Not many electric cars have caused as much excitement as the new Renault 5, writes James Stinson
Over the last few years, car makers have been busily ramping up production of new electric cars. There’s been an explosion of new models and new factories to build them. And a lot of that supply has come on stream over a short time. Unfortunately, demand hasn’t been there to meet that supply. The main issue is that while electric cars have been a hit with the early adopters – pioneers who are keen and have the wherewithal to embrace electric – the sector has yet to convince the mass adopters out there. These people are sceptical about the costs and practicalities of owning an electric car and are more than happy with what they’ve got. The fact that most new electric cars are company cars, which enjoy generous tax breaks, rather than private owners underlines the point. Every technology goes through similar growing pains.
It doesn’t mean that electric cars aren’t the future. Governments have given us no option, but the transition might take a little longer. Price, range and charging infrastructure are widely seen as the three main barriers to mass adoption. When I first tested an electric car back in 2010, the range was a pretty dismal sub 100 miles. But, depending on how much you spend, some models will now do more than 400 miles on a single charge. Most models fall into the 200–300-mile category.
Charging infrastructure is still very much an issue but is slowly improving. But for people who don’t have driveways, where they can charge at home, this is and will likely remain an issue for some time to come. For most though, price remains the biggest impediment to going electric. Running costs may be lower but the upfront price premium – which can be 20% and more – is still too much for many buyers. However, technology and economics will eventually see electric cars prevail. And it’s cars like this stunning new Renault 5 and the upcoming VW I.D 2 that’ll will lead the charge. The Renault 5, a reboot of the famous little car that sold millions back in the seventies and eighties, is due to launch with a price tag of €25,000. That is expected to translate to less than £25,000 when it arrives in the UK early next year and will make it one of the most affordable electric cars on the market, undercutting even today’s cheapest, the £26,140 BYD Dolphin.
When the new Renault 5 launches it will only be available with a 52kWh battery that will offer a range of up to 249 miles on a single charge. However, in time the Renault 5 will also be available with a smaller 40kWh battery, which is likely to provide closer to 186 miles of range but will be more affordable. Expect 80kW DC charging for the smaller battery model and 100kW for the 52kWh version.
A 15-80 per cent top-up will take just under half an hour, and it’s likely that UK cars will all come with a heat pump as standard, which should keep the car’s range more consistent. The new Renault 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. In the UK, buyers will get to choose from two powerful 121bhp and 148bhp motors. These have 225Nm and 245Nm of torque respectively, and the latter is able to take the R5 from 0-62mph in under eight seconds. That’s for the larger-battery model, which is around 1,500kg.
According to Renault, 50-75mph is possible in less than seven seconds and the car will reach a top speed of 93mph. Public reaction to the new Renault 5 has been enthusiastic to say the least, with more than 50,000 potential buyers putting their names down within days of it breaking cover. First cars are expected to arrive in the UK early in 2025.
Retro Renault 5 gets an Electric Boost
