Renault Megane E-Tech Electric 130 vs Honda Civic: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the Megane E-Tech Electric 130 hits 100 km/h in 10.04 s versus 10.59 s for the Civic. The instant torque of 250 Nm from the electric motor makes the difference. At this point, the Megane E-Tech Electric 130 leads by 0.55 s and sits roughly 16 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the Megane E-Tech Electric 130 is doing 108 km/h against 109 km/h for the Civic. The gap is 0.56 s. The gap remains stable from the start.

At 400 metres standing start, the Megane E-Tech Electric 130 crosses the line in 17.41 s versus 17.88 s. The 0.48 s gap represents roughly 18 m of track - two to three car lengths.

Past 400 metres, the situation changes. The Megane E-Tech Electric 130 maxes out at 150 km/h while the Civic keeps accelerating towards 178 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.40 s.

Around 926 metres, both vehicles are level. This is the inversion point: the Civic overcomes its launch deficit thanks to a 28 km/h higher top speed.

At 1,000 metres, the Civic finishes in 32.04 s versus 32.22 s. The 0.17 s delta shows an extremely tight race.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the Megane E-Tech Electric 130 is capped at 150 km/h, the Civic at 185 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 16.94 seconds. The 0.55 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.