RENAULT 5 E-TECH

 

Renault 5 E-Tech Electric

Renault is going back to basics

The electric successor of the iconic Renault 5 was presented in Geneva

No matter how poor the salon in Geneva is, it was not without premiers - the most powerful one comes from France. With a modern look in retro manners and a price of 25,000 euros, Renault will aim high for the stars of the European automotive sky, just like before but now electric. The returner to the subcompact class has the famous Renault 5 badge that was once worshiped by buyers before it went into the legends. And now they will do it, because the little Frenchman captivates with all his charm. We already know its design – it is commendable that it has been retained almost entirely from the concept model shown three years ago. Attractive in every detail, it faithfully reflects the spirit of its predecessor.

The length of 3.9 meters places it slightly below the Clio, but the electric architecture with a flat floor gives it quite decent interior space. We are yet to find out about its versatility and usability, because now the focus is on the front-mounted electric drive. The modern Renault 5 has three power levels – with 95, 122 and 150 horsepower. The weaker versions will have a battery pack of 40 and the top model of 52 kilowatt-hours, enough to travel 300 or 400 kilometers. The built-in charger in the vehicle is two-way, and with the supported DC charging power of 100 kilowatts, the batteries will be refreshed up to 80 percent in half an hour. The performance of the vehicle is expected – the maximum speed is electronically limited to 150 kilometers per hour, while the most powerful version accelerates to 100 in less than 8 seconds.

Renault has definitely made a mature electric car that fascinates, not only with its looks. It will be produced in France, and will appear on the streets this fall.

The base battery gets you 186 miles (300 kilometers) of range in the WLTP combined cycle whereas the upgraded pack has enough juice for 249 miles (400 kilometers). The AC maximum charging power is 11 kilowatts, but DC is supported at 80 kilowatts for the smaller battery and 100 kilowatts for the bigger one. Using DC, it takes half an hour to charge from 15 to 80 percent for both batteries. It's worth noting the entry-level Renault 5 with the 95-hp motor doesn't offer DC charging.

Unusual for a model in this segment, EV or not, the new Renault 5 has a multi-link rear independent suspension. The cute electric city car has been engineered with bidirectional charging to power your appliances, a heat pump to quickly warm up the cabin, and brake energy recuperation to juice up the battery. One party trick is found on the hood where the oversized 5 logo doubles as a battery charge indicator light.

The cheapest version money can buy costs around €25,000 in Europe. At current exchange rates, that works out to approximately $27,000. Renault will make the reborn R5 at home in France and will follow up by bringing back as well. It too will be completely electric, much like the next-generation Twingo. Both have already been teased with concept cars ahead of their market launches in 2025 and 2026, respectively.