Renault has lifted the veil on the prices of its brand new R5. The small city car, 100% electric and with strong appeal, will be available from 25,000 euros before application of the ecological bonus.
Renault R5 lovers finally know the amount they will have to pay to get their hands on the new version of the city car, back 40 years after disappearing from the manufacturing plants. Largely modernized and exclusively electric, the 2024 R5, presented in February as part of the Geneva Motor Show, will start from 25,000 euros according to a press release published today by the French manufacturer.
At this price, customers will be able to buy the version equipped with the 40 kWh battery which will not be marketed until 2025. Price from which the ecological bonus must be deducted, of 4,000 euros for most French people and 7,000 for less well-off households, which lowers the price of the R5 to 21,000 or 18,000 euros. The version with the greatest autonomy and the 52kWh battery, available to order from May 31, costs 33,490 euros in the entry-level Techno finish, or 29,490 euros once the ecological bonus is applied.
Assembled in its factory in Douai, in Hauts-de-France, this 21st century R5 will therefore be 100% electric, part of the diamond brand’s project to release six “green” models by 2030 with its new Ampere entity. In an increasingly competitive market, the R5 E-Tech, which will replace the Zoé in the Renault catalog, will try to find a place, alongside the new Peugeot e-208 (more expensive) and Citroën ë-C3. (cheaper) while trying to counter competition from Asia and mainly China. Set to become the new queen of electric city cars at Renault, the R5 E-Tech was undoubtedly the most anticipated release of the year. Let’s go and discover this revisited model.
What information do you need to know about the new electric R5?
- Launched in 1972, the R5 remains recognizable almost 50 years later by its characteristic features. We find the DNA of its elder, star of the 80s, starting with its very compact size – it measures only 3m92 in length. To perfectly match its neo-retro style, the city car, which clearly stands out from the brand’s other models, will be available in five colors (pop yellow, pop green, night blue, pearly white and starry black) while special series will be offered later.
- The front of the vehicle transports us to a futuristic era with a light signature which gives a quite original 3D effect. The hood ventilation grille of the R5 of yesteryear has been replaced by a large charging indicator which fits perfectly with the city car’s new electrical identity. The iconic number 5 lights up when the driver approaches the vehicle and fully appears when the battery is fully charged.
- The shape of the optics on the front of the future R5 has changed somewhat. Less rectangular than on its 80s predecessor, they take the shape of an eyebrow but don’t fool anyone: the nod to the headlights of the first version is quite obvious.
- Reminders of the original R5 are found absolutely everywhere. From the side grille to the wheels via the rear trunk, fans of the cult city car will be delighted by admiring the flat hood like the roof line and the straight, inclined tailgate. Note also the roof strip colored in black and a red border which begins at the level of the front pillar of the car and surrounds the roof (it is presented in gray on the night blue model).
- The wide wheel arches, symbols of the Renault 5 of yesteryear, will always be a marker of the famous model of the diamond brand. For the French manufacturer, “they broaden the silhouette of the R5” and “reinforce its unique and immediately recognizable character, like the R5 Turbo.”
- The rear lights of the new R5, very thin, are placed horizontally as an extension of the sides of the bodywork. “This element contributes to the aerodynamic performance of R5, avoiding penalizing air swirls,” indicates the brand. These optics also incorporate aerodynamic deflectors, enough to give a real modern look to this 21st century Renault R5!
- As for the exterior, the interior of the new R5 contrasts with that of the latest releases from the diamond brand (Scénic, Rafale, Clio). The furniture had never been seen before and Renault chose to install the central screen in the extension of the meter. Slightly inclined towards the driver, this 10.1 inch panel is positioned horizontally (quite rare for the manufacturer). As is now fashionable in the automobile industry, the interface includes a new voice assistant which hosts ChatGPT to be able to answer any questions passengers may have during journeys.
- Renault plays the originality card to the fullest with upholstery that contrasts with the usual cold colors of our vehicles. The R5 E-Tech offers two colors for its seats, either in “jean” blue or yellow. The manufacturer is also pleased to use fabrics made from 100% recycled material on the Techno and Iconic Cinq finishes.
The engines on the electric Renault R5
Renault had already communicated on the city car’s engines even before its appearance on its stand in Geneva. The manufacturer will offer two NMC (nickel-manganese-cobalt) batteries. At its launch, the R5 E-Tech will be equipped with a 52 kWh battery, which will give it a range of up to 400 km in the WLTP cycle. It will then be available with a smaller battery, 40 kWh, which should allow it to travel 300 kilometers on a single charge. The electric motor, made in Cléon in Normandy, will be offered with three power levels: 150, 120 and 95 horsepower. The maximum speed is electronically limited so as not to exceed 150 kilometers/hour.
When will the new Renault R5 be released?
The small electrified city car, presented at the end of February as part of the Geneva Motor Show, will be available for order from May 31, 2024. As announced, the version with the 52 kWh battery is the first to be marketed and the first deliveries are expected at the end of summer. The “urban autonomy” version, equipped with the smallest 40 kWh battery, will only be available in 2025. For its most impatient customers, Renault had opened its pre-orders even before its official presentation with the possibility of purchasing a “R5 R Pass digital queue skipper” for 150 euros.
What is the price of the electric Renault R5?
Renault had very early on announced that the R5 E-Tech would cost “around 25,000 euros” at entry level, namely without additional options and with the smallest 40 kWh battery. The diamond brand has kept its word since it is exactly this price that the city car will be sold in its Techno finish, which will not be marketed until 2025. With the ecological bonus of 4,000 euros, it is therefore barely more of 20,000 euros – 21,000 to be exact – that customers will have to spend to afford the former star of the 80s, completely revisited and fully electrified.
This remains more expensive than the new Citroën ë-C3, sold from 19,900 euros before deduction of the ecological bonus, but the R5 E-Tech will however evolve a notch above in terms of its equipment. If it will also face competition from the Fiat 500e and the future Dacia Spring, the small Renault is much cheaper than the very successful Peugeot e-208 whose price starts at 34,000 euros without the ecological bonus. The second version of the new R5, with the 52 kWh battery promising a range of 400 kilometers, costs 33,490 euros in the entry-level Techno finish, or 29,490 euros with the ecological bonus.