New Renault 5

Alpine A290 — Renault 5 in front of the Roland Garros stadium

Renault Zoe is no longer offered in Norway. By the first half of 2024, it will disappear for good from shop windows across Europe. There is no direct successor.

It is Fabrice Cambolive , head of the Renault division, who has informed the British motoring press. It is no surprise that the current Zoe will disappear. The model has been upgraded several times, but the rounded lines from 2012 are no longer modern. With no Zoe 2 planned, electric car buyers will have to find alternative cars in Renault's existing model range - currently the Mégane and Twingo. It could also be a car brand from Stellantis or China.

What about the new R5?

When Renault unveiled its new R5 concept in 2021, it was touted as the successor to the Renault Zoe. It still is, although it won't be launched until 2025, and definitely not as the Zoe 2. It seems obvious, though, that the R5 will fill the void left by the Zoe.

Renault 5 concept in front of the stadium for the French Open 2023 (Photo: Renault)

Driving around disguised as a Clio

Renault is currently testing the new R5 technology using the Clio model as a mule, including for winter testing in Arvidsjaur , Sweden. The CMF-BEV electric car platform is shared by Nissan and Renault. The engine is said to be 20 kg lighter than in the current Zoe and the battery pack will be both lighter and less bulky than the Zoe, - and also provide more rigidity in the chassis and better sound insulation. Another factor that will enhance the driving characteristics is the rear axle it inherits from the new Mégane E-Tech. Lately, Renault has given us several drops about the future, including recent images of the R5 attached to the stadium for the French Open 2023 where Renault is a Premium Partner.

Alpine A290 _β (beta)

Last weekend a large Alpine meeting was held at the factory in Dieppe, France, where more than 760 Alpine cars took part. Among other things, Alpine showed off its R5-based concept car Alpine A290 _β in daylight. This is an electric car created for rallying in line with other Alpine models. The car has a special seating arrangement with 3 seats where the driver sits forward in the middle. The seating arrangement is reminiscent of the McLaren F1.

From the Alpine meeting at the factory in Dieppe, France (Photo: Alpine)

A seating arrangement with 3 seats (Photo: Alpine)

The widow of Jean Rédélé, Michelle Rédélé, cast a spell over the event in the A290 (Photo; Alpine)

Several models on the same platform

In addition to the new R5, Renault has shown off the 4ever crossover concept car , which is based on the same platform as the R5. The head of the Renault group, Luca de Meo , mentions both the R5 and the 4L in the context of the new strategy they call “Renaulution”. The 4L is a model that could be slightly smaller than the R5, but no drawings have yet been released – just speculation. The 4L – or “quatrelle” as it is called around the Mediterranean, is a collective term for all Renault 4s built throughout history.

Renault has - and has had - several iconic models. Renault 4 and 5 are probably examples of that. Some might argue that the Renault Zoe was also iconic. It was a pioneer in paving the way for electric cars for ordinary people. But Zoe thus disappears without any direct successor. Other iconic models that will also disappear at the same time as Zoe are Twingo and Espace. All three models introduced something new to the car market. Let's hope Renault doesn't replace them with boring models.

R5 looks promising!

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Renault.no

A year ago, Renault presented a prototype of what could be the successor to the Zoe. It was about a retro design of the legendary Renault 5. At the same time, words like "new wave" and "Renaulution" were used. This is music to the ears of those of us who like Renault.

Could be Zoe's successor

The French carmaker is going all in on electrifying its model fleet, and has announced that all European models will be electric by 2030. It will probably be the next Zoe that will be the debut model for the new wave. It is hardly a coincidence, as the Zoe represented a new wave when it was launched in 2012.

Modern lines and retro design

In terms of design, the new Renault 5 is interesting. Firstly, because it shows modern, straight lines and smooth surfaces like the Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. Secondly, because it brings forward design elements from previous Renault models. Many of today's car models lack distinctive features. Like several other car brands, Renault needs to strengthen its brand identity. They can succeed in this if "Renaulution" involves reviving fond memories of old models.

Zoe was a breath of fresh air

The Zoe has been an important model for Renault, not just in terms of sales. It has also put Renault on the map as a leading manufacturer of electric cars. In 2021, the Zoe was France's second best-selling electric car with 23 copies, only narrowly beaten by the Tesla Model 573. The Renault Zoe has previously been France's best-selling electric car for several years. Compared to Norway, France is still in the starting pit for electrification. There are very few electric cars outside the big cities. The launch of Zoe almost ten years ago was accompanied by a massive domestic advertising campaign. It was not only the electric car properties that were highlighted, but also the car's bowl-like appearance. Thus, the Zoe campaign probably helped to promote other models from Renault as well.

Well received

The prototype's fresh, straight lines represent a style we will see more of in the near future. Today's contemporary car design with flowing, curved lines, often layered on layer – as the Clio, Megane, Captur and Kadjar have – is on its way out – at least as an electric car shape. Models such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Tesla Cybertruck are coming in. The purpose of prototypes such as the Renault 5 is to test how the public reacts to the new shapes. So far, the new lines have been well received. The design was named Concept-car of the year in September last year by a jury of leading car designers. In January this year, the new Renault 5 was voted the most beautiful concept car by the public at this year's Festival Automobile International in Paris.

Will Renault go for a new five?

It remains to be seen what the Zoe's successor will look like when it goes on sale in 2024. Today's prototype highlights creative and fancy LED lighting, things that fascinate at shows but which, wisely, often don't carry over into production. The press release from the introduction also highlights new IT functions in line with Tesla's solutions. The Renault 5 will use Renault-Nissan's joint platform for battery-drive systems in the B segment (CMF-B EV). But even if everything looks promising for the new Renault 5 now one year after its introduction, the future will depend on what is decided in the boardrooms. One conceivable outcome could be that Renault chooses to stop the project, or produce the Renault 5 only in a limited edition - as Stellantis chose for the Opel Manta GSe ElektroMOD. In that case, Zoe may be succeeded by a more anonymous model originating from the current model programme.

Renault 5 celebrates 50 years this year

The Renault 5 appeared in 1972 as a new car class, today referred to as the B-class. The 1972 model was 365 cm long with one wheel in each corner. Today's Clio is 404 cm long. When Renault's prototype is shown together with the "ur-femmern", it is clear that the prototype is a much larger car. In terms of appearance, it is basically more similar to the second generation of the Renault 5 – the one that was eventually called the "super five". These cars were produced until 1996 and are still frequent features on French roads. The latest model series with lacquered grill and smooth surfaces has withstood the age very well.

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