Timetable for more affordable Tesla slips further
Musk no longer dangling the possibility of a 2024 rollout of his firm’s new offering
Vehicle is first to be manufactured on AmpR Small platform
French automaker Renault has unveiled its new electric Renault 5 E-Tech, committing to start production in France from summer 2025.
It is the first vehicle to be designed entirely on the new Ampere platform dedicated to B-segment electric vehicles, the AmpR Small.
The vehicle will come with two battery sizes – 40 kWh for a range of 300km or 52kWh for a range of 400km. It will start from €25,000 in Europe.
The E-Tech comes with an 11kW AC bidirectional charger that will enable consumers to use the vehicle as a battery asset, selling power back to the grid at times of peak demand.
“Renault 5 E-Tech electric is a car unlike any other. Its release coincides with a major shift by millions of Europeans towards a new mobility which is electric, connected, and sustainable," says Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo. "It also triggered the transformation of Renault Group into a next-generation automotive company."
Vehicles and batteries will be assembled at the Douai plant — one of the production sites for the original Renault 5 — with parts and components provided by a compact supply chain with a less than 300km radius.
“This commitment to competitive local production is the basis for the development of a European electric valley, specialising in the value chain of electric vehicles,” says Renault in its announcement.
Growing marketplace
In other launch news, Stellantis brand Peugeot has released a teaser video showcasing the interior of its new large electric SUV the E-5008.
The vehicle will be fully launched in March this year.
Elsewhere in the market, Ineos last week unveiled its all-electric 4x4, the Fusilier. Ineos will also produce an ICE range-extender model of the Fusilier to assuage range anxiety concerns.
This model contains a small petrol engine that powers a generator to maintain battery levels when external charging isn’t available.
“As we developed this vehicle, we quickly concluded that in order to move towards decarbonisation but continue making cars that consumers want to drive, we need a mix of powertrain technologies,” says Jim Ratcliffe, chairman of Ineos.
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