Renault has revealed official camouflaged photos of its upcoming Scenic E-Tech Electric as it continues testing ahead of entering mass production.
The all-electric SUV will debut on September 4 at the 2023 IAA Mobility Show in Munich.
The Scenic nameplate has been around since 1996. The electrified Scenic takes its inspiration from the Scenic Vision concept that previewed it in 2022.
The concept featured a hydrogen fuel-cell plug-in hybrid powertrain, which Renault has ditched in favour of an all-electric drivetrain instead.
Reports last year indicated “90 per cent” of the Scenic Vision’s design would carry through to the production version, which appears to be the case.
It’s unclear the exact dimensions of the production-bound Scenic E-Tech Electric, however the concept measured 4490mm long, 1900mm wide, 1590mm tall, and rides on a 2835mm wheelbase.
That’s about halfway between the 4.41m Scenic and 4.63m Grand Scenic, both of which went out of production last year.
Recent spy photos captured a highly camouflaged Scenic prototype during development testing.
New photos from Renault today debut the compact MPV’s daytime running lights, headlights, silver chrome-accented logo and L-shaped tail lights, which until now where unknown.
It’s not certain what the entire interior will look like, however there is a dual-screen digital instrument cluster and infotainment display that can be seen through the vehicle’s windows in some of the teaser photos.
It appears the production model will abandon the steering ‘yoke’ that debuted in the Scenic Vision concept.
The front seats feature a dual-racing stripe. It’s not clear what materials the seats are made from, but it appears to be a dark cloth-like material.
It’s expected to be underpinned by the CMF-EV platform, also used by the smaller Renault Megane E-Tech Electric and Nissan Ariya.
It’s unclear which powertrain options Renault will offer for its electric people mover.
The front-wheel drive Megane E-Tech Electric is offered with a choice of 40kWh or 60kWh batteries, as well as 96kW/250Nm or 160kW/300Nm electric motors. With the larger battery, it offers 470km of range.
The larger Ariya features 63kWh and 87kWh batteries and a range of different motor outputs, with the dual-motor all-wheel drive flagship offering 290kW and 600Nm and a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 5.1 seconds.
While the Renault Scenic didn’t create the small people mover segment – models like the Nissan Prairie and Mitsubishi Space Runner/RVR got there first – its introduction in 1996 sparked a dramatic uptick in popularity for this vehicle type.
Compact MPVs became hot property in Europe, with manufacturers from Citroen to Volkswagen and even premium brands like BMW getting in on the act.
BMW is one of the last brands standing in this segment in Europe with its 2 Series Active Tourer, with most manufacturers dropping their small MPVs for SUVs, or offering only cargo van-based people movers instead of car-based ones.
Renault has been rapidly expanding on its SUV line-up. The Captur was joined by the Arkana coupe crossover, the Kadjar crossover was axed but replaced with the Austral and its three-row Espace spin-off, and the Rafale was revealed this year as a new flagship model.
It’s unclear if Renault will bring the Scenic E-Tech Electric here, reviving a nameplate once offered Down Under.
The Scenic was sold here across two generations from 2001 to 2009, before being axed as the company shifted focus to the Koleos crossover.
