This electric minivan wants to make the MPV cool again

It’s about the size of the Kia PV5 and VW ID. Buzz. As “a real alternative to SUVs and saloons,” Renault’s E-Space Concept makes you want to love minivans again.

Renault reveals the E-Space Concept, an electric MPV

While minivans aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a “cool” or fun-to-drive vehicle, Renault is out to change that.

Renault unveiled the E-Space Concept at the Paris Motor Show on Monday, a modern-day take on its iconic minivan from the 80s.

Although it’s still a concept, the MPV is designed as an electric successor to the original Renault Espace from 1984.

With an MPV-body style and open layout, Renault said the minivan offers “a real alternative to SUVs and saloons” that dominate the market.

The E-Space Concept measures 4,700 mm long, 2,020 mm wide, and 1,670 mm tall, or about the size of the Kia PV5 Passenger and VW ID. Buzz short-wheelbase (SWB). While it retains a similar design to the first Espace, the electric version features a modern twist.

Designed to maximize efficiency, the concept sits lower than a traditional SUV, with smooth lines and a roof spoiler reminiscent of the Espace 2 and 3.

Inside, the designers created a fully glazed cabin inspired by Bauhaus architecture, and in particular, German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

As such, the glass roof and windows extend well beyond the already low waistline. 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,” said Romain Gauvin, Renault Brand Head of Advanced Design & Concept Cars.

The double-hinged rear doors open to a spacious interior with six individual seats and a flat-floor design.

Inspired by the original 1984 Espace, the seats break free from the traditional bucket design with “lacquered shells ” that appear to be floating.

Each seat can rotate. The second-row seats can swivel 180 degrees to create a “TGV train square” with the third row. Passengers in the second row have a standard folding tray table and a 12.3″ screen mounted on the headrests.

In the four-seat configuration, where the second-row seats fold, you can create a large table with a remote-control console.

The console includes an air purifier, a small fridge, video game controllers, and last but not least, a game of Connect 4.

Ambient lighting runs across the cabin, while night lights are built into the speakers. Reading lights are also mounted on the rail in the center of the glass roof.

The concept features a massive pillar-to-pillar curved display, OpenR Panorama, plus a center infotainment screen. Both can swivel around a base behind the steering wheel.

Speaking of which, the compact steering wheel design features steer-by-wire technology that’s “free from all the physical constraints typically associated with steering,” according to Stéphane Maiore, Renault Brand Head of Interior Design.

Renault didn’t confirm whether or when we will see a production version of the E-Space, but hinted that it’s a “contemporary retake on travel and family mobility in the electric age” and “outlines its vision for the car of the future.”