New 2024 Renault 5 EV bares all in leaked patent images

The all-new production-spec 2024 Renault 5 E-TECH has been revealed in patent images posted online.

The French car-maker had started a teaser campaign ahead of the electric hatchback’s public debut at the Geneva motor show on February 26, 2024.

But now, thanks to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), the production car has been inadvertently unveiled.

Official teaser images and the new patent renderings, as shown by Carscoops, reveal just how faithful Renault plans to be to the original 2021 retro concept.

Key design elements include the upturned crescent-shaped LED headlights, prominent charging indicator on the bonnet, the cool hot hatch-style flared rear wheel-arches and the neat vertically stacked 3D LED tail-lights and full-width light bar.

The latest pics shows how the Renault 5 will have a stretched pillbox-wide air intake that will sit below three slim slats.

Other highlights include side air curtain intakes and square fake fog lamps that feature daytime running lamps around the outer edges.

The rear door handles are hidden within the rear C-pillars, while the charging port looks like it will be located on the passenger side’s front fender.

Red elements along the gutter and rear tailgate spoiler emphasise its sporty nature, and the two-tone paint scheme suggests the R5 will feature the option of a black roof.

Even the deep front splitter and the large side skirts carry over from the concept, which suggests even the entry-level versions won’t compromise on visual punch.

Renault has yet to officially comment on the latest leak, nor release full details of the next-gen R5, but it has announced that flagship versions will come with a 52kWh battery that will provide for a range of up to 400km.

The French brand has also confirmed that the R5 will be the first car to be based on the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s all-new CMF-B EV architecture created specifically for small EVs.

Slashing costs, the new underpinnings share as much as 70 per cent of parts from the CMF-B combustion platform that’s used for the current Renault Clio.

That, according to Renault, makes the R5 up to 30 per cent cheaper to build compared to the Renault ZOE – a hint the baby Renault EV could come with cut-throat pricing.

Despite being developed to cut costs, the new architecture still gets a sophisticated multi-link rear suspension. Combined with a lower centre of gravity, the R5 could set a new benchmark for handling in the EV hatch segment.

Kilo-cutting has also been at the top of the agenda with engineers pioneering a new split power pack that divides the 52kWh battery into four modules for an enhanced energy density and less weight, with the novel arrangement said to slash 20kg alone off the ZOE’s traditional battery.

A further 20kg is saved by integrating the charger converter and electronics into one casing, while an even lighter 40kWh battery will be offered for the cheapest versions.

When launched, it’s thought the most basic Renault 5 will come with a single 100kW electric motor that will drive the front wheels.

That doesn’t sound like much, but a hot hatch version – as previewed by the Alpine A290 Beta concept – will arrive later with a more powerful 160kW electric motor.

When it lands, the Alpine-branded A290 baby hot hatch will rival the Abarth 500e, explaining why it will also bag sports suspension and a more aggressive body kit.

Faster variants will follow, including one, we hope, that will be inspired by the wild 280kW Renault 5 Turbo 3E.

Once introduced, the R5 will launch some fresh tech for the brand and will be the first Renault capable of bidirectional vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging.

Following its debut at the Geneva motor show on February 26, the 2024 Renault 5 is expected to carry a price tag of around €25,000 ($A41,000).

There’s no word yet on when exactly the R5 will arrive in Australia, but the small hatch and the incoming R4 SUV have been confirmed for our market.

Another even more fascinating prospect could arrive later on with the debut of the cheaper-still Renault Twingo that’s expected to be closely related to the most recent concept of the same name and carry a price tag of less than $30,000.

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