EV Spotlight: Renault 5 🥖

EV Spotlight: Renault 5 E-Tech

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• Price: starting from €25,000 ($27,100) — but, although more below, beware that this starting price is for the no-DC-charging trim! (unsuitable for most people)

• Deliveries: will be built in France and officially launch in Sept 2024.

• Range: 400 km (249 mi) range at 52 kWh battery (net), or

  300 km (186 mi) range at 40 kWh battery, all per WLTP.

• Batteries are from AESC, NMC cells.

• Top versions will be delivered first, so expect the average price tag to be much higher than €25k.

• Architecture: AmpR Small, Ampere’s B-segment platform

• Performance: 70kW, 90kW or 110kW and150km/h (93 mph) top speed
  0-100km/h in 7.9 to 12s, depending on version.

• Front-Wheel Drive only

• Charging: up to 100kW DC, 11kW AC charging

But!!! The 70kW trim will have no DC charging, only AC, and no bidirectional capabilities. Yikes. In 2024?! And that is why you don’t want to really buy the cheapest version, do you.

Another thing that came out in discussions in our EV community — imagine what this will do the people buying the car in the aftermarket. A regular buyer would have no idea to check if the car has DC charging or not. 🤷 

• Higher trims will have V2G capabilities, V2L of up to 3.7kW, and Plug & Charge capable.

• Tows 500 kg (1,100 lbs)

• Wheelbase: 2540mm

• 18’’ wheels

• Weight: 1,350kg (2,976lbs) for 40kWh, 1,450kg (3,197 lbs) for 52kWh version

• Cargo capacity: 326 litres (looks like no frunk)

• Design: French. But surprisingly very similar to the concept we’ve seen. I call it the futuretro approach.
  It also has nice little touches, like the fake-air intake on the hood, homage to the original R5, which is actually a battery indicator for outside of the vehicle.

• Extras: 🥖 1 baguette holder (yes you read that right, see pic above)

• Nostalgia points — a lot. Those familiar with the original Renault 5 and R5 Turbo, will find plenty of familiar features inside and out.

Here’s the livestream of the launch (33 min video), and the press release (link).

And another from Fully Charged (video)

History: Renault 5 was originally produced from 1972 to 1994, with over 5.5M total sold, and was France’s best-selling car for the first 14 consecutive years.

Guess what — most of the sentiment I’ve seen about the car is positive. People like the idea of small EVs. Mix it with nostalgia and… let’s see if this thing actually sells. Renault CEO Cambolive does claim they already have 50k orders on the waitlist.

Meanwhile, Renault CEO Luca de Meo confirmed that it is still in “good discussions” with Volkswagen to partner on a an mini EV for Europe, and hinted it is also talking to others (link):

Speaking of small EVs, I’ll be testing both the Volvo EX30 and the GWM Ora 03 (aka the Funky Cat), in the next few weeks. If you’ve got any questions you have that I could cover you can send ‘em my way as a reply to this email.