Renault have just launched their first EV based on the new, smaller, EV platform – the Renault 5 E-Tech based on the AmpR Small chassis.

Whilst not slated for production till the start of 2025, the range has just been fully revealed in production form at the Geneva Motor Show.

In line with being an EV-only platform, the wheels have been pushed out to the corners with minimal overhangs – meaning there is significantly more room available for the interior for a car less than 4 metres long. (The Renault 5 E-Tech is 3.92 m long). 

Interior:

Inside you get a similar dash layout to the Megane E-Tech, but with a significant nod to the original ‘R5’. (As it was affectionately dubbed.

The original Renault 5, built between 1972 and 1996, still holds the record of France’s most popular selling car with over 5.5 million units built during its production run). For instance, the drivers display is recessed within a shroud and the dash is padded with ribbed stitching – both as a nod to the layout of later versions of the original R5.

Facing the driver is a 25.4 cm (10-inch) digital instrument panel displaying the full range of driving information, with a choice of five different views. The central multimedia screen is also 25.4 cm.

The steering wheel is identical to the Megane E-Tech, but again with a nod to the original R5 column stalks with an angular drive selector lever. The seats are also a throwback design reminiscent of those in the R5 turbo of the 70s.

Mind-you, at that time they were a very comfortable and well locating seat that was several steps above what you would get in most cars of that era. It will be interesting to see what 21^st century technology and materials design has done to further improve that.

Platform:

The AmpR Small platform is a completely new design for building smaller and roomier EVs in the European B segment. (The European B segment, or ‘small car’ segment covers cars from approximately 3.7 to 4.2 metres long and is roughly equivalent to the Australian VFACTS light car category).

The AmpR platform allows for a wider track and wheels further out to the corners, meaning there is more leg and hip room to be found in cars built on it than an equivalent size petrol/diesel car.

Between its design and sharing a number of parts with the existing CMF-B platform, EV built on the AmpR Small chassis are also expected to be significantly cheaper to produce.

Renault in fact has high hopes for the AmpR platform to bring down costs to a point they can produce a range of lower price small electric cars. (This is currently a significant hole in the EV market – particularly in Australia).

By doing so, they hope to be able to offer Euro style and quality EVs that are priced within cooee of the influx of cheaper Chinese models currently starting to reach Europe. (At present, the rash of ‘Chinese cheapies’ in Europe are threatening to take that bread-and butter mass market away from the Euro manufacturers unless they do something soon.

In fact, there is significant push-back by the EU over the potential selling of Chinese EVs below production costs – sometimes referred to as ‘dumping’).

Drivetrain and performance:

In Europe, the R5 will be produced with two battery sizes (40 kWh and 52 kWh) and two motor options (90 kW/225 Nm and 110 kW/245 Nm) with the 110 kW motor being paired with the 52 kWh battery and the 90 kW motor paired with the 40 kWh battery. 

As with Renault’s long history with EVs, they have significantly evolved the technology with learnings from previous models. The 52 kWh battery includes four large modules in its casing, compared with the 12 smaller modules found on the smaller battery Megane E-Tech electric (not offered here) and current European ZE50 Zoe (not sold here).

This simplified architecture brings weight savings of 20 kg compared with the ZE50 Zoe. The motor is also 15 kg lighter than the Zoe with a design utilising a wound rotor motor that contains no rare earth magnets. For the 110 kW version, Renault 5 E-Tech electric accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in under 8 seconds.

Charging:

AC: the R5 will be the first Renault to be fitted with the new 11 kW AC bidirectional charger featuring V2L (vehicle-to-load) and V2H/G (vehicle-to-home/grid). Using an 11 kW AC charging point, the 52 kWh battery will take four and a half to charge from 10% to 100%.

The 40 kWh battery will take an hour less. With the vehicle power outputs for V2L and V2H/G both offered via the AC port, V2H/G systems are also likely to be significantly cheaper to buy than those using the DC port, given that DC port systems require additional DC to AC conversion equipment to be installed.

It would appear Renault are about to throw a ‘cat among the pigeons’ when it comes to choice of V2H/G systems!

DC: the 110 kW version can charge at up to 100 kW DC to charge the 52 kWh battery, whilst the 90 kW motor/40 kWh battery version can do up to 80 kW. Both will recharge 10% to 80% in 30 minutes.

Model choices:

In Europe, the R5 will launch in two versions, initially only with the 52 kWh battery. These will be called Techno and Iconic Five.

The Techno trim level standard equipment includes alloy wheels, a 25.4 cm (10-inch) instrument panel, reversing camera, OpenR Link multimedia system with Google built-in, wireless smartphone charging , charge indicator light on the bonnet and Active Driver Assist.

The Iconic Five trim level adds heated seats and steering wheel, hands-free parking, front, rear and side obstacle sensors, plus other design features.

Both will come with a full suite of ADAS (advanced driver assist system) features, including driver attention monitoring, automatic emergency braking in reverse, front sensors with emergency lane keeping, rear sensors with emergency lane keeping and rear occupant safe passenger exit.

Manufacture:

The R5 E-Tech will be manufactured in northern France at the Renault ElectriCity complex (which comprises their Douai, Maubeuge and Ruitz plants) and the motor manufactured at the Cléon plant in Normandy.

Renault expect to cut production time for each car to nine hours and intend it to achieve an 85% overall level of recyclability. Additionally, the seat fabrics will be made from fully recycled material on the Techno and Iconic Five trim levels, plus bio-sourced materials for its steering wheel and interior insulation.

Pricing:

In the UK, pricing is expected to be between £25,000 to £30,000, depending on battery size and trim level. That equates to $A50,000 to $A60,000.

If, like the Megane E-tech, we don’t see the smaller battery version offered here – we could potentially see the R5 at around $60k for the 52 kWh battery version, making it $10k cheaper than the next size up Renault EV: the Megane E-Tech.

Australia?

As the new Renault 5 E-Tech will only begin European deliveries in early 2025, it is unlikely that an Australian production slot will be set aside for some time after that launch – meaning 2026 is the best guess for a potential Australian arrival date.

It also depends on whether Renault Australia decide to pick up the model to offer here. When asked at the launch of the Megane E-Tech, Glen Sealey (General Manager at Renault Australia) was open to bringing the R5 here, “provided the business case stacks up” for it. 

Given the likely pricing competitiveness of it in Europe and the hunger I have seen by Australian buyers for smaller, reasonably priced European EVs – one can only hope that business case is suitably compelling for Renault Australia to push hard for access to the model. 

Preliminary UK specifications (awaiting fully homologated data):

Dimensions and weight

• Length: 3.92m
• Width: 1.77m
• Height: 1.50m
• Wheelbase: 2.54m
• Front overhang: 749mm
• Rear overhang: 633mm
• Ground clearance: 145mm
• Weight: from 1,450kg (52 kWh version) and 1,350kg (40 kWh version)
• Boot capacity: 326 litres

Motors and batteries

Wound rotor synchronous electric motor

• 90 kW (120hp / 225Nm)
• 110 kW (150hp / 245Nm)

Lithium-ion battery (NMC chemistry for both batteries)

• Comfort range 52 kWh (range up to 400km WLTP)
• Urban range 40 kWh (range up to 300km WLTP)

Chargers

• 11 kW AC bidirectional for both the 90 and 110 kW motors
• up to 80 kW DC for the 90 kW motor
• up to 100 kW DC for the 110 kW motor

Performance (110 kW/52 kWh version)

0 to 100 km/h:   less than 8 sec

80 to 120 km/h: Less than 7 sec

Top speed: 150 km/h