The production version of the iconic Renault 5 will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2024.
Renault caused quite a stir when it first revealed it was working on an electric Renault 5 revival. Now the French brand has announced that the production-ready version will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in February 2024.
The Renault 5 EV is set to go on sale very soon after this, with the brand’s CEO, Luca De Meo, saying it will cost from €25,000 ($42,000) in Europe with incentives. This means positioning around the same price as the upcoming MINI Cooper Electric, Peugeot E-208, and Fiat 500e.
We’ve driven a prototype of the new Renault 5 disguised under a Clio body.
Renault announced plans to create a new version of the classic Renault 5 hatchback at the beginning of 2021. Unlike the 1970s model, the new Renault 5 will be sold solely as an electric car, rivalling other retro-inspired models like the Fiat 500, Honda e and MINI Electric, and will be based on the same platform as the next Nissan Micra and another retro-inspired model, the Renault 4.
Prototype vehicles revealed earlier this year share the overall outline of the show car, with the same chunky proportions, five doors and distinctive rear design. Only the usual features you’d expect to be simplified for mass production appear to have changed from the concept; it now has conventional door handles, wing mirrors and wheels that are less extreme in size and appearance.
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.
Renault has announced innovative features for the upcoming Renault 5, such as the brand’s first bi-directional on-board charger. This enables owners to sell electricity back to the power grid when electricity tariffs are high, helping to reduce running costs. The feature will first be available in France and Germany in 2024 before being rolled out in the UK in 2025.
We’re yet to see the Renault 5 EV’s interior, 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.