Renault Master E-Tech electric van review (2024)

• Smooth and easy to drive
• Not very quick
• Only one battery and motor combination

The Renault Master E-Tech battery and motor offering is very simple in the UK. There is just the one combination, so there is no decision to make between range and payload.

The battery is an 87kWh unit and it is paired with a 140hp motor. This is not the most powerful motor option offered in an electric van – far from it – and it is not even the punchiest powertrain when compared to the diesel options. It has less torque than the diesels, too, which is also a little unusual given that is something that electric vehicles have plenty of.

All this leads us to start with the Master E-Tech’s slight weak spot as far as its drive is concerned – it isn’t that quick and never feels that powerful. That said, we were testing it with a 400kg payload in the back, and it certainly didn’t feel like it struggled, either from a standstill or up the occasional hill we encountered. It’s more that electric vans often offer something a little extra in terms of power and pace and the Master is more sedate and sensible.

Old-school controls

With most modern electric vans you simply jump in, press a button, pop it into D and head off, with the key tucked in your pocket all the while. There are a couple of things that prevent you from doing that in the Renault Master E-Tech, though.

Firstly, it comes with a physical key that you have to put into an ignition slot and turn, which is relatively rare even in a modern petrol or diesel vehicle where keyless start is often the norm. The second strange feature is the physical parking brake lever, which is another thing that is almost extinct in vehicles of all kinds. Mercifully it is tucked in between the driver’s seat and the middle one, so it doesn’t take up any room in the cabin.

Easy to drive and see out of

That is where the oddities on the Master E-Tech end. The steering is solid at higher speeds, which makes it easy to hold your line on the motorway, but it is also light enough at lower speeds to take advantage of what is an impressively tight turning circle.

There is a handy and notable piece of modern tech in the cabin, in the form of a digital rear-view mirror. The image is clear and it is a useful way of being able to see behind the van. As ever with these miniature screens, though, it isn’t quite the same as a physical mirror as it takes a moment or two longer to focus on the subject on display. It’s better than not being able to see behind you, though.

Otherwise, visibility is good, with big windows and the usual high-up large-van vantage point. The squared-off front end makes it easy to place when parking head on, too.

• Some great storage
• Some less brilliant
• Room for three in wide cabin

The 2024 Master marks a notable turning point for right-hand-drive Renault vans. This is the first time that one of the brand’s vehicles has retained all the practicality features offered on the left-hand drive model. So say company insiders anyway – we haven’t had a chance to check if the sliding-drawer-style glovebox definitely makes it to UK vehicles. As this is a brand-new vehicle you would hope so.

One feature you might find yourself reaching on getting into the Master is a grab handle – often located on the A-pillar at the front of the cabin – but there is none. Rest assured, though, the conveniently placed cupholder has been tested and it will be able to drag 300kg of weight even when the van is moving, so it will stand up to you taking hold to haul yourself up from the kerb.

The driving position is otherwise fairly standard, with a good amount of adjustment for the wheel and a reasonable amount for the seat, curtailed only by the bulkhead behind it. It dealt well with a five-foot 11 driver with longer legs, though.

The three seats across the middle all offer a good amount of room for an adult occupant, and getting around in the cabin is relatively easy. It’s not quite as simple as the Ford Transit Custom – the floor isn’t totally flat and there is a bit of the dash that intrudes into the middle passenger’s space, so you shuffle rather than slide from one side to the other.

Storage good on the whole

Aside from that drawer style glove box it is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to storage. There are multiple boxes on the top of the dashboard, complete with lids to tuck things out of sight.

A small overhead storage section is also included, as is a huge under-seat cubbyhole. This is the best place to store the charging cable so it doesn’t fly around in the back, but it is more than big enough to take something fairly substantial should it be a while until you need to plug in.

The only other cables you will be able to plug into the Master are the more modern USB-C ones – there are no older-style USB-A slots any more. There is, however, an area for a wireless charging slot for your phone. It holds a large smartphone easily, but it is a shame it is quite so visible – it would be better for it to be tucked away to remove it from the driver’s line of sight.

The screen up on the Master's dash is simple to use but there are, mercifully, some physical controls for the air conditioning and the volume - the latter are tucked away up on the top edge. The heated seat buttons are tucked away at the back of the seat cushions, so not immediately obvious but perfectly accessible once you have located them.

The only real let down storage wise in the cabin are the door pockets, which aren’t that big.

• Fantastic eye-catching starting price
• Only one trim on the E-Tech
• Impressive electric range

The Master can be forgiven many of its curiosities if it can live up to the promises of its numbers.

Key among these is the price, which starts at £42,500. This is not including VAT, but is also not factoring in the £5,000 government plug-in van grant, which means you can take the price below £40,000. This is less than the smaller Ford E-Transit Custom, which launched about the same time as the Master.

Renault Master E-Tech range

The Master’s official electric range is up to 285 miles, although in reality most of the versions will be slightly less than that – the MM (Renault's name for the L2H2) we drove officially offers a maximum of 261 miles, although that wasn’t in final UK spec.

Fast charging comes as standard, which means that you should be able to replenish this fairly swiftly, but only if you take advantage of the public charging network. Hook up to a 22kW public AC point and you’ll get from 0-100% in 4h 35mins. However, be prepared for a bit of a wait on a domestic point – a full recharge is said to take 28hrs 30mins on a home 7.4kW wall box.

If you can find a charger capable of it, then it can take speeds of up to 130kW, which could see you get a full charge in only 1hr 10mins.

Renault Master E-Tech servicing

The Renault Master E-Tech service intervals are every two years or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Renault Master E-Tech warranty

The Master E-Tech gets Renault’s standard three-year 100,000-mile warranty. You also get three years' roadside assistance.

Renault Master E-Tech standard equipment

Many electric vans take a different approach to specification, with manufacturers typically loading on loads of equipment to justify the extra cost in part. However, Renault is only offering the Master E-Tech in the one trim, and that is the Advance. Somewhat confusingly, that is the lower of the two that are offered in the model’s wider range – the higher Extra isn’t available.

Renault Master E-Tech Advance equipment highlights:

• Manual air conditioning
• 10.0-inch multimedia system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto
• Automatic lights and wipers
• Rear parking sensors

The brand-new nature of the Renault Master E-Tech means there is no historical data to go on for this precise model, but Renault has more history in electric vans than many other brands. The batteries and motors have developed notably in that time, too, so we can’t really draw direct comparisons between the earlier models and this latest version.

• Renault aiming for a high score
• Lots of safety kit included

Renault is targeting a top Platinum safety score from Euro NCAP, and its 20 safety systems should help it achieve its aim.

Those safety systems include the following:

• Lane departure warning
• Active emergency braking system
• Intelligent speed assist with traffic sign recognition and overspeed prevention
• Driver drowsiness and attention warning
• Driver, passenger and side airbags
• Emergency call system

The security systems are simple, but include a perimetric and volumetric alarm as standard.