Hotter Renault Megane E-Tech coming

Renault is readying a high-performance RS version of its current 2025 Renault Megane E-Tech as part of radical plans to makeover the entire battery-electric small hatch range in a bid to curb slow sales in Europe. When the 2026 Renault Megane RS EV arrives, it could pinch the latest 320kW Nissan Ariya NISMO’s powertrain and come with all-wheel drive and performance in another league compared to previous combustion version RS models.

There's no word when exactly the 2026 Renault Megane RS EV will land in Australia but the French car-maker says it will roll out, what's believed to be, a close-to-production hot hatch concept based on the current Megane E-Tech "within 12 months", with sales starting potentially before the end of 2026.

Created to provide a halo effect for the rest of the Renault Megane E-Tech range, the motivation behind reviving the dormant Renaultsport sub-brand is to jazz up the entire French small hatch range to reverse the sharp sales decline that began 18 months ago.

Confirming the radical overhaul of the Megane E-Tech and the arrival of the new RS version, Renault CEO Fabrice Cambolive announced to Autocar that the battery-electric hatch would be repositioned as a "hot hatch or hot car".

The last Renaultsport branded vehicle sold in Australia was the 2023 Megane RS Ultime that came powered by a 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing just 221kW/400Nm for a 0-100km/h dash of 5.7 seconds.

The new Megane RS EV is expected to produce much more power, borrowing its all-wheel drive dual-motor powertrain from the latest Nissan Ariya NISMO, which could see it deliver more than 360kW and 600Nm.

Even with a heavier 87kWh battery, the all-electric hot hatch should launch from 0-100km/h in less than 4.5 seconds.

The Megane RS could have been quicker still, but it's thought engineers aren't able to package the more advanced triple e-motor powertrain from the Alpine A390 that offers up to 345kW/809Nm.

The current Megane E-Tech is only available with a single e-motor that produces up to 160kW.

As part of a tweaked strategy, Cambolive said that Alpine – which replaced Renaultsport – would now only build dedicated sports cars, rather than rebadged and tuned versions of Renault products.

There was no mention if Alpine (now a standalone brand) will help Renault develop the new Megane RS, mirroring what it did for the wild Renault 5 Turbo 3E.

With the arrival of a faster Megane, it opens the door for a Clio RS reboot, or faster versions of other core models. Commenting on the potential for more RS models, Cambolive said the brand would have to "find the right balance" when considering cost and demand for future fast Renaults.

It's been tipped the halo Megane RS will provide styling cues which will be adopted by the rest of the Megane range that include new daytime running lamps, and a lower, wider stance.

Since Australia was once one of the world's largest markets for Renaultsport you might think the return of the French performance brand in the shape of the Megane RS EV might be welcomed warmly Down Under but many buyers have already migrated to mid-sized SUVs, while the battery-electric powertrain might be a turn-off to some former hot hatch buyers.

That said, who could argue with a sportier, better-driving take on the slow-selling core Megane E-Tech if priced keenly?

* Image generated by AI

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