Renault E-Space Concept is an electric MPV, setting out the brand’s new values. Breaking away from mainstream SUVs, Renault E-Space Concept gives a contemporary twist to the original design cues of the MPV, pioneered by Renault with the launch of Espace 1 in 1984.
As part of an approach centred on the history of the brand – and consequently on the human factor – the first priority was to design the interior of the car with the living area, before cladding it in bodywork with an expanse of glass on the sides and roof to let the light in, just like the finest architectural designs.
A voiture à vivre with strong emotional appeal, designed for and around people, with truly useful technologies such as an electric powertrain, Renault E-Space Concept is fully in line with the values on which brand is building and consolidating its future. These values are set out in four key fundamentals converging on a shared vision of voitures à vivre – people-centred cars that inspire emotion and deliver useful technologies underpinned by electrification.
Fabrice Cambolive, Renault Brand CEO & Renault Group Chief Growth Officer: “E-Space Concept shows how our heritage can inspire the future. When Renault created Espace in 1984, it invented a new way of designing cars by putting people and their lives at the centre. With E-Space Concept, we revisit that pioneering spirit for the electric era. This design exploration pushes the ‘voiture à vivre’ philosophy to new heights, imagining a versatile, generous and fully electric vehicle designed around the needs, aspirations and lifestyles of tomorrow.”
Alexandre Malval, Renault Brand Design Director: “Following the success of our iconic models, we designed this concept car as a tribute to the 1984 Espace – the very first MPV – which continues to fully embody the values of Renault as a brand designing voitures à vivre.
“Behind the form of the bodywork, designed to be legible and easily identifiable with its exceptionally clean lines, we have captured the iconic character of Espace. And at the same time, we have taken it into the future with cutting-edge technology and style.
“Inside the car, the soft features – such as the textiles on the door panels – convey a sense of comfort, forming a strong contrast with the high-tech finish of the screens, console and other details.
“In the ever-changing world of global automotive design, currently dominated by SUVs, Renault E-Space Concept proves that the brand has everything it needs to make its mark with intelligence and appeal.”
A formal design language with a clean, high-tech approach
A superb celebration of simplicity, the design language of Renault E-Space Concept is about lithe, clean forms, structured by subtle lines of tension. A highly legible and instantly recognisable visual language, reflecting the brand’s values.
Renault E-Space Concept features a new light signature at both front and rear. Like a line of light, a large “U” enfolds the entire grille with, in the centre, an illuminated logo that appears to be floating, as if suspended by a play of pixels.
Alexandre Malval, Renault Brand Design Director: “Stripped of anything that might distract the eye, the design language pursues simplification to the point where all that remains is the essentials, the clarity of the theme, with absolutely no fear of emptiness.”
Inspired proportions
Renault E-Space Concept is a generously sized vehicle, 4.70m long, 2.02m wide and 1.67m tall. Looking beyond these generous proportions, its height and length-to-width ratio are similar to the first Espace but with a modern twist, illustrated by the short overhangs, positioning the 23-inch wheels at the four corners of the body.
Close to the ground with a low waistline and moderate clearance, Renault E-Space Concept states the new cues of contemporary design, clearly setting itself apart from those of the SUV. The windscreen is an extension of the bonnet, a nod to the DNA of the MPV and, in particular, the “TGV train” profile of the first Renault Espace in 1984. The bumper splitter is mobile and can be lowered closer to the road to optimise aerodynamics at high speeds. At the rear, the vertical lines convey a sense of space and modularity. At the same time, the rear spoiler brings to mind a similar feature on Espace 2 and 3.
To reduce the visual mass when viewed from the side, a black skateboard suggests the technical systems – with the battery and a host of aerodynamic features – much like the sidepods on an F1 car. The bold black horizontal line of this technical “baseplate” extends onto the design of the wheels when they are aligned. This darker finish on the lower part of the bodywork also echoes the wide grey side protection on the first Espace.
Romain Gauvin, Renault Brand Head of Advanced Design & Concept Cars: “Renault E-Space concept is inspired by the world of aeronautics, with smooth lines and a generous expanse of glass for all the passengers.”
A glass-walled cabin
Placing natural light at the heart of the concept, the designers began by creating a fully glazed cabin inspired by Bauhaus architecture, and in particular by the work of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (Farnsworth House, Plano, Illinois, 1951).
The glass roof and side windows extend well beyond the waistline, which is already very low. The idea was to attach the body panels to this glass cabin without creating a clear visual boundary between glass and metal. From the outside, you can literally see the glazing extending down behind the body panels, below the level of the waistline. Specially designed lighting highlights the space saved in terms of thickness between the windscreen and the bodywork. Similarly, the rear pillar appears to be floating.
Romain Gauvin, Renault Brand Head of Advanced Design & Concept Cars: “With the low waistline, you can see into the cabin when standing next to the car. And once again, you can drive with your elbows on the door. Renault E-Space Concept is built on a chassis with a technical and precise design language, while the interior is encased in a glass bubble clad in smooth body panels of flowing lines.”
An interior bathed in light
The double rear-hinged doors without a central pillar, open onto an interior that is both high-tech and welcoming, with an airy feel. It features six individual seats on a completely flat floor. Breaking free from the cues of the automotive world with its traditional bucket seats, the seats embrace the world of interior design, with lacquered shells that bring to mind the style of Pierre Paulin. Visually light and particularly slim at the top – much like the seats in the 1984 Espace – they appear to float in the cabin. From a more technical perspective, the seat design is both modular and sophisticated. Alongside space and natural light, a modular interior is a key part of the DNA of Renault Espace – and even more so of voitures à vivre, the iconic brand signature that remains as relevant as ever.
Identical in size and design, the seats rotate slightly on their axis, inviting passengers to sit down. The characteristics of the six seats vary depending on the row. The two seats in row 2 swivel through 180° to form a “TGV train square” with row 3. In the standard, forward-facing position, passengers in row 2 have access to folding tray tables with a 12.3-inch screen mounted on the backs of the seats in row 1. In the four-seat configuration, the two seats in row 2 fold down completely to form a large table available to the passengers in row 3. In this configuration, they can also see the screens on the backs of the seats in row 1.
The table also features a remote-control console that slides along the cabin’s central spine. This console includes an air purifier, a small fridge, video game controllers, and – contributing to the friendly ambience so important in voitures à vivre – a conventional game of “Connect 4”.
Clean and simple in design, the door handles are upholstered in quilted fabric, lending the interior a cosy, cocoon-like feel but with a sense of strength. With the low waistline, armrests become unnecessary, allowing passengers to rest their elbows directly on the window ledge.
The illuminated line running along the bottom of the cabin echoes the exterior design at the waistline. The ambient lighting is further enhanced by a number of softer lights as well as by the night lights built into the speakers, and the reading lights mounted on a longitudinal rail in the centre of the glass roof.
Stéphane Maiore, Renault Brand Head of Interior Design: “Inspired by furnishings rather than cars, the seats do not overwhelm the interior space. They are designed to swivel for easy access or to create a cosy seating area. We wanted to create an in-car ambience that is both futuristic and welcoming, with a touch of nostalgia.”
A high-tech dashboard
Technology makes a statement in the form of a screen extending across the entire width of the cabin (dimensions: 1,130 x 110 mm). Named OpenR Panorama, this curved “pillar to pillar” display will feature in upcoming models belonging to Renault’s executive line-up. The next-generation Rafale and Scenic models will be the first to gain this feature.
While it provides all necessary information – effectively replacing the conventional dashboard – OpenR Panorama is not designed to be touch-sensitive. Positioned as close as possible to the road, it improves driving ergonomics and safety. With no dashboard in front of the front passenger, this large screen appears to be suspended in the passenger compartment. This original design frees up considerable space in row 1, contributing to the airy interior.
The touch controls for the OpenR Panorama functions are found on two flexible screens swivelling around a tubular base on which the steering wheel is positioned. This makes it possible to maximise or minimise the amount of information as required. This layout also maximises the space in front of the front passenger. The lower section of the bulkhead under the dashboard does away with conventional automotive design cues, adopting instead a curved storage unit that spans the full width of the cabin, incorporating both the sliding console and the pedals, whose mechanism is completely concealed.
The compact steering wheel provides an unobstructed view of the panoramic screen. Featuring steer-by-wire technology, the steering wheel has no mechanical links, so drivers are able to control the steering angle as required.
Stéphane Maiore, Renault Brand Head of Interior Design: “Using steer-by-wire technology, we have been able to design a steering wheel free from all the physical constraints generally associated with steering. The cylindrical shape of the crossbar echoes that of the dashboard. Fitted with a fixed hub, the steering wheel also features touch-sensitive controls that allow the driver to interact with the OpenR Panorama multimedia screen.”
Colour makes a comeback
Renowned in the 1970s for its vibrant pop interiors, Renault is bringing back this signature style with gleaming bodywork and interiors drenched in colour. “Colour” in the singular in this case, with shades of red, including scarlet, purple and even garnet. The 3 cm thick carpet immediately draws the eye. The coral centre gradually darkens as it spreads outwards, as if diffusing the intense colour.
Inside the cabin, the components and controls are primarily made of metal with a premium finish, bringing to mind jewellery rather than technology. A similar approach can be seen in the use of marquetry, particularly on the tray tables on the backs of the seats. The marquetry is made from straw rather than wood, adding a touch of fine craftsmanship.
Eléonore Lebec, Renault Brand Colour and Materials Designer: “Step inside the cabin to immerse yourself in colour! With the dashboard and textile-trimmed panels in shades of red, and the thick coral-coloured carpet with its gradient effect, the brightly coloured cabin offers a generously lit ambience that structures the interior and brings it to life.”
Materials close to nature
Looking beyond Renault’s noteworthy commitment to include 30% of recycled materials across its range, the E-Space concept can be seen as a forward-looking exercise in the use of bio-based materials. Renewable and visually appealing, these biological materials also meet high standards of technical performance.
This approach takes on new meaning in E-Space Concept, which moves away from the bio-sourced materials most frequently used in the automotive industry – leather and wood – to explore new possibilities.
The trim features in the cabin are made from dyed straw, applied directly to the support. The floor is upholstered in a 100% wool, long-pile tufted carpet. The paint inside the car uses a bio-based resin (18%). The steering wheel is trimmed partly in fabric and partly in a material used in most Renault models, containing 26% castor oil and 25% organic cotton.
Other components, such as tyres (Michelin), include an average 19% of natural rubber sourced from managed rubber plantations.
