For more than 20 years, the Renault 5 has been the gold standard for weird little French hatchbacks, with the engine usually mounted in the back seat. Its long-selling status made this model one of the classics of kitschy European mass hatchbacks, along with the Fiat 500, Volkswagen Type 1, and British Motor Corporation Mini. Three of his have already experienced a resurgence, and two of his now extend into the Electric Age. Now, the Renault 5 has finally joined us.
This is the Renault 5 E-Tech, a $27,000 electric hatchback that aims to inspire what the brand optimistically calls the “Renault Solution.” It’s a subcompact in American sizing terms, so its range and performance are closer to the Fiat 500e than something like the Ford Mustang Mach-E. That means power ranges from 150hp to 95hp, with the most powerful model reaching 60hp in “less than 8 seconds” and a top speed of around 93mph.
52kWh and 40kWh batteries are available, with the larger battery offering 250 miles of range on the optimistic European WLTP cycle. The 5 weighs about 3,200 pounds, including the heavy battery, several hundred pounds more than the Fiat 500e, which is about a foot shorter.
The design of the new 5 is directly inspired by the original 5 that it is meant to emulate. This means a pair of vertical taillights at the rear and a square headlight at the front, both made with thoroughly modern elements. The interior, like most EVs today, is a little less nostalgic and dominated by a giant screen.
Like all Renaults, the 5 E-Tech isn’t headed stateside unless the Renault brand comes first. Those hoping for a new Le Car shouldn’t get too excited, as the closely related Alpine is set to arrive in the US soon. The brand plans to launch its own version of the 5, the A290, for the European market later this year. Americans who want to get the 5 E-Tech should expect Alpine to introduce the hot hatch when it is scheduled to debut stateside around his 2027.