Renault’s retro revolution is officially underway.
The production version of the Renault 5 E-Tech electric hatchback has been revealed at the Geneva motor show – and it’s not been ruled out for Australia just yet.
Renault Australia has previously said it’s keen to bring the retro-tastic city car Down Under, provided Renault Group is willing to invest in re-engineering the vehicle to meet Australia’s unique design rules.
The 5 is a replacement for the Renault Zoe, with a choice of 40kWh (around 300km of range) and 52kWh (400km of range) battery packs on offer in Europe.
Peak DC charge speed is 100kW, good for a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 30 minutes using suitable public charging infrastructure.
The R5 also features bi-directional charging, which allows you to run appliances using the car’s battery pack – or to feed energy back into the grid when it’s at its most expensive, using a specific type of home charger, before charging up with cheaper off-peak power.
Three single-motor powertrains are available, with up to 110kW of power and 245Nm of torque. Even the heaviest model weighs less than 1500kg, which is very light in the context of electric cars.
Under the skin, the R5 rides on what Renault has dubbed its AmpR platform. It’s an adaptation of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance CMF-B platform underpinning the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur, sharing parts such as the front axle to cut costs and simplify manufacturing.
Speaking of manufacturing, Renault is touting the eco-credentials of its production process.
It says the majority of the parts making up the new R5 come from within 300km of the factory where it’s finally assembled, cutting down on the emissions required to assemble it.
Boot space is a claimed 326 litres, which is impressive given the 3.92m long body is shorter than that of the outgoing MG 3, and there’s a further 19 litres of storage spaces scattered around the cabin… including an optional baguette holder. No, we’re not le-joking.
The cabin design blends retro colours and textures (waffle headlining, for example) with a thoroughly modern technology suite.
Yep, a baguette holder! 
Renault hasn’t followed Tesla’s unique form of aggressive minimalism, and offers such luxuries as a digital driver’s display. There’s also a range of unique finishes on offer, ranging from the French flag on the gear selector to quirky covers for the central storage bin.
Would you like to see the Renault 5 E-Tech in Australia?
