Renault Megane E-Tech – What Can It Tow?

Hi, I’m Chris. About Me

Renault due to its long term partnership with Nissan has been one of the pioneers with electric cars. The Renault Zoe has been around since 2012. However, they are now launching a new version of the larger Megane and it will be available with an electric drive train under ‘E-Tech’ branding. There are set to be two versions of this fully electric Megane. However, only the larger battery pack of the two the EV60 has been given an official towing capacity of 900kg. So let’s look at the car in more detail and its competition.

Renault Megane E-Tech
While Renault is still referring to the Megane E-Tech as a hatchback it definitely appears to have taken on some compact SUV styling: Image – Renault.co.uk

Key Renault Megane E-Tech Specs

  • Official Towing Capacity – 900 kg (EV60)
  • Availability – March 2022
  • Price – Starting £35,000 (EV60)
  • Range (EV Database) – 220 miles (EV60)
  • Estimated Towing Range (50%) – 110 miles (EV60)
  • Maximum DC Charge Rate – 130kW (EV60)
  • Rapid Charge 10% to 80% – 29 min (EV60)
  • Check Used Megane EV60 Specs

Renault Megane E-Tech HP & Torque

  • EV60: FWD with 215 HP and 221 lb-ft of torque

Renault Megane E-Tech Towing Capabilties

There will be two versions of the Megane E-Tech available, both with a FWD power train called the EV40 and the EV60. However, the lower-powered/smaller battery EV40 has not been given an official towing capacity, that honour has only been bestowed on to the EV60 at 900 kg.

In terms of what you can tow with a 900kg towing capacity, there are a couple of small 2 berth caravans on the market which you could tow. However, really you would be limited to teardrop caravans and such like. A 900kg towing capacity is more suited to small cargo/camping trailers etc.

Renault Megane E-Tech VS The Competition

So the Megane E-Tech EV60 will be priced around £35,000, currently, at that price point there are not that many electric cars that can actually tow, but there are a few. A cheaper option is the MG ZS Long Range at just over £28K which has a similar 220-230 mile range, however, the MG can only tow 500kg.

As the Megane E-Tech is a hatchback (according to Renault) despite what the styling would suggest several media outlets including CarGurus in their review included below are comparing the Megan E-Tech to the VW ID.3. However, while they both have a similar range/price point, the ID.3 has no official towing capacity.

The Skoda Enyaq iV 60 comes in at a cheaper £32K price point and can tow slightly more at 1,000kg, though has a lower real-world range of 205 miles. The upcoming Nissan Ariya 63kW will have a similar 205 mile range, but a slightly more expensive price point than the Megane at £36K though it will be able to tow up to 1,500kg.

Then there is the base model IONIQ 5 58kWh RWD at just under £37k with a faster 175kW rapid charging speed. However, in that specification, the IONIQ 5 only has a 750kg towing capacity and a notably shorter real-world range of 195 miles compared to the Megane E-Tech EV60.

Renault Megane E-Tech Review

I’ve included the CarGurus review of the Renault Megane E-Tech in EV60 specification. The taller design of the latest Megan is discussed, and while obviously taller than its predecessors it does mean very reasonable head height for both front and rear passengers.

The Renault Megan E-Tech does seem to be a compelling all-round package for a smallish electric family hatchback

From the review above, the Megane E-Tech does appear to be a pretty efficient electric car which is even more important when it comes to towing. Also, the infotainment setup in the Megane does appear above average for the segment running Google software as well as offering Android Auto and Apple Car Play.

When it comes to a cars infotainment setup its competency is actually important with electric cars and particular electric tow cars as I’ll discuss in a future article. If the car can run the Zap Map App for example and it can run it well that’s going to pay dividends to reduce range anxiety so you know all available rapid charging stations.

Some electric cars run pretty crappy software (first-gen VW ID.4 cough cough) so you don’t really want to be reliant on the car’s software for finding the best charging options. A good screen with Android Auto/Apple Car Play running an App from the likes of Zap Map will often be the best solution to find charging solutions.

My Thoughts On The Renualt Megane E-Tech…

While the 900kg towing capacity of the Megane EV60 is not class-leading, its better than nothing, and if all you need to tow is a small trailer to the tip etc it should perform that role more than competently. The Megane EV60 also appears to be a pretty efficient EV too with good interior quality/infotainment.

If you wanted the best towing capacity for this price point you will get more from the Skoda Enyaq iV 60 for several thousand pounds less and with more storage capacity. However, the range of the real-world range of the Skoda will be about 20 to 30 miles less. Also, the Skoda currently uses the same infotainment software as the VW ID.4, so not the best.

Therefore, if you do only need to tow relatively lightweight trailers etc for the price point of around £35K the Renault Megane E-Tech EV60 doesn’t appear to be a bad choice at all.

Recent Posts