Renault 5 - Range, charging & running costs

We’ve yet to sample a Renault 5 with the 40kWh-battery, but we found that it’s just about possible to match the claimed efficiency figures in the 52kWh model. Renault claims a 249-mile range is possible on a warm day, and driving quite gently on short sections of motorway, we were able to hit around five miles/kWh – enough to match that 249-mile mark. 

However, like all EVs, the R5 needs ideal conditions to reach these sorts of figures, so if the temperature falls or a higher proportion of your driving is on motorways, you’ll see a drop in overall efficiency. When driving in the UK with the outside temperature at around six degrees celsius and using all-season tyres that don’t yield the best range figures, we averaged 3.6 miles per kilowatt hour on a mixed driving loop, which translates into a real-world range of 187 miles. Around town, that figure grew closer to four miles/kWh (giving a range of about 208 miles), but on a motorway run, it was closer to 3.1 miles/kWh (161 miles).

Renault does fit a heat pump to all models to lessen the effect of cold weather, but if long-range driving is on the agenda, the Renault 5 might not be ideal as a full-time companion. 

The car is relatively simple in its technical make-up, and thanks to its low weight, parts like tyres and brakes should remain resilient. In fact, like most EVs, the general reliance on regenerative braking will mean wear on the friction brake components will be very low. 

There’s a B mode accessible through the gear selector, which will put on more regenerative braking force, but not enough to bring you to a full stop. There’s also no ability to tailor the amount of regen force within the drive modes – the two options are all you have.

Electric range, battery life and charge time

Renault’s peak DC charge speed for the R5 is rated at 100kW on the 52kWh model, and this will top up the car from 15 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. This isn’t groundbreaking, but it is marginally better than the MINI Cooper Electric and the same as the wide range of small Stellantis EVs. More importantly, when we stopped to top up at a public rapid charger, we saw the R5 hit 98kW, and it stayed close to that up towards 50 per cent capacity. The 40kWh model charges a little more slowly, at 80kW

The R5 has an AC charge rate of up to 11kW for home wallbox charging, although most UK households won’t be able to facilitate that because you’d need a three-phase electricity supply. Using a much more common 7.4kWh supply, it should take around 8.5 hours to fully recharge the 52kWh version from flat, and roughly 6.5 hours to do the same with the lower-capacity 40kWh model.

The R5 is also the first Renault to have V2L (vehicle to load) capability, which through the use of a small accessory plugged into the charge port, can power tools or appliances up to 220W. 

Tax

For now, like most EVs, the R5 does not attract any VED charges, but beyond April 2025 the rules will change. From then on, the R5 will attract a first-year VED rate of £10, rising to £190 per year thereafter. Given that the car comes in under the £40,000 threshold, there’s no luxury car tax addition.

Company car tax or Benefit in Kind (BiK) is charged at the lowest two per cent rate, as per all EVs, but beyond the 2024 tax year these rates will slowly increase year on year to five per cent by 2027/2028. This is still significantly lower than for most petrol or hybrid cars, which can run as high as 25 per cent. 

As an EV, the R5 is also exempt from the ULEZ and Congestion Charge in London, at least until 2025.

Insurance groups

Insurance for the Renault 5 should be relatively affordable compared with other small electric cars. The entry-level Evolution Urban Range 40kWh version starts off in group 18 (out of 50) – the same as the equally retro-styled Fiat 500 – and the more potent Techno Comfort Range 52kWh model is in group 22. That’s a lot lower than the MG4, which starts in group 27, or the Vauxhall Corsa Electric in group 28.

Depreciation

Depreciation rates have yet to be confirmed, but we’ll update this section when they are available.

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