F1 brand to appear on another Australian EV

Renault’s sports car brand Alpine has been on a semi-hiatus since its A110 coupe left Australia in late 2021, and wrapped up global production earlier this year.

While a next-generation electric version of the A110 is on the way, Renault is trying to keep Alpine at the front of buyer’s minds by using the name on its sportier model grades, similar to Hyundai’s N Line and Volkswagen’s R-Line products.

At present, you can find the name on the Arkana Esprit Alpine, the Symbioz Esprit Alpine, and the Scenic E-Tech Esprit Alpine – and now it’s been confirmed to join the Megane E-Tech.

Renault is undertaking a facelift of the Megane E-Tech locally in 2027, which will result in the sporty Esprit Alpine grade becoming the sole variant available, replacing the existing Techno trim.

Priced from $55,990 plus on-road costs, the 2027 Renault Megane E-Tech Esprit Alpine represents a $1000 increase over the most recent list price of the outgoing Techno, however the current electric SUV has been subject to multiple promotions in recent months.

Earlier this year, prices were slashed to $49,990 drive-away, though the brand’s online configurator shows this has ended while the model is in run-out, with most paint options sold out.

With deposits for the 2027 Megane E-Tech opening today, Renault is offering customers who place a $200 online deposit before December 31, 2026 a 7kW home charging adaptor, valued at $749 excluding installation.

The powertrain is largely unchanged, with a single 160kW and 300Nm electric motor driving the front wheels, though the updated Megane E-Tech scores a larger 67kWh LFP battery (up from 60kWh), resulting in its claimed driving range rising from 454km to 480km on the WLTP test cycle.

Increased DC (130kW to 165kW) and AC (7.4kW to 11kW) charging rates also headline the technological changes.

Visually, the 2027 Megane E-Tech Esprit Aline is denoted by its new front-end appearance with revised LED DRLs, headlights and a bumper with gloss black accents, while at the back there’s also new look tail lights.

Under the guards sit Alpine-specific 20-inch wheels, while inside the front occupants are held by sports seats.

The 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen of the outgoing model has been replaced with a larger 12.0-inch unit, now running integrated Google Automotive Services.

“We know Australia is one of the most competitive new-car markets in the world, but we also know there are discerning buyers who appreciate a car with distinctive design, excellent road-holding, intuitive cabin controls, well-calibrated advanced safety systems, and generous electric driving range for its class,” said Renault Australia, general manager Glen Sealey.

“We are opening the order books early so we can allocate cars fairly across the dealer network to minimise waiting times and get people into their cars sooner.”

Australian deliveries of the Renault Megane E-Tech Esprit Alpine are due to begin in the first half of 2027.