Recently, the electric car of the French brand Renault 5 E-Tech Electric has officially been launched at the Geneva Motor Show, promising to be able to travel up to 400 km on a single charge. More importantly, Renault has also announced a starting price of about 25,000 euros (equivalent to 27,100 USD), making it one of the most affordable electric cars in the European market.
According to Carscoops, the interior of the R5 E-Tech Electric combines classical elements and vibrant colors. At the center is a 10.1-inch touchscreen combined with a digital instrument cluster. The OpenR Link infotainment system provided by Google can store more than 50 applications and services while introducing a new AI-powered digital assistant named “Reno”.
The hatchback has a five-seater design with a trunk volume of 326 liters and a payload of 500 kg. The new Renault 5 E-Tech Electric will be produced in Douai, France by the Ampere unit.
In terms of performance, the Renault 5 E-Tech only has a single electric motor but has 3 power outputs including 94 horsepower, 121 horsepower, or 148 horsepower. The battery pack has a capacity of 40 kWh or 52 kWh. The 52 kWh battery provides a range of operation of 400 km/charge (according to WLTP standards). The battery is compatible with DC fast charging at the corresponding levels of 80 kW and 100 kW. Additionally, this hatchback can also power peripheral devices.
The starting price for Renault 5 E-Tech will range around 25,000 euros (approximately 27,100 USD). To compare, this price will be similar to the price of the VW ID.2 while being lower than the Peugeot E-208. However, the car is priced higher than the newly introduced Citroen e-C3. Other competitors include the smaller Mini Cooper Electric and Fiat 500e.
The European automotive industry is striving to cut costs and introduce more affordable and better-rated electric vehicles (EVs) to counter the appearance of cheaper Chinese models.
In a statement to the press after the launch of Renault’s highly anticipated new electric R5, CEO Luca de Meo affirmed that the European automotive industry is “ready to take on the challenge”.
He said that Renault itself is in early talks with Volkswagen to share its Twingo electric platform with the German company. The CEO of the French automaker also said that he is pushing for more flexible European Union regulations for small cars to help them compete.
According to Carscoops, Reuters