Renault 5 becomes the third least expensive EV sold in Britain starting from £22,995

The Renault 5 is not only back with a bang but is cheaper than the French car maker originally promised.

Pricing for the new retro EV  – called 5 E-Tech – is confirmed to start from £22,995, making it one of the most affordable new electric cars on the market today.

Only the Dacia Spring and Citroen e-C3 are cheaper to buy new than the Renault 5.  

The Dacia Spring costs just £14,995, while the e-C3 costs from £21,035. And the R5 even beats the newly launched Hyundai Inster, which will cost from £23,495 when it arrives early in 2025.

The already highly-praised 5 EV goes on sale in January and will offer up to 248 miles of range. 

Demonstrators will be in Renault showrooms from March for curious drivers wanting to experience the reimagined French icon.

The new Renault 5 E-Tech has been relaunched as a nod to the cult classic R5 of the ’70s to ’90s, but has been reincarnated as an all-electric hatchback – or as Renault says, ‘a super-modern retro-istic pop icon’.

Initially debuted in 2021 as a concept, it was officially unveiled at the 2024 Geneva Motor Show to much fanfare.

At the time, it was expected to cost around £25,000 – already cheap in today’s electric car market – but now Renault will garner even more favour by undercutting that price by just over £3,000.

The new R5 will be available in three trims from launch – evolution, techno and iconic five – and with a choice of two powertrains – 120hp urban range and 150hp comfort range.

The urban range, which has a 40kWh battery, will give you 190 miles of range, while the comfort range with its 52kWh battery will offer 248 miles on a single charge. A heat pump comes as standard.

The new R5 will be available in three trims from launch – evolution, techno and iconic five – and with a choice of two powertrains – 120hp urban range and 150hp comfort range

Renault 5 sold more than 5.5million across 5 continents from 1972 to 1985 (or 9 million in the 24 years to 1996 when sold on in some markets)  

We’ve reviewed the 110kW 150hp electric motor and 52kWh battery in range-topping Iconic trim

Size-wise it, sits between Renault’s Twingo and Clio, though with a much sportier look. 

Yet despite its city-friendly proportions and battery drivetrain, the five door Renault 5 E-Tech offers comfortable seating for five as well as a practical 326-litre boot, complete with dedicated storage for charging cables.

Along with state-of-the-art tech, including built-in Google services with EV-optimised navigation, the R5 also handily has bi-directional functionality including vehicle-to-load (V2L) capabilities.

Smile-inducing exterior features including the Pop Yellow! And Pop Green! colour options are matched with a sport and light-hearted interior with small French nods including even a baguette holder. 

Matched with an eco-conscious mindset, Renault has used an array of recycled materials including the denim made from recycled plastic bottles.

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As well as plenty of tech – the 10.1-inch Google infotainment screen has voice command with AI ChatGPT called ‘Reno’ – you also get 25 safety assists, and a premium level interior – and all for less than £23k.

So much like its best-selling 1972 predecessor, this 5 E-Tech is a small, nippy runaround that won’t break the bank – targeting at the cost-conscious buyer, and delivering funky retro looks that bring personality to the typically minimalist EV field.

Will it fit in my garage? Renault 5 E-Tech Electric 

Model driven: Iconic 110kW 150hp comfort (with more powerful 52kWh battery)

Price range: 40kWh battery R5 to start from just under £23,000, 52kWh version from around £29,000.

Price of model driven: TBC but estimated around £35,000

Seats: 5 Doors: 5

Arrives UK: Beginning of 2025

DIMENSIONS 

Length: 3,922mm

Width: 1,774mm

Height: 1,499mm

Wheelbase: 2,541mm

Weight: 1,456mm

Wheels: 18 inch

PERFORMANCE 

Propulsion: Electric

Electric motor: 150hp /110kW

Battery: 52kWh

Emissions: Zero

Acceleration (0-62mph): 8 seconds

Top speed: 93mph (limited)

Range: 255 miles

CHARGING 

Charging (to 100%) 11kW AC wallbox: 40kW – 3.5 hours, 52kW – 4.5 hours

Charging (to 80%) 100kW DC rapid charging: 40kW – 29 minutes 52kW – 31 minutes

The steering-wheel mounted gear-selector or ‘e-shifter’ comes with a selection of customisable personalised covers which take their inspiration from Chanel lip-stick holders

Matched with an eco-conscious mindset, Renault has used an array of recycled materials including the denim made from recycled plastic bottles 

How much are the different Renault 5 E-Tech pricing options?

The ‘evolution’ E-Tech (with 120hp urban range) is the base price point of £22,995.

There’s then a £2k jump up to the ‘techno’ E-Tech (120hp urban range) which costs £24,995.

Both the ‘techno’ E-Tech 150hp comfort range and the ‘Iconic’ five E-Tech 120hp urban range cost £26,995, while the range-topping Iconic five 150hp comfort range costs £28,995.

The ‘evolution’ comes with the 10.1-inch Google screen and seven-inch drivers display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, numerous safety assists, 18-inch alloys, and 11kW bi-directional charging, while the ‘techno’ adds wireless charging, more retro styling features including a ‘5’ bonnet charging indicator and two-tone paint options, and extra safety assists as well as a rear parking camera.

The ‘iconic’ trim offers plush options including heated front seats and a heated steering wheel to more handy safety assists including blind spot warning and active driver assist. Hands-free parking is another big perk of the highest trim.