpit, and calls an engineer at Renault to find out more about how they pulled off this feeling of weightlessness and spaciousness inside. Marc, a platform architecture expert, tells him that it all started with a simple idea – that wasn’t all that simple to apply: relocating the heating and air conditioning unit. This bulky component is usually built into the dashboard, but they shifted it under the bonnet, where the engine usually is. This was possible for two reasons: electric motors are so much more compact than combustion engines and, most importantly, the Renault engineers who came up with this patented innovation are so resourceful.
Our goal on the Megane E-TECH Electric was to open up more space inside without increasing outside volume, because we wanted to keep the car compact. So we broke new ground, with a patented system to fasten the heating and air conditioning unit inside the engine compartment, so that the Design Department could have free rein to streamline the dashboard as much as possible.
Jean-Baptiste hits the road again, after finding out about the smart idea behind the All-new Megane E-TECH Electric’s roomy interior and sleek design. And, for sure, he will be shedding light on other innovative features before he gets back to Paris!
Tune into the next episode for more…
Find the other episodes of the series
All-new Mégane E-TECH Electric: road-trip to the heart of innovation
All-new Megane E-TECH Electric: delving into the heart of innovation
All-new Megane E-TECH Electric: delving into the heart of innovation
All-new Megane E-TECH Electric: road-trip to the heart of innovation
All-new Megane E-TECH Electric: road-trip to the heart of innovations - Episode 6
