New Renault E-Space concept reimagines the revolutionary Espace MPV

The Renault Espace could be about to receive the same retro-inspired rebirth as the R5, R4 and Twingo, with the new E-Space concept putting a contemporary spin on the French firm’s pioneering people-carrier from the eighties.

Renault says the striking new E-Space concept – designed to honour the original Espace that was launched in 1984 – reflects its ambition to continue creating ‘cars for living’, or ‘voitures à vivre’ in French. It’s been part of the brand’s heritage stretching all the way back to the Renault 16, and evidently it’s an ethos that lives on today.

As with the revolutionary first-generation Espace, the E-Space concept is a ‘monovolume’ design, meaning it’s a ‘one-box’ people carrier with its stubby wedge-shaped nose that flows into a huge cockpit/glasshouse. This shape prioritises functionality and maximises interior space, but maintains a surprisingly aerodynamic profile. 

It’s instantly recognisable as an Espace, but the design has clearly evolved; it’s more expressive on the concept and the proportions are more generous. The wheelarches are more pronounced, for instance, while the front is dominated by the U-shaped light strip and illuminated diamond emblem that rises out of the bed of pixels. Meanwhile, the square running lights underneath look like they’ve been swiped from the electric Renault 5 supermini. 

There are plenty of aero tricks dotted around, such as the subtle roof spoiler at the back, no visible door handles and cameras for side mirrors. We assume the front bumper also features active shutters and clever tricks to help the E-Space cut through the air.

We can’t see inside, but the E-Space appears to feature seating for six people and a steering yoke. There’s sure to be no shortage of space, of course, with the wheels pushed right to the corners of the car, plus at 4.7 metres long, the E-Space is quite a bit bigger than the MPV that inspired it.

Renault said when announcing the new concept: “With its iconic design and useful technologies, E-Space Concept embodies the brand’s futuREady strategy: reinventing the automotive experience by placing user needs and the in-car experience at the heart of the design process.”

The full details for the Renault E-Space concept will be revealed on 12 October at this year’s Paris Motor Show, where it’ll be on display alongside the even more jaw-dropping Renault 8 Gordini concept that revived a very different part of the French firm’s history. 

Curiously, this is the second time Renault has previewed the next-generation Espace this year. The R-Space Lab concept unveiled in March had a more overtly modern, forward-focused design while its interior included a wraparound digital display, similar to the BMW iX3. 

In terms of the technical workings, we presume the next Espace will sit on Renault’s all-new RGEV Medium 2.0 platform, which was conceived to be electric-first, but can accommodate petrol-aided Range-Extender (REx) drivetrains to suit customers’ needs. 

The new architecture should deliver enormous MPV-worthy space in a smaller footprint than today’s Espace, thanks to that long wheelbase harbouring a big battery that could deliver the magical 500-mile range figure. Meanwhile, a next-generation e-motor drives the rear wheels, which would be a first for the Espace, which traditionally has front-wheel drive. 

For customers not yet ready to go full EV, a range-extender set-up uses a small petrol engine to generate energy for the battery and motor, so it drives like a pure-electric car but can travel much further before needing to stop.

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