Electric Renault 5 E-Tech (B-segment)

Renault 5 E-Tech

Two Renault R5 E-Tech in Andorra la Vella (Andorra)

The Renault 5 E-Tech is a B-segment electric car that will be produced by the French automaker Renault. Series production is expected to begin in 2024. The design of the model was inspired by the original Renault 5.

The Renault 5 E-Tech concept car was unveiled in January 2021 at the Geneva International Motor Show. And the production version of the car was officially unveiled at the same motor show in February 2024.

The Alpine A290 is a fully electric hatchback, a sporty version of the Renault 5.

History

The development of the Renault 5 E-Tech began with an orange, life-size mockup presented to Renault CEO Luca de Meo at the TechnoCenter in Guyancourt in July 2020. It was a trial study by designer François Leboine for a small electric car, which was rejected because the company did not want to produce a retro car. The mockup caught the attention of De Meo, who asked the design team to turn it into a prototype. By October 2020, the prototype was completed. It was presented as the Renault 5 Prototype and became a symbol of Renault’s Renaulution electric vehicle strategy, which was announced on 14 January 2021.

Renault had to significantly reduce the standard development time of the Renault 5 from four to three years. This was achieved thanks to the use of the CMF-B platform. The car’s design involves around 1,100 parts, many of which are also used in other models built on the CMF-B platform, such as the Clio V. In addition, the platform is used in the Renault 4.

Concept car

In January 2021, the electric Renault 5 was unveiled. It is part of Groupe Renault’s strategic plan called “Renaulution”, which covers the period from 2021 to 2025 and beyond. Under the slogan “Nouvelle Vague” (“New Wave”), Renault aims to offer the most complete lineup of electrified and hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2025.

The R5 prototype is a small electric version of the Renault-Nissan Common Module Family (CMF-B EV) platform, which has been renamed AmpR Small. This platform will be used in future Renault small cars, including an electric version of the reborn Renault 4 E-Tech.

Renault initially denied that the 5 EV would replace the Zoe, but later changed its position. Standardization of the platform and battery technology is expected to reduce production costs by 33% compared to the Zoe, as many components will be reused from the CMF-B platform.

The Renault 5 EV will share its platform with the upcoming Nissan Micra EV.

Style

The design style was created by Gilles Vidal, who took inspiration from the Renault 5 and modern electronics, furniture and sporting goods. Vidal joined Renault in November 2020 after starting to design the R5 prototype. The Renault logo, designed by Victor Vasarely and his son Jean-Pierre in 1972, has been updated for the R5 EV prototype. Work on the new logo began in 2019 under contract with Landor & Fitch. The updated logo will be used on all Renault models by 2023.

The initial design was created by François Leboine. When Luca de Meo, formerly of Fiat, where he oversaw the launch of the Fiat 500 (2007), joined the company in July 2020, he immediately saw the potential of the reborn R5.

The exterior of the R5 prototype was designed by Nicolas Jardin. Although the prototype is a five-door hatchback, the rear door handles are hidden, reminiscent of the original 1972 R5, which was available in both three-door and five-door versions from 1979.

Powertrain

According to Gilles Le Borgne, Renault’s executive vice president of engineering, the Renault 5 EV will start at €25,000. Depending on the trim level, the car can be equipped with a 40 kWh or 52 kWh battery pack, which will provide a range of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles) using the latter.

The battery is expected to use NMC technology. DC fast charging will be an optional extra, capable of supporting a maximum power of 130 kW, which is comparable to the Renault Mégane E-Tech and Scénic E-Tech.

The charging port is located on the bonnet, behind the door directly in front of the driver on the left side. Its design is reminiscent of the air intake of the original R5.

Technology

The electric city car features a 7- or 10-inch digital instrument cluster depending on trim level, as well as a 10-inch central infotainment screen from Google, equipped with a voice assistant called Reno.

Production

The Renault 5 E-Tech will be built at the Renault ElectriCity plant, which combines production sites in Douai, Maubeuge and Ruitz in northern France. The car will be assembled in Douai using components made in Ruitz and an engine from Cléon.

Pre-production prototypes of the R5 were built at the Technocentre near Paris, which simulates the production process in conventional factories. More than 60 R5 units were built for testing and validation before large-scale production began.