As promised through the numerous teasers, spy photos, and leaks, the French automaker has finally revealed the production version of the Renault 5 E-Tech - a model that was previewed by a concept for some time already.
The original Renault 5 was a little hatchback produced from 1972 through 1996 and served as the company's definitive take on the supermini sector for the period. Dubbed 'Le Car,' it also reached the United States and Canada to facilitate its massive cult following. Now, almost three decades since its dismissal, the nameplate returns and paves the way forward for a chic EV lifestyle.
Announced in early 2021 through the stupid-named 'Renaulution' strategy for the next five-year period, the Renault 5 E-Tech was previewed on two occasions by prototypes, including the Alpine A290_Beta that will become the Alpine A290 and serve as the spiritual successor to the Renault 5 Alpine ho hatchback. Built on the Renault–Nissan Common Module Family, the CMF–B EV / AmpR Small platform, this will probably represent the French automaker's attempt to present us with an alternative to the electric MINI Cooper E.
Right now, though, it's time to do the show rounds at the 2024 Geneva Motor Show, which, due to lackluster participation from automakers, has basically turned into a Renault (plus Dacia) and Chinese affair as BYD also seeks to flood the Palexpo floor with EVs. Aimed for a "competitive" price of around €25k (about $27k at the current exchange rate), the first product based on the Ampere platform dedicated to B-segment electric vehicles (a Nissan Micra EV and Renault 4 crossover will follow it), Renault 5 E-Tech has a long wheelbase (2.54 meters – or exactly 100 inches), optimized interior space and trunk capacity (326 liters), lower center of gravity, and reduced weight (less than 1,500 kg or 3,307 pounds).
It also comes with the latest EV technologies, including a new AC bidirectional charger compatible with V2L (vehicle-to-load) and V2G (vehicle-to-grid) setups, a more compact electric motor than used for the Megane E-Tech electric and Scenic E-Tech electric and Active Driver Assist, a Level 2 automated driving technology. Inside, there's a 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen featuring the Renault OpenR Link system with Google built-in and sounds created by the Ircam Institute of Music and Sound together with Jean-Michel Jarre. The renowned artist, composer, and pioneering electronic music author is even responsible for the external alarm of the VSP (Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians) system!
Renault didn't provide all the technical specifications of the Renault 5 E-Tech but at least revealed enough so that we can take a look at the bigger picture. There will be three powertrain versions – 70, 90, and 110 kW (94, 121, and 148 hp), and the battery has up to 52 kWh for a maximum range of up to 400 km/249 miles (WLTP). Recharging starts at 11 kW for AC stations and surges to 80 or 100 kW at DC venues. By the way, don't expect the Renault 5 E-Tech this year, as the French company will build it at the Douai Gigafactory in France starting in the summer of 2025 if all things go well until then.
"The R5's DNA is unique. It's a joyful vehicle that attracts sympathy. It's a vehicle that is both popular and avant-garde, providing new solutions for the times it's living in. That was the case in 1972. It will still be the case in 2024. The Renault 5 E-Tech electric is a design masterstroke, a new brain with cutting-edge technologies and electric legs based on a new-generation platform that is unique in Europe: AmpR Small," said Fabrice Cambolive, the CEO of the Renault brand in the press release for the GIMS launch event.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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