New Renault 5 electric car spotted testing: here’s what we know so far
July 06, 2023 by Jamie Edkins
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Car changing is a big deal
This is the Renault 5 concept, and it’s a new small electric car which could cost as little as £20,000. It’s been inspired by the original Renault 5 hatchback from the 1970s, and it’s going on sale in 2024.
- New Renault 5 spotted testing
- Inspired by classic Renault 5
- Previews new production electric car
- New infotainment teased
- 250-mile range expected
- Could cost from £20,000
- On sale in 2024
The new Renault 5 Concept was revealed a couple of years ago, and this electric car has been spotted testing for the first time. This alternative to the Vauxhall Corsa Electric will go on sale in 2024, and it could cost as little as £20,000.
This small electric car will share some parts with the Renault Zoe, and the technology may be shared with a forthcoming replacement for the Nissan Micra.
New Renault 5 EV design
When the Renault 5 concept was revealed in 2020, it looked like nothing the brand currently makes. This boxy shape has been inspired by the classic Renault 5 from the ’70s.
In contrast to the curvy Renault Zoe, the 5 is all about squares and angles. Those sleek headlights are like those of the old Renault 5, and there are some modern, square LED daytime running lights in the lower bumper.
These camouflaged spy shots are your first look at the production version of the Renault 5. It’s pretty well-covered for now, however it’s likely to be toned down over the concept. But you can see that it retains the square headlights, and the overall shape is the same as well.
The concept is equally dramatic from the side, with chunky wheel arches and black side skirts making it look more aggressive. The windows are also pretty narrow, and the hidden door handles keep things looking sleek.
The wheels on this production prototype look the same as the ones on the concept, albeit a bit smaller. The hidden door handles at the rear have also stayed, however the front doors have more traditional handles.
Unlike the front-end, the Renault 5 concept’s backside is very simple, with no fiddly details. You can be sure that the illuminated Renault nameplate will be covered by a numberplate on the production car, though.
The production car will stay true to this design, with the upright tail lights visible on this prototype. The rear spoiler does look slightly larger, although that’s about all you can see here.
New Renault 5 EV interior
One new image gives you an idea of what to expect from the new Renault 5’s interior. The headline feature is a free-standing glass infotainment display that displays instrument graphics right in your eye-line. Just like a massive head-up display. This is just a prototype though, so this may be toned down for the production car.
The front-seat headrests also have illuminated rings on each side, suggesting they may have some form of built-in speakers.
New Renault 5 EV batteries and range
Renault has spilled the beans on the motors and batteries for the new 5.
This new EV will come with around 250 miles of range when it goes on sale in 2024. That’s around 10 miles more than you get in a top-spec Renault Zoe today.
It will use a similar motor to the one found in the Renault Zoe. That car has 134hp, which would be plenty in a city car like the Renault 5.
It also has an all-new battery pack. The battery in the Zoe is made up of 12 separate modules, but the one in the 5 will have four large sections instead. This will make it cheaper to produce, as well as reducing the weight by 15kg over the Zoe.
When does the new Renault 5 EV go on sale?
Renault is launching seven new cars before 2025, the first of which was the Megane E-Tech in 2022. The Renault 5 will be revealed in full next year, with sales possibly starting in the second half of 2024.
An exact price hasn’t been confirmed just yet, however Renault has said that this new electric car will be 30% cheaper to build than today’s Zoe. That means it could cost as little as £20,000.
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