The greatest debut at this yr’s Geneva Motor Show is the all-new Renault 5. Yes, the supermini as soon as often known as the “Le Car” within the United States is formally again in Europe, however this time it is fully electrical.
Discontinued in 1996, the brand new Renault 5 is able to deal with the city jungle. The French model hasn’t messed an excessive amount of with the design in comparison with the concept car from early 2021. We’re being informed the electrical supermini—identified by its full title because the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric—adopts retro-futuristic styling that provides it a contemporary look whereas staying true to its roots.
The cute headlights and vertical taillights are a nod to the Renault 5 earlier than it, very similar to the distinguished wheel arches. Renault determined to combine the rear door handles on the base of the C-pillars to provide the phantasm of a three-door physique fashion akin to the unique. While the primary two generations supplied a selection of three or 5 doorways, the brand new mannequin is a five-door-only affair. Some variations get purple physique accents as a nod to the R5 Turbo. By the way in which, a sizzling hatch will observe later in 2024 within the form of the Alpine A290.
For the inside, vertical stitching on the dashboard harkens again to unique, as do the oblong air vents. The giant body for the digital instrument cluster and infotainment is a throwback to the blocky sprint used again within the day. The driver’s show measures 7.0 or 10.0 inches relying on the model, whereas the touchscreen all the time has a ten.0-inch diagonal.
The 2024 Renault 5 is 154.3 inches (3.92 meters) lengthy, 69.7 inches (1.77 meters) broad, and 59 inches (1.5 meters) tall, with a wheelbase of 100.0 inches (2.54 meters). Despite being a petite automotive, the cargo capability is 11.5 cubic ft (326 liters) and it rides on giant 18-inch wheels with 195/55 R18 tires. The new EV is greater than the Twingo however smaller than the Clio and is the primary mannequin to trip on the AmpR Small platform—beforehand often known as CMF-B EV.
The lightest model with the smaller 40.0-kilowatt-hour battery pack ideas the scales at 2,976 kilos (1,350 kilograms) whereas the heaviest one with the 52.0-kWh battery weighs 3,197 kilos (1,450 kilograms). Stick to the bottom battery and the front-mounted motor will ship 95 horsepower and 156 pound-feet of torque (215 Newton-meters), or 120 hp and 166 lb-ft (225 Nm). Step as much as the upgraded battery and the e-motor will produce 150 hp and 181 lb-ft (245 Nm), through which case 0 to 62 mph will take lower than eight seconds whereas 50 to 75 mph (80 to 120 km/h) might be carried out in underneath seven seconds. Flat out, the top-spec mannequin can do an electronically capped 93 mph (150 km/h).
The base battery will get you 186 miles (300 kilometers) of vary within the WLTP mixed cycle whereas the upgraded pack has sufficient juice for 249 miles (400 kilometers). The AC most charging energy is 11 kilowatts, however DC is supported at 80 kilowatts for the smaller battery and 100 kilowatts for the larger one. Using DC, it takes half an hour to cost from 15 to 80 % for each batteries. It’s price noting the entry-level Renault 5 with the 95-hp motor does not supply DC charging.
Unusual for a mannequin on this phase, EV or not, the brand new Renault 5 has a multi-link rear impartial suspension. The cute electrical metropolis automotive has been engineered with bidirectional charging to energy your home equipment, a warmth pump to shortly heat up the cabin, and brake power recuperation to juice up the battery. One get together trick is discovered on the hood the place the outsized 5 brand doubles as a battery cost indicator mild.
The most cost-effective model cash can purchase prices round €25,000 in Europe. At present alternate charges, that works out to roughly $27,000. Renault will make the reborn R5 at dwelling in France and can observe up by bringing again the R4 as effectively. It too might be fully electrical, very similar to the next-generation Twingo. Both have already been teased with idea vehicles forward of their market launches in 2025 and 2026, respectively.