The Renault 5 was the UK’s best-selling new electric car in April 2026, as the French firm reports a surge in demand for EVs.
Electric cars accounted for almost half of Renault’s UK registrations last month, with EV sales given extra impetus by rising fuel prices.
The Renault 4 – AUTOBEST Best Buy Car of Europe 2026 – and the Renault Scenic both enjoyed greater popularity, as did the all-conquering Renault 5.
The Scenic and Renault 5 were successive European Car of the Year winners in 2024 and 2025.
In December 2025, just a year after production began, Renault announced the 100,000th new Renault 5 had been assembled – and sales have continued to surge.
This has been further boosted by the Renault 5 and 4 being eligible for the full Electric Car Grant.
The Renault Scenic gets the full Electric Car Grant of £3,750, too.
A market shift is underway
“We’re seeing a very clear change in the market,” said Renault UK MD Adam Wood, “with more customers actively moving towards electric as the cost of running a petrol or diesel car comes under greater scrutiny.”
Enquiries for electric Renaults have increased significantly in recent months, revealed Wood, following the war in Iran.
“Becoming the UK’s best-selling EV so soon after launch is a strong indicator of that shift.”
Renault 5 improvements
To keep it competitive, Renault has announced a series of running updates for the 5.
A one-pedal driving mode will now be available on Techno trim and above. First seen on the Renault 4, this adds a fourth level of regenerative braking so drivers can slow down and even bring the car to a halt using just the accelerator.
Stricter safety standards have also meant the introduction of a driver monitoring camera, and Renault has introduced new personalisation packs – including ‘PoweR5’ decals for the rear wings.
There is an updated connected services package as well, with up to 2Gb of data per month allowed for using in-car apps.
Are you surprised to learn nearly half of new Renaults sold in the UK last month were electric? Would you consider a new Renault 5 E-Tech? Let us know in the comments.
