We’re getting closer to seeing the reborn Renault 5 in its final form.
The first body-on prototypes of the new Renault 5 have been spotted testing in the lead up to the car’s highly anticipated launch next year. Renault has been anything but coy about its intention to bring the retro-inspired EV to life, creating a French rival to popular fashion-led models like the MINI Electric and Fiat 500e.
This is the first time we’ve seen prototypes of the new Renault 5 that reflect its new design, and they confirm that Renault has indeed kept the production model very close to the R5 Concept it revealed at the beginning of 2021. As a result, we can now see that it will share the concept’s chunky proportions and compact five-door body. There have been some sacrifices on the path towards productionisation, such as the use of traditional front door handles, standard wing mirrors and smaller wheels, but aside from these elements, the final car appears set to resemble the concept with impressive authenticity.
If Renault is able to keep its pricing within its intended pricing of $32-$40,000, the 5 will be one of the cheapest new EVs to buy.
The brand is claiming up to 400km of range for the 5’s larger 52kWh battery pack, which will also likely come with a higher starting price. Le Borgne also confirmed that the entry-level model will be fitted with a 40kWh battery, which will offer a more moderate maximum range but will also be more affordable.
Charging is likely to be similar to that of the Megane E-Tech, which offers up to 130kW rapid-charging speeds – this should allow up to 200km of range to be added in around 30 minutes.
The new 5 will be the first all-electric Renault to feature vehicle-to-grid (V2G) compatibility, which will be able to intelligently feed electricity back into your home when electricity tariffs are high, or even into the grid itself if demand requires it. There’s no negative effect on battery life according to Renault, with the service being available through a home-installed wallbox terminal designed by Mobilize and accompanied by a special electricity contract. The V2G system will be available in 2024 in France and Germany, before arriving in the UK in 2025.
The 5’s motor, meanwhile, will be a standardised 100kW unit that will feature across all of Renault’s upcoming small EVs, as part of the brand’s drive to increase economies of scale, trim down production costs and pass the savings on to consumers.
New 2024 Renault 5: drive and performance
Not only is the new Renault 5 intended to be budget-friendly, but Renault also wants it to be fun to drive, just like its ancestors.
We’ve already driven a Clio-bodied Renault 5 prototype ahead of the production car’s 2024 arrival and, although it was far from a finished product, this has helped give some insight into what this electric supermini will be like to drive.
Direct steering, a stable chassis and an impressive braking system were all highlights of the prototype 5’s performance. The motor also feels like it produces a plentiful amount of torque but, due to the traction control system still undergoing development, the car struggled to maintain tyre grip in the snowy test conditions.
The 5 is fitted with a brake-by-wire system, but this offered reasonable pedal feedback even though it is not directly connected to the brakes.
The new Renault 5 will draw heavy inspiration from its ancestors, sharing the same boxy silhouette and square front end. However, the firm’s designers have modernised features such as the headlamps, the bootlid and the tail-lights.
It’ll be a five-door electric supermini, with hidden door handles in the C-pillar and rear doors that are flush-fit with the quarter panels to give the illusion of a three-door body style. The flared wheel arches are also a nod to the more extreme Turbo I and II variants of the original Renault 5, which were homologated for world rallying – a hotter Alpine-badged version will be part of the new lineup and Renault has even let us drive a one-off Turbo 3E drift car concept.
Renault won’t fall into the same upsizing trap as many manufacturers. At the 2021 Munich Motor Show, Le Borgne told us: “This will be a small car at 3.92m. Today, most of the big cars – Clio included – are between 4m and 4.05m. We have decided to go to 3.9 to be agile and be fit for downtown in the city.”
The Renault 5 prototype is the work of designer Gilles Vidal, who Renault headhunted from PSA following his efforts with the similarly retro Peugeot E-Legend concept from 2019.
“The design of the Renault 5 Prototype is based on the R5 – a cult model of our heritage. This prototype simply embodies modernity, a vehicle relevant to its time: urban, electric, attractive,” said Vidal, pointing to the prototype’s similar lines and flush surfacing.
Some styling elements from the original Renault 5 have been repurposed to suit modern motoring. For instance, the bonnet air intake hides the charging hatch, and the fog lights in the lower front bumper are actually daytime running lights. These features could find their way onto the production-ready model.
No official interior shots have been revealed, but the cabin appears to be a minimalist environment, with only a transparent digital instrument panel visible on top of the dashboard.