Renault is planning to release a new low-cost electric car in 2024 called the Renault 5. It will be based on the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s CMF-B EV platform, which has been specifically designed for smaller electric vehicles. The new 5 will compete with other compact EVs such as the Fiat 500 and MINI Electric. The battery will be installed under the floor and the new platform will be cheaper to produce by about 30% compared to the old Zoe platform. The electric motor will also be relatively cheap to produce thanks to the use of copper instead of magnets – a Renault patent that reduces costs and is less harmful to the environment. The engine is expected to be energy-efficient thanks to the possibility of diverting current through the rotor. The new platform is expected to serve Renault 4 and Nissan Micra EV as well.
Intensive testing program
Renault engineers test prototypes at temperatures that reach as low as -30 degrees Celsius in Sweden, as well as at technical centers in Lardy and Aubevoye (Normandy). In the Arctic Circle, specialists carefully monitor all the car’s systems, including the electric motor, batteries, air conditioning system, brakes, shock absorbers and ESC system. On the other hand, the Aubevoye Technical Center is capable of reproducing any kind of stress that the car will be subjected to once it reaches the hands of future owners. The center is spread over an area of 613 hectares, has 35 special tracks, 42 testing lines, two wind tunnels and 18 rooms where the effect of corrosion is simulated. Of course, 217 hectares of forest keep prototypes away from curious eyes.
Batteries and charging
