Officialized only a few days ago at the Geneva Motor Show, the new electric Renault 5 E-Tech can already be seen in dealerships. A small feat made possible by a hint of technology! The famous virtual reality.
It has already been three years since the new Renault 5 E-Tech was announced by the manufacturer. However, at the time it was a concept car, unveiled by Luca de Meo, boss of the brand, during the presentation of the Renaultion strategy in January 2021.
Already in showrooms
But it is finally during the Geneva show, which is taking place at this very moment, that the final version of the electric city car has just been made official. If we were lucky enough to be able to approach it and discover it in preview, customers will have to wait a little longer. And for good reason, the car will not be launched until next September. However, it is already possible to see it in showrooms.
In any case, this is what we learn from a post published on LinkedIn by Charlotte de Poorter, marketing assistant at a brand dealership located in Lille. Has the firm already received demonstration copies, even though production has not yet started? Well no, unfortunately. But the manufacturer is banking on another solution to make your new star visiblein almost real conditions.
How ? Thanks to augmented reality! In the photos published online, we see the new Renault 5 E-Tech taking place in the center of the dealership, as if it were already on display. A clever sleight of hand, which allows visitors to view the car from all angles. What better way to also realize the small proportions of the city car, which measures only 3.92 meters long, 1.77 meters wide and 1.50 meters high.
But how does this clever device work? For the moment, neither the manufacturer nor the dealership provides details on the latter. It seems that it is simply a matter ofa QR Code positioned on the ground to scan with your smartphone. The 3D image of the car then logically appears directly on the latter’s screen, allowing you to turn around it like a real car.
An expected model
For the moment, we do not know if this amusing initiative comes from Renault or if it was simply launched by GGP Auto, which owns a whole group of concessions in the territory. In any case, the latter allows customers to wait before the first deliveries of the car to showrooms. And for good reason, this one is already particularly anticipated, while pre-orders are already open for a deposit of 150 euros.
However, we do not know how many reservations have already been recorded by the manufacturer. For the record, the new R5 E-Tech is available in three power levels, with 95, 120 and 150 horsepower, as well as two different batteries, using NMC (nickel – manganese – cobalt) technology. The first has a capacity of 40 kWh and can cover 300 kilometers according to the WLTP cycle. However, it is the 52 kWh pack which will be launched first, with a range of 400 kilometers.
The city car also features bidirectional charging, and can charge from 15 to 80% in 30 minutes, at a power of 100 kW. Which still seems a bit long to us. It’s also a shame that it doesn’t have one-pedal driving, nor a little frunk at the front, unlike its rival, the Dacia Spring. The latter, which has just been restyled, should directly oppose the new R5 E-Tech Electric.
This will also be the case for the Citroën ë-C3, which we recently discovered and which will start from just 23,300 euros. The city car with the diamond will be under 25,000 eurosbut its price has not yet been officially announced.