Renault’s E-Space Concept Brings Back The Minivan With A 1980s-Inspired Twist

It’s an all-electric reinterpretation of the original Espace minivan, which was the vehicle of choice for countless European families.

Photo by: Renault

By: Iulian Dnistran

Oct 6, at 7:32am ET

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Renault wants to make minivans cool again.
The E-Space Concept is a modern electric people carrier that harks back to the original Espace.
The bold MPV will sit front and center at Renault’s Paris Motor Show booth later this month.

Minivans are somewhat of a dying breed, as SUVs have convinced families with kids that they’re the better choice. Well, France’s Renault begs to differ and wants to make minivans cooler than they’ve ever been.

Enter the E-Space Concept, a bold electric reinterpretation of the original 1984 Renault Espace that ferried countless families to soccer practice, ballet, and skiing lessons across Europe.

Renault E-Space Concept

Photo by: Renault

Featuring a digitized front fascia with a wide U-shaped light strip that resembles the Espace’s squared-off face, the E-Space is billed as “a future-focused vision of the original” that will serve as a “reboot.”

There are no interior images or tech specs, with Renault saying that more will be revealed when the car goes under the spotlights at the Paris Motor Show on October 12. The marque insisted that the retro minivan is purely a concept, but said that it’s exploring “possible futures,” and that a production version of the electric people carrier would fit just right under its Futuready strategy.

The E-Space Concept is 185 inches (4,700 millimeters) long and features a nearly 360-degree glasshouse that includes a raked A-pillar quarter window, just like the original. At the rear, the D pillar wraps around the roof and seems like it’s floating a few inches from the main body.

1984 Renault Espace

Photo by: Renault

Digital cameras take the place of conventional side-view mirrors, huge wheels shod in slim tires fill the wheelarches just like on a sports car, and there are no visible door handles.

The 1984 Espace was an exercise in good packaging. It offered up to seven seats and plenty of space for passengers in a surprisingly compact footprint. Developed in cooperation with Matra, the Espace had removable rear seats, while the front seats could swivel, enabling owners to transform their boxy car into a van or a cozy place to have lunch while camping.

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Renault didn’t say how the E-Space’s interior can be configured, but it’s sure to come with a few cool party tricks. Building a minivan on top of a completely flat electric platform sounds like a match made in heaven—we’ll just have to wait and see if Renault is bold enough to put its concept into production.

What is clear, though, is that the French automaker has been on a roll lately, launching fabulous concepts like the 8 Gordini throwback and R17 restomod.