Marseille: Here is the estimated range of the electric Renault 5 on the motorway

The Renault 5 E-Tech has a theoretical range of 400 km in its version equipped with a 52 kWh battery. We explain to you why the electric R5 will not be afraid of long highway journeys. To connect, for example, Paris to Marseille. But if you choose the right version.

The new Renault 5 E-Tech (which we were able to get on board with) has every chance of becoming the car of the year in 2024 and eclipsing the Renault Scenic E-Tech which has just received this distinction. It must be said that Renault’s proposal is attractive: an affordable price (from 25,000 euros), and a theoretical maximum range that can reach 400 km, and with fast charging.

But be careful, because as we mentioned in another article, the entry-level version of the electric R5 with a 70 kW (95 hp) engine will completely skip DC (direct current) fast charging. Instead of less than 35 minutes, it will then take about 2.5 hours to recharge a 40 kWh battery from 10 to 80% with 11 kW AC (alternating current) charging.

Fast charging for the highway

The good news is that other versions of the Renault 5 E-Tech will integrate fast charging with a power of 80 or 100 kW depending on the battery. A 90 kW (122 hp) motor with a 40 kWh battery (300 km WLTP range) or also a 110 kW motor (150 hp) with a 52 kWh battery with a 52 kWh battery (400 km range). And that changes everything.

You may have already read our article on this topic. But 400 km of theoretical autonomy, on an electric car, allows you to cross France without any problems, from Paris to Marseille. Basically, a Tesla Model 3 with a 50 kWh battery requires 1 hour 20 minutes of charging (in four stops) to travel 800 km. But it recharges in 25 minutes, about 10 minutes faster than the R5.

According to our estimates, with the R5 E-Tech and its 52 kWh battery, you should plan on about 25 extra minutes of charging. Total charging time with the same number of stops is 1 hour 45 minutes. This is better than the standard MG4 equipped with an equivalent battery (51 kWh) but which consumes more and recharges slightly more slowly, and much better than the Renault Zoé (52 kWh), which takes much longer to recharge. Reason: Its fast recharging which is not really the case due to power limited to 50 kW.

Be careful to choose the right version

This small theoretical exercise should of course be supplemented by testing in real situations. But it allows us to understand that autonomy is not the main argument of electric cars for long journeys. Recharge speed is very high. This is what makes it possible to avoid an increase in the price of the car, but also its weight. And so to control your usage.

With optimized usage, adequate size battery and fast charging, the Renault 5 E-Tech is a compact car. But it is capable of being used as a main car, and capable of some annual long journeys on the motorway on holidays or weekends. As long as you choose the right version with DC fast charging.

---