Renault has confirmed the addition of one pedal driving and regen paddles to its retro electric 5 hatchback. 

The update comes as Renault reveals the 5 has become the bestselling electric car in the UK, amid continued growth in EV sales in April that have been announced by car industry body the SMMT. 

The French carmaker says that it has seen a “sharp increase” in interest in its electric cars in recent months amid rising fuel costs. 

The changes to the Renault 5 were expected, following deliveries of the almost identical new Nissan Micra to the UK with regen paddles and one pedal driving. Both cars are built in the same Renault factory in France, the so-called Electri-city plant. 

Renault says that the one pedal driving feature won’t be included on the entry level Evolution model that costs £21,495 thanks to its electric car grant eligibility, but will come as standard from the mid-range Techno trim onwards. 

Other improvements to the car include a new in-cabin camera that monitors driver attention and alerts you when you need to take a break, a range of new decals for personalising your 5 and an optional ‘connected services package’ that offers up to 2GB of data a month over a fixed contract for things like music.  

The retro inspired EV is based on the original Renault 5 hatchback from the 1970s, and has won lots of fans with its stylish looks. There’s even a £140,000 limited edition performance version that’s going to be available in 2027 that fans of the car (including our own Ginny Buckley) are already campaigning to be immortalised in Lego form.