Renault builds 100,000th R5 at Douai gigafactory in France
The 100,000th all-electric Renault 5 has rolled off the production line at the French carmaker’s dedicated EV plant in Douai, France.
Released in October 2024, the 100,000th R5 was a techno +model with a 52kWh battery – the most popular configuration of Renault’s multiple prize-winning supermini. Since its arrival, the R5 has taken claimed awards including European Car of The Year, Best Electric Small Car, and most recently, Scottish Car of the Year.
Located 45 minutes from Lille in Northern France, the 118-hectare Douai facility sits at the heart of the Renault ‘ElectriCity’ complex. The facility is also home to its Ampere division – Renault’s electrification arm responsible for its ultra-successful range of EVs. As well as the R5, the Douai-based ‘Renaulution’ has overseen the development of the Renault 4, the Megane, the Scenic, the Alpine A290 hot-hatch, and the upcoming Twingo.
After hitting its latest milestone, Douai plant director, Pierre-Emmanuel Andrieux noted: “A little over a year after its launch, the production of the 100,000th Renault 5 in Douai stands as a testimony to the dedication of our teams and the trust of our customers.
“The Ampere site in Douai has undergone a profound transformation toward full electrification, driven by the passion and expertise of its workforce. Today, we celebrate far more than a number: we honour our collective ability to write a new chapter in sustainable innovation.”
Renault’s Douai factory builds six models on a single production line, which produces some 900 cars daily. Approximately 600 of these are Renault 5s. As well as the R5 and its sister cars – the A290 and the Nissan Micra – Douai manufactures the Megane, the Scenic, and the newly-announced Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross. This concentrated approach allows Renault to build quicker, cheaper, and greener.
In its aim to be a net zero manufacturer in Europe by 2040, two-thirds of Renault’s EVs part supplier are located within a 300-kilometre radius of Douai, while most customers fall within the 1,000km bracket. By having these nearby, transport carbon emissions to and from the factory are reduced by some margin.
Anne-Catherine Brieux, the vice president for Ampere and Alpine, described Renault’s latest EV success story as testimony to “French industrial sovereignty.”
“This achievement is built upon the strength of a unique and efficient local ecosystem spanning the entire value chain, bringing together Douai, Cléon for electric motors, Ruitz, as well as our partners and suppliers rooted in the heart of the Hauts-de-France region,” she commented.
“More than an industrial success, it is a human and collective adventure that proves our capacity to combine speed, innovation, and the creation of sustainable value for our customers and our regions. The Renault stands as a flagship of our ability to transform an iconic model into a driver of competitiveness and French industrial sovereignty.”
Renault isn’t the only EV maker to hit the 100,000 car milestone with a new model in 2025. Skoda recently produced its 100,000th Elroq at its hometown factory in Mlada Boleslav, Czechia.
