EXCLUSIVE - New Renault 5 prototype first verdict

FIRST DRIVE New platform shows fantastic promise as electric R5 continues development

- Alex Goy

THE reborn Renault 5 was first conceptualised in 2021, and since then the hype about the EV has soared. The concept is a modern nod to the original, but with an electric heart, and while the production car won't be with us until 2024, we've been for an icy spin in an early prototype to find out what the future will feel like.

The 5 is based on Renault's latest CMFBEV platform, which is designed specifically for small EVs (it'll also underpin the upcoming Renault 4 SUV) and with cost in mind, because it's 30 per cent cheaper to produce than the outgoing Zoe. What that means for final pricing, however, remains to be seen. The Zoe, a car that has been updated numerous times in a lifespan that has stretched over more than a decade, will be replaced by the 5. Development from now on will be focused on the CMF-BEV platform and the models that it'll underpin.

Renault's also remaining tight-lipped about battery size, range and efficiency. However, speaking to Auto Express previously, Renault's Chief Technology Officer Gilles Le Borgne pointed towards the 5 launching with 40kWh and 52kWh battery packs, with a targeted range of 248 miles for the latter. The car's motor is likely to offer 134bhp.