For more than a decade, SUVs have pushed MPVs almost out of the European market. At the 2026 Paris Motor Show, Renault asked a simple question: what if a family car was designed around the people inside it again? Its answer is the E-Space Concept, an electric MPV that Renault had already teased before the show and has now revealed in full.
The idea comes straight from the original Renault Espace of 1984, the car that helped create the modern European MPV: start with the space for the passengers, then design the body around it.
Lower than an SUV, roomier inside
The E-Space Concept is 4.70 metres long, 2.02 metres wide and 1.67 metres tall. It sits lower than a typical SUV, with short overhangs and large 23-inch wheels pushed to the corners. The windscreen flows into the bonnet in a single line, like the “TGV profile” of the first Espace, while the upright rear makes the most of the space for third-row passengers.
The low body is also a practical choice for an electric car. On the motorway, air resistance has a big impact on range, and a car that sits lower than an SUV has a clear advantage. Renault adds an active front spoiler that lowers at speed to reduce drag.
A living room with a view
Inside, the E-Space has a completely flat floor and six identical individual seats in three rows. Large rear-hinged doors open without a central pillar. The second-row seats can turn 180 degrees to face the third row, like a train compartment, or fold flat to become a table. A remote-controlled console slides along the cabin, carrying an air purifier, a small fridge and games controllers.
The glass roof and large windows create an almost fully glazed cabin. Renault’s designers drew inspiration from the Farnsworth House by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a building made almost entirely of glass, and from the organic furniture of French designer Pierre Paulin.
The colours follow the same idea: shades of red, a thick wool carpet, straw inlays instead of wood and several bio-based materials.
| Renault E-Space Concept | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Type | Electric MPV concept |
| Length / width / height | 4.70 / 2.02 / 1.67 m |
| Seats | Six identical individual seats in three rows, flat floor |
| Doors | Rear-hinged rear doors, no central pillar |
| Wheels | 23 inches |
| Main display | OpenR Panorama, 1,130 x 110 mm, pillar to pillar |
| Steering | Steer-by-wire with a fixed-hub wheel |
| Powertrain, battery, range | Not announced |
Concept specifications. Source: Renault.
Technology heading for production
Two technologies are worth watching, because they will not stay in the concept. The first is OpenR Panorama, a curved display that stretches 1,130 mm across the dashboard from pillar to pillar. It is not a touchscreen: drivers control it through touch-sensitive surfaces on the steering wheel. Renault says it will appear in future models of its executive line-up.
The second is steer-by-wire. With no mechanical link between steering wheel and wheels, Renault could design a compact steering wheel with a fixed hub, adapt the steering ratio to speed and free up space for the driver’s legs.
What Renault has not revealed is anything about the powertrain. There is no information on the battery, power, range or charging.
