Called CMF-B EV, the architecture is an evolution of the CMF-B platform currently found under several mass-produced models, including the Clio andsold in numerous overseas markets. Keeping costs in check was one of the design team's main priorities, so about 70% of the components are shared between the two platforms. In turn, this should make the CMF-B EV platform approximately 30% cheaper to build than the architecture that currently underpins tRenault stresses that the platform is modular.
It's too early to provide technical specifications, so we'll need to be patient to find out the 5's horsepower and driving range. In terms of design, we're not expecting significant changes; Renault will very likely tone down the more futuristic styling cues that characterize, including the headlights, but the overall proportions and the references to past models should carry over without major updates.
Renault has built the first nine prototypes and its engineers have started testing them around the world. This is fairly common in the car industry: cold-weather tests are being carried out in Arvidsjaur, a town located south of the Arctic Circle in Sweden, while other tests are being performed on private test tracks far away from prying eyes. Development work will continue in the coming months, and the production version of the 5 is scheduled to make its debut in 2024.