New Renault 5 E-Tech Electric: heritage meets future
RENAULT 5 IS BACK! Guaranteed success? – ALL DETAILS – AutoRAI TV
Renault 5 E-Tech Electric: the return of an icon
In the 1970s, Renault faced a considerable challenge. With the oil crisis and stagnant economy, consumers were no longer eager for large, inefficient and expensive cars. In 1972, there was the answer: the light, compact and economical Renault 5. Immediately, this car was a big hit: millions rolled out of showrooms worldwide. With a second generation in 1984, the model remained in production even until 1996! This made the Renault 5 an unmistakable part of Renault’s heritage, reinforced by special sporty versions such as the Renault 5 Turbo. Now, 52 years after the introduction of the original, Renault presents the all-new and all-electric Renault 5 E-Tech Electric.
Appearance Renault 5 E-Tech Electric
First, let’s take a virtual walk around the car. Immediately noticeable is that the new Renault 5 E-Tech Electric possesses some characteristic features of the classic, but nevertheless has a face all its own. The silhouette, with its sloping trunk lid, upright taillights and rectangular headlights are some of those classic features. But the new Renault 5 looks a lot tougher than its relatives of the past. This is mainly due to its relatively long wheelbase of 2.54 meters combined with its compact size of 3.92 meters. This puts the wheels nicely on the corners and keeps front and rear overhang to a minimum. Those wheels, by the way, are standard 18-inches in size. Smaller wheels, according to Renault, would not do justice to the design of the new 5.
Zooming in on the details, the number “5” on the hood stands out first. This is an indicator of how full the battery is charged. As you approach the car, the dashes in the 5 light up and you can see at a glance approximately how full the Renault 5 is. A fun and playful detail. Furthermore, the available colors may also be there. The bright green Vert Pop is even standard! Iconic and Techno versions are optionally available with Noir Étoilé for the roof. All in all, we are happy to see that Renault has adopted the design of the prototype almost one to one!
Interior: retro design with Google sauce
The interior of the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric is at least as playful as its exterior. The seats are immediately reminiscent of those found in the old Renault 5 Turbo, with the horizontal stripes on the seat and the shape of the cheeks of the seat. Prominently on the dashboard we find two digital screens. Those run on OpenR Link, Renault’s infotainment system based on Android Automotive. This has the great advantage of having Google Maps integrated into the car, also equipped with an EV route planner. So the car automatically calculates whether you need to make another charging stop along the way and, if so, how long it will take. In doing so, the system also ensures that the battery is preheated so that charging is faster.
Furthermore, what stands out in the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric is the very high level of build quality. Materials are also very well done for a B-segmenter. Front interior space is good, as is the seating position. The steering wheel can be brought nice and far towards you, so even taller people can sit comfortably in the new Renault 5. Not a whole lot of space remains in the back. Adults of average height sit with their legs folded and cannot put their feet under the front seats. For growing children, however, the back seat of the Renault 5 offers plenty of room. Luggage space is also of a more than acceptable size at 326 liters. The relatively high lifting threshold is something to consider, though.
From about 25,000 euros, up to 400 kilometers of range
Renault promises that the new Renault 5 will be available from 25,000 euros, but we will have to wait a while for that entry-level version. Indeed, initially, the Renault 5 will be marketed in the most powerful version with the largest battery. In that case, the car is 150 hp strong and has a battery capacity of 52 kWh, which should give you a WLTP range of up to 400 kilometers. What the price of this motorization will be is not yet known. Among them will be a variant with 120 hp and 40 kWh battery capacity. In that case, you will get as far as 300 kilometers, still a reasonable range. In addition, the advantage of the smaller battery is that the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric is 100 kg lighter: it will weigh 1,350 kg compared to 1,450 kg. For an EV, that can still be called a fine weight.
The entry-level version of the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric gets 95 hp with the 40 kWh battery pack. The disadvantage of this entry-level version is that it cannot fast charge. The more expensive two versions can, up to a speed of 80 kW (120 hp, 40 kWh) or 100 kW (150 hp, 52 kWh). In either case, it takes about half an hour to recharge to 80 percent at a fast charge point. Another novelty of the new Renault 5 is that it features the possibility of bi-directional charging (vehicle-to-load as well as vehicle-to-grid). With that, in the future, through Mobilize’s ecosystem, you should be able to use the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric as a home battery.
When will the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric hit the market?
Prices for the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric will follow at a later stage, leading up to its market launch. That will begin to take place in the middle of this year. By the way, Renault Group’s news barrel is far from empty by then. Indeed, later this year the French will also present the sporty version of the Renault 5, the Alpine A290, and the all-new Renault 4. Excitant!
