Iconic Renault 5 to be reborn as retro-styled EV in 2024, and we’ve driven a prototype
- Styling clearly inspired by original
- Expected release 2024
- We’ve had a go in a prototype
The next-generation Renault 5 made its first public appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed’s Electric Avenue last summer, ahead of its anticipated debut in 2024. Now we’ve had a chance to drive a prototype version of the contemporary take on the iconic French hatchback. The 5 is being reimagined as an EV, taking as its cues bold and boxy styling lines of the Seventies original.
Renault announced plans to create a new version of the classic Renault 5 hatchback at the beginning of 2021. Unlike the 1980s original, the new Renault 5 will be sold solely as an electric car, rivaling models like the Fiat 500, Honda e and MINI Electric.
A confirmed price is a long way off, but Renault boss Luca de Meo promised an affordable starting point back in 2021 of around £17,500 to £21,500. With high inflation and a general increase in EV pricing, we’d expect this to have increased, but even pricing below £30,000 would be competitive.
The prototype of the Renault 5 won’t be alone at Goodwood as it will be joined by the new Megane E-Tech EV as well as the new Limited Edition A110 from sister firm Alpine.
The styling is a modern reinterpretation of the iconic Renault 5 design, with LED lighting elements and tiny overhangs. It’ll be a five-door, with the rear door handles hidden in the rear pillars. Clever touches include daytime running lights in place of the original’s fog lights and the bonnet air vent repurposed as a charging port.
We’re yet to see the interior of this concept but a pared-back look is expected. This would make it feel both modern and retro because the original car had much less standard equipment than any current Renault model. A large touchscreen similar to the one in the Renault Clio and Renault Captur may be fitted on higher-spec models, negating the need for lots of physical switchgear.
Range, charging and performance specs
The Renault 5 is likely to get either a 40kWh or 52kWh battery, with an anticipated range of up to 249 miles. This should give it an advantage over the 199-mile range of the electric Fiat 500, while the next-generation MINI Electric is also expected to manage around 250 miles between charges.
Charging is expected to follow the path of the Renault Megane E-Tech, which provides owners with speeds of up to 130kW at compatible public charging stations. So long as conditions permit, this should allow 124 miles of range in 30 minutes.
Power is expected to come from a 134bhp electric motor with power sent straight to the front wheels, for a predicted 0-62mph time of comfortably under 10 seconds.
Renault 5 prototype drive – Alex Goy
Despite the prototype’s Clio body, there are some key differences that hint at its electric heart and new character: the charging port on its nose, the rear wheels sitting further forward in the arches thanks to the platform’s shorter wheelbase, and bolt-on wheel arches to accommodate a wider track. You can also see the platform peeking out under the door line.
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In fact, the wide track highlights the Renault 5’s key characteristic: it’s designed to be fun. Where its predecessor, the ZOE, is a relaxed, comfy city car, this is much, much sharper to drive. Its steering is direct, reacting quickly to direction changes, firing the car from point to point with vigour. Its clever rear suspension ensures the rear of the car stays stable – even on snow and ice – with an aim to keep slow and medium-speed driving agile and exciting, while giving a stable high-speed ride too.
Despite only some brief time with what’ll become Renault’s EV staple, and one in conditions that the UK will rarely, if ever, see, the Renault 5 showed great promise. Its current state of tune is being refined, but the combination of a short wheelbase, low centre of gravity, stellar brakes and wide track widths, show potential for a fantastic city car.
Not only that, but one that honours its much loved 20th-century ancestor. Its debut in 2024 can’t come soon enough.
What does it mean for car buyers?
It looks like the electric Renault 5 concept combines the old-school charm of the original model with a powertrain that’ll bring it right up to date. While technical details like range and performance aren’t yet known, it should offer similar – or slightly better – statistics than its main rivals, and also promises to be fun to drive. Crucially, it should be slightly cheaper than the similarly retro Honda e and MINI Electric, so we can see this becoming a popular model when it finally hits showrooms.
Keyword: New Renault 5: range, specs and prototype drive