Renault 5 concept headed for series production

Renault is indeed planning a production version of its recently unveiled all-electric Renault 5 concept. Renault will base the 5 on the new CMF-B EV platform for electric compact vehicles and will build the EV at the Douai plant near Lille, France from 2023.

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After Renault CEO Luca de Meo presented the strategy dubbed ‘Renaulution’ last week, the CEO revealed the Renault 5 concept but held back from announcing concrete models for production.

Now, Automotive News reports that another Renault model based on the CMF-B EV platform is planned for 2025 – possibly a crossover or SUV inspired by the classic Renault 4. The Alpine brand will also use the same platform as announced during Renault’s strategy presentation and plan a B-segment e-compact sports car based on the same architecture.

What remains to be seen are the possible technical specifications of the electric Renault 5 or the basically possible specifications of the CMF-B EV. So far, Renault has relied on proprietary solutions for its small electric Zoe and Twingo Electric models, rather than electrified platforms on a larger scale for the brand or even in alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi.

The CMF-B EV is not a completely new electric development, but a modification of the CMF-B platform of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance. The ‘Common Module Family’ has been in use since 2013 and allows front-wheel drive vehicles from the A segment to the C/D segment. Therefore, the CMF-B is optimised for the B-segment and used by the current Renault Clio, Renault Captur, Nissan Juke and Nissan Note. However, the CMF-B EV is not to be confused with the larger electric platform CMF-EV, on which the Nissan Ariya and Renault Mégane eVision, for example, will be based.

According to Automotive News, Renault chief engineer Giles le Borgne said during the strategy presentation that they would derive an “electric version of the CMF for small cars” to be able to offer a complete range. An electrified platform for the B-segment would have an important role: the Clio and Captur are among Renault’s best-selling models, and the Zoe is one of the most sought-after electric cars in Europe. So far, however, the Clio and Captur are only available as hybrids or, in the case of the Captur, as PHEVs.

Renault has already answered whether a production version of the Renault 5 Prototype would mean the end of the Zoe in advance. “The answer is no because the Zoe is the best-selling e-car in Europe,” design chief Laurens van den Acker told Autocar. “It would be silly to stop vehicles that are the best-selling in their segment.”

Update 28 January 2021: It looks like Renault has changed their minds when it comes to the Renault 5 possibly replacing the Zoe. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport and the Spanish portal Foroselectricos now report that the company would discontinue the Zoe in favour of the R5 once it hits the market in 2024. AMS quotes a spokesperson saying: “Yes, the R5 is expected to play the role of Zoe at this stage.” Renault design chief Laurens van den Acker had recently denied this as you can read above.

Renault hopes to price the series Renault 5 below the Zoe because of falling battery costs, writes Foroselectricos with reference to Renault boss Luca de Meo. He had recently mentioned a base price of below 20,000 euros.

With reporting by Nora Manthey.

autonews.com, forococheselectricos.com, auto-motor-und-sport.de (update in Spanish and German)