New Renault Master E-Tech review

Renault has plenty of experience with electric vans, and while its early ZE models weren't necessarily all that good, it's learned a lot – and put all that knowledge into the new Renault Master E-Tech.

The Master E-Tech is Renault's biggest all-electric van, and because its development is out of sync with its big name (and big) rivals, the French manufacturer has an opportunity to leapfrog them all and lead its sector.

It won't be easy though. Those rivals range form the Ford E-Transit and Maxus eDeliver 9 to the Mercedes eSprinter and the (ageing but recently refreshed) Vauxhall Movano Electric. Plus there are the Movano's Stellantis stablemates – the electric Citroën Relay, the Fiat E-Ducato and the Peugeot eBoxer.

On paper, the Master E-Tech has what it takes to go to the top of the class, and the bold redesign shows Renault means business – but numbers on a spreadsheet don't tell the whole story. We try the new van on UK roads to see if the hyperbole can be backed up with real-world performance.

Read more: The best vans in every class

The Renault Master E-Tech is a big step forward in performance and driving experience over the old model.

It's better to drive than the Ford E-Transit and Mercedes eSprinter, and leaves the Vauxhall Movano Electric and the other Stellantis models languishing behind. There's a 138bhp electric motor under the bluff front end – half the power you'll find in a Movano – delivering 221lb/ft of torque.

That sounds a little parsimonious, but the Master E-Tech performs more than adequately in real-world conditions. Pulling away enthusiastically can lead to a bit of tyre scrabble, and there's enough power to keep up with everything on the motorway, even on steep climbs.

Energy is supplied by an 87kWh battery pack, which is good for 255 miles on the 3.5-tonne van, according to official figures. The lower speed limits applied to the 4.0-tonne model mean it will go even further, reaching 285 miles.

Like other electric vans the Master E-Tech has regenerative braking to gather energy lost when slowing down and put it back in the battery, adding a little extra range. Two modes adjust the strength of the braking effect, with the stronger B mode almost (but not quite) allowing for one-pedal driving. The lack of fine adjustment is a shame, but that's not a unique in the sector.

The brakes' power assistance adjusts based on the van's load, which gives the driver a consistent pedal feel regardless of how much cargo is on board.

While the Master E-Tech's steering is firm at high speeds, it eases off, turning into a large van that feels light and agile, and making tight manoeuvres easy on the arms. An impressively compact turning circle of 12.8m – 1.4 metres smaller than the Vauxhall Movano Electric – also helps.

All the positives of the drive are backed up by impressive ride quality. The suspension set-up effectively absorbs bumps and undulations in the road, even when things get rutted on country lanes. The van's precise, too, making it a cinch to place accurately on the road.

“A cold day on the M25 isn’t the place to get the best out of a big electric van, but I found that the Master E-Tech felt right at home in the outside lane.” – Phil Huff, Van Reviewer

Stepping from the outgoing Renault Master to the new Master E-Tech is like trading in your old CRT telly for a 50in 4K TV.

Gone is the dated and cluttered interior, and in its place is something that wouldn't look out of place in a modern car. Ok, maybe not a BMW 5 Series, but the S-shaped dashboard and simple, understated design are particularly easy on the eye, even if they are a bit too grey.

The centrepiece is a crisp 10.0 infotainment touchscreen, angled towards the driver, that supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It's customisable, to a degree, with crisp graphics. It's not the quickest to respond to prods, but it's not slow enough to frustrate.

While most functions can be operated using the touchscreen, Renault has kept several buttons and knobs in place, including heating and ventilation controls and volume up and down switches. That's better for ease of use while you're driving than trying to find an icon on a screen.

Higher-spec versions of the Master E-Tech get Google apps built in, adding integrated voice control through Google Assistant and allowing you to log in and use your favourites, locations, streaming services and so on. To keep your devices charged, there are several USB-C sockets and a wireless charge pad.

Storage is abundant, with a total of 135 litres available throughout the interior. Practical storage solutions include deep dashboard bins, ceiling-mounted compartments and under-seat space. The door pockets are a good size, but they're mounted so low that, once you're in the van, access is near-impossible.

You'll be able to get comfortable with a suitably squishy seat that's got lumbar adjustment, an armrest and heating elements built in. The middle of the three seats is less accommodating, as the unlucky occupant will find the dashboard interfering with their knees.

Visibility from the driver's seat is good, too, with the tall windscreen making the view feel particularly expansive. An optional digital rear-view mirror offers clear, real-time imaging of what's happening behind, transmitted from a rear-mounted camera.

“There’s a lot of grey in the cab, which I find a little dreary. It would be nice to see at least a little colour to brighten the environment.” – Phil Huff, Van Reviewer

The Renault Master E-Tech is a large van but the UK doesn’t get the very biggest variants.

That means we’re limited to choosing from a range that offers cargo volumes between 10.8m³ and 14.8m³, depending on spec. That’s very competitive, and more than you’ll get in a like-for-like Ford E-Transit or Mercedes eSprinter. The largest versions of the Vauxhall Movano Electric and related Stellantis models will carry a little more.

Payload limits are a different matter, and the Master E-Tech leads the pack here with a limit of 1,125kg on the 3.5-tonne model. That’s more than anything from Ford, Maxus, Mercedes or Vauxhall – and by a considerable margin on some models.

A 4.0-tonne model is available, which, unsurprisingly, adds a further 500kg to the limits, but that brings with it complications with licensing and operations.

The load area is thoughtfully designed, with a length of 3,225mm in the L2 models, extending to 3,855mm in the L3 configurations. A 1,312mm wide sliding side door – the largest in the market – and twin doors that swing back 270 degrees make access easy.

If that’s still not enough, the Master E-Tech is rated to tow up to 2,500kg behind it, which edges out its big-name rivals and makes the 1,500kg the Maxus eDeliver 9 can pull look very stingy.

“It’s not Renault’s fault that the rules on electric vans over 3.5 tonnes are so complicated, but they means I'd recommend most businesses stick with the 3.5t models with their lower payloads.” – Phil Huff, Van Reviewer

At the time of writing, starting prices for the Renault Master E-Tech begin at £42,500 (+VAT), dropping to £37,500 with the £5,000 Government Plug-in Van Grant (PiVG).

That's well below any of its rivals – the Ford E-Transit, the Maxus eDeliver 9 and the Vauxhall Movano Electric start at around £50,000, while the Mercedes eSprinter is closer to £60,000.

The Master E-Tech's advanced aerodynamics are said to improve efficiency, and while the official 255-mile range is optimistic, driving on mixed UK roads, including motorways, we saw an average economy of 2.5 miles/kWh. That suggests a real-world range in those specific circumstances of 217 miles.

Topping up can be done at a maximum charging rate of up to 130kW, allowing you to charge from 15% to 80% in as little as 38 minutes. Empty to full on a 7.4kW home EV charger should take about 14 hours.

Renault offers a three-year or 100,000-mile vehicle warranty for the Master E-Tech, which is competitive – and the same as the Stellantis models – but nothing to get excited about. Ford covers the E-Transit for 60,000 miles, while Mercedes has no mileage limit. Maxus extends its cover to five years, with a 125,000-mile limit.

Aside from an early visit at one year or 12,000 miles, the Master E-Tech only needs to visit a dealer for servicing once every two years or 24,000 miles, which should keep down time to a minimum.

Read more: How we test vans

“I'm impressed that the entry-level MM35 Advance is so cheap that it even undercuts the smaller Ford E-Transit Custom.” – Phil Huff, Van Reviewer

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