How Renault made the Espace relevant in the EV era

A lot has changed since the first Renault Espace arrived in 1984. It started Europe's minivan craze nearly 40 years ago and was the benchmark in the segment for decades. Most of the vehicle's 1.3 million cumulative sales came during those years.

When Europeans abandoned minivans in favor of SUVs in the 2010s, Renault responded by tweaking the fifth-generation Espace's design to make it appear more like a crossover. The results were underwhelming, especially of late as just 1,135 units of the Espace were sold in Europe last year, down from a 2021 volume of 2,773, according to figures from market researcher Dataforce.

To preserve the nameplate for a sixth generation, Renault has made the Espace lighter, nimbler, more fuel efficient and more economical to build.

To make the model more financially viable, the Espace for the first time will be made on a multi-model platform instead of having stand-alone underpinnings. Now based on the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance CMF-CD platform, the Espace shares 75 percent of its parts with the Austral compact SUV and Rafale midsize coupe-styled SUV, Renault Chief Technical Officer Gilles Le Borgne told Automotive News Europe. The three models also share the same production factory in Palencia, Spain.

The three models share the windshield, A-pillars and front doors. The Espace and Rafale sit on the longer 2738 mm wheelbase and share their rear doors frame.

The Espace is the longest of the three vehicles, at 4722 mm, because like its predecessor it will be offered in five- and seven-seat configurations. Its standard cargo capacity is 777 liters.

Leaner machine

The sixth-generation Espace is 140 mm longer than the current version, but its width has been trimmed by 60 mm. The vehicle's interior, however, is 40 mm longer.

Despite its size, Renault says the new Espace has a turning radius of 10.4 meters, the same as a small car. This comes through the latest version of Renault's 4Control four-wheel steering system, which turns the rear wheels in the same direction as the front at low speeds to aid maneuverability, and the opposite direction at high speeds to aid stability.

The new Espace is 215 kg (474 pounds) lighter than its predecessor, with weight savings coming from the drivetrain (-50 kg compared with the previous generation), the platform (-43 kg), the bodywork (-38 kg) and in the overall smaller dimensions (-84 kg).

Diesel-topping figures

For the first time the Espace will be offered with a full-hybrid powertrain. Renault's front-driven E-Tech solution produces a combined 200 hp from a 1.2-liter, three-cylinder gasoline engine, 50 kilowatt electric motor and a smaller 25 kw starter/generator. Both electric motors are attached to a clutchless gearbox. The model comes with a 2-kilowatt-hour battery.

The focus on fuel efficiency has paid off, with a CO2 emissions figure of 104 g/km, which is 35 percent less than the last-generation Espace, which did not offer a hybrid drivetrain. Fuel consumption is 4.6 liters per 100 km -- 40 percent better than the predecessor model's diesel -- meaning the new Espace can travel 1,100 km on a single tank of gasoline.

Renault says the hybrid system allows the Espace to operate in battery-only mode for 80 percent of urban driving, which matches what the company claims is possible in the Austral.

Renault declined to say if it will offer non-hybrid or plug-in hybrid versions of the new Espace. The Austral has a 48-volt mild hybrid gasoline engine option, while the top-of-the-line Rafale is a 300-hp, all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid.

Google inside

Inside, the Espace has the same features as the Austral and Rafale, including Renault's OpenR Link Google-based infotainment system. OpenR Link now includes 39 custom apps that were developed for Renault, many of which are free, although some are subscription based after a free trial, Renault says. The system can receive over-the-air updates to Google maps and other services.

The Espace is available in three trim levels. The entry trim is Techno; the sporty line is called Esprit Alpine, which only comes in a five-seat configuration; and the luxury-focused line is called Iconic. Prices in Germany range from 43,500 euros for the Techno line to 48,300 euros for the Iconic variant.

Renault expects 80 percent of buyers to choose the Esprit Alpine or Iconic trim levels.

Renault declined to give a sales target for the new Espace. Inovev, an automotive analyst company, says 10,000 Espaces will be produced in 2023. S&P Global Mobility says production will peak in 2024 at more than 33,300 units.

From January to June, sales in the midsize/large SUV and crossover segment grew by 29 percent to 280,019 units. The Skoda Kodiaq led the segment with 40,595 units, ahead of the full-electric Volkswagen ID4 with 35,090 and the Toyota RAV4 with 27,330 units, preliminary figures from Dataforce show.