As of: February 27, 2024, 9:17 p.m
By: Patrick Freiwah
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While VW is working on the first cheaper electric car in the brand's history, rival Renault is introducing an affordable electric car.
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Geneva/Munich - The relationship between costs and earnings presents Volkswagen with a huge challenge.
After all, VW managers have been focused for months on how the core brand's returns can be increased despite the enormous challenges of e-mobility.
This sometimes means that the long-awaited cheap electric car “made in Germany” is still a long time coming.
The electric VW Polo counterpart (probably as ID.2) will apparently not come onto the market until the beginning of 2026.
The problem from Wolfsburg's perspective: Some of the competition is significantly ahead when it comes to affordable electric cars.
Most recently, it is car manufacturers from France who are supplying the affordable electric car segment with new products.
Renault: VW rival presents the rebirth of the small car icon
Stellantis is in the midst of an electric offensive and, in addition to the models from its subsidiary brands Peugeot and Citroën, will soon also be bringing an affordable electric car for Fiat, which will be available from around 25,000 euros.
With Renault, another major VW rival is now introducing a cheaper electric car, it is the rebirth of a classic car: Renault R5.
The rare field of affordable electric vehicles will be expanded to include the striking small car in 2024.
The remarkable thing: The R5 rebirth already has many features on board in the basic version, which cost extra money elsewhere: for example, a navigation system, heat pump or the suitability as a mobile power storage device (V2L).
New Renault electric car R5 E-Tech at the Geneva Motor Show 2024. © IMAGO/Grégory YETCHMENIZA
Renault R5 was a bestseller in the last century
Strictly speaking, the French model is called Renault R5 E-Tech Electric, which will also be available in Germany from autumn.
The model name R5 is particularly familiar to older people: between the early 1970s and 1996, Renault produced and sold millions of vehicles of the type of the ancestor of the same name, which also became known in this country through cult advertising campaigns (“The Little Friend”).
The new Renault edition is smaller than other small electric cars (even the Renault Zoe is 16 cm longer), but has a loading volume of 326 liters, which is remarkable for this segment.
The R5 E-Tech Electric initially comes in three equipment variants and with two battery sizes that produce ranges between 300 and 400 km.
In the B segment of small cars, models such as the Citroën ë-C3 as well as the higher-priced Peugeot e-208 and Opel Corsa Electric will be the competitors before Volkswagen also goes after customers with the VW ID.2 from the end of 2025.
Renault and VW are negotiating a joint electric car project
However, the Renault R5 E-Tech will only be Renault's entry-level electric car for a short time: the brand is also planning a successor to the Twingo, which will be priced at under 20,000 euros.
However, the manufacturer does not want to undertake this tricky undertaking alone: according to Reuters
, Renault boss Luca de Meo has
confirmed discussions with Volkswagen about the joint development of the small car.
The talks are about sharing the Twingo platform, explained de Meo on the sidelines of the 2024 Geneva Motor Show, where the world premiere of the new Renault R5 also took place.
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At the end of last year it was already leaked from corporate circles that Renault wanted to decide on a partnership by the beginning of 2024.
Together with VW, the manufacturer could then implement the affordable electric car for the masses, which also suits Germany's largest car manufacturer for the planned VW ID.1 (as a successor to the e-Up).
(PF)