When planning a trip from Paris to Nice by electric car through highways and mountain roads (Cantal, Cévennes, Alps…), the logical choice appeared to be the Scenic. Named after a prestigious lineage, the Scenic embodies the idea (but not yet the sales) of a French electric car for the mass market. We have already discussed its qualities and drawbacks in previous tests, but we had the opportunity to rediscover the Renault family car during this marathon with the 87 kWh battery version.
The first lesson learned was not to forget to activate the route planners, especially the one integrated into the Scenic, which now operates on Google’s platform. On the first day, it saved us from a major ordeal by warning us that one of the stops had broken charging stations. Among others (with an 80% availability rate in France, even less in some areas).
Neglected Practical Aspects
While the spacious interior and large trunk are appealing, as well as the layout of the cabin – with a special mention for the optional large glass roof that can be darkened on demand – the Scenic no longer innovates in practical details. There is no modularity or cleverness compared to its predecessors. More common sense would not have hurt. And if the space under the trunk floor is very useful for storing cables, once the Scenic is fully loaded, you will have to remove the suitcases if needed!
In conclusion, take the information provided by the onboard computer with a grain of salt. The fluctuating values displayed during our journey prove that the system is updated very (too) frequently and should be considered more as an indicator than a 100% reliable informer. This is the case with all electric vehicles, and extra caution is needed in winter when the cold weather affects the accuracy. However, the splendid Col de la Bonette is closed for much of the year…
Docile and Economical (except on highways)
As we leave the A7 to start the second part of the trip: Aubrac, Allier, the idea is to then head to Barcelonnette and ultimately to Nice. The first (partial) surprise: even though the Scenic was fully charged the night before, it had lost 19 km of range when leaving Aubrac the next morning. Electric cars are sensitive to cold, and the night drained some electrons. Throughout the journey, especially in mountainous areas with cold temperatures, this comfortable vehicle proved to be an attractive option despite not performing miracles on the highway, where consumption consistently exceeded 20 kWh/100 km. Only a low and sleek sedan can achieve low consumption on the motorway. The laws of aerodynamics are unfathomable. It was during the long ascent and descent of the Col de la Bonette that the Scenic’s qualities shone: energy recovery allowed the range to increase from 455 km at the start of the climb to 498 km near Nice.
Compare the real autonomies of the best electric cars according to our standardized measurement cycle. Battery capacity, consumption, range, we tell you everything!