The 300-Horsepower Renault Rafale Arrives This Fall

The orders will soon open for the Renault Rafale plug-in hybrid with 300 horsepower and all-wheel drive.

A small flurry of advertisements on social media from Renault France tipped us off. Immediate verification on the Renault site confirmed this little note: “Orders in Summer 2024. Delivery in Autumn 2024”

This Rafale is highly anticipated, having received honors at the July 14 parade! Announced with a 1,000 km range in the WLTP cycle, including 100 km in 100% electric mode, its powertrain employs a 200 hp E-Tech hybrid engine, supplemented by an electric motor on the rear axle and a substantial 22 kWh rechargeable battery. It features an all-wheel drive system that allows it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds and offers generous responsiveness. With chassis settings done by Alpine engineers, intelligent active suspension, and rear-wheel drive and steering, we can expect top-tier performance. Nothing has been overlooked, including an innovative intelligent controlled suspension, coupled with a camera located at the top of the windshield. This system takes into account speed and driver actions to continuously adjust the damping according to upcoming obstacles, such as a speed bump or a rough road.

We should finally know its pricing in a few days. In the 200 horsepower variant, the Rafale starts at 45,000 euros in techno trim and 49,000 euros in Alpine spirit trim. The new hybrid technology inevitably comes at a cost, but Renault is unlikely to go into a frenzy that the diamond brand has not accustomed us to. Let’s bet on a starting price of 55,000 euros, which wouldn’t penalize it too much compared to its Chinese competitors, including the formidable MG EHS!

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