Nissan's all-electric Micra rebadges Renault 5 with small tech advantages and identical mechanicals

Nissan’s new all‑electric Micra is mechanically identical to the Renault 5, sharing battery packs, electric motors, chassis components and many internal parts, the company said at the Micra’s European launch. The Micra goes on sale in the U.K. with a starting price of £21,495 when the government’s £1,500 Electric Car Grant is applied.

Company executives and analysts pointed to three principal reasons for the near‑identical engineering: the 25‑year strategic alliance between Nissan and Renault that promotes component sharing, the commercial logic of introducing the Micra about a year after the Renault 5, and Nissan’s fiscal constraints following a reported £3.8 billion net loss last year that make costly mechanical revisions impractical. Daily Mail motoring editor Rob Hull attended the launch in Rotterdam and drove the Micra as part of the launch programme.

Nissan’s design team sought to differentiate the Micra largely through exterior and interior styling rather than engineering. The company drew on the bulbous styling cues of the early‑2000s K12 Micra, giving the new model split elliptical LED daytime running lights, a gelato‑scoop indent along the doors and softer rear window contours. Inside, the Micra mirrors the Renault 5’s dual‑screen layout and three‑stalk control cluster, but uses different materials in an effort to create a distinct cabin ambience. The infotainment and digital instrument cluster are carried over from the Renault and support wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Under the skin, the Micra offers the same two battery options as the Renault 5: a 40 kWh pack paired with a 121 bhp motor and a 52 kWh pack paired with a 148 bhp motor, both front‑wheel drive. Nissan lists official WLTP range figures of up to 260 miles for the 52 kWh variant versus 252 miles for the Renault 5, an advantage the company attributes to the Micra’s revised bodywork and slightly improved aerodynamics. In real‑world mixed driving during the launch programme, the 52 kWh test car suggested a realistic combined range closer to 240 miles on a full charge when accounting for observed consumption.

Charging specifications mirror the shared hardware. The 40 kWh battery is limited to 80 kW DC charging, while the 52 kWh pack supports up to 100 kW DC. Both battery sizes use an 11 kW onboard AC charger for domestic or slower public charging. Nissan said a 15–80 percent DC fast charge can take roughly 30 minutes on suitably powerful public chargers; using a 7.4 kW home wallbox, full recharge times are around 6.5 hours for the 40 kWh battery and 8.5 hours for the 52 kWh pack.

On the road, the Micra inherits the Renault 5’s agile chassis and composed handling. Journalists at the launch described responsive city performance and stable high‑speed behaviour, with weighty steering and strong grip enabling precise cornering. Acceleration for the 148 bhp Micra is quoted at 0‑62 mph in about eight seconds. Reviewers noted the Micra feels more mature than its exterior dimensions suggest, with solid cabin acoustics and good high‑speed stability, although some low‑speed ride harshness was reported and tyre rumble was higher than in rivals fitted with narrower rubber.

Nissan adds a hardware and software difference the company says may appeal to buyers: a three‑stage adjustable regenerative braking system operated through paddles behind the steering wheel. Settings range from minimal regen to a firm one‑pedal mode that slows the car aggressively on throttle release. The system is intended to allow drivers to maximise energy recuperation and tailor braking feel; reviewers found the medium setting the most balanced for daily use.

Ergonomics and interior space reflect the battery‑under‑floor architecture. The Micra’s elevated seating position is a consequence of the floor‑mounted battery, which can make optimal seating adjustment more challenging for taller drivers. Front occupants have useful storage including sizable door bins, cupholders and a central console with a wireless charging pad. Rear accommodation is tighter: knee and headroom are limited for adults of average height, and tapering rear windows reduce rearward visibility. Nissan equips the Micra with parking sensors, optional reversing camera and active safety features such as lane‑keeping assistance and blind‑spot warning to mitigate visibility constraints.

Boot capacity is 326 litres, comparable with class peers, increasing to 1,106 litres with the 60/40 rear seats folded. The load sill is relatively high and the rear seats do not fold completely flat, which restricts the ease of loading longer or bulkier items.

Nissan priced the Micra in line with the Renault 5, reflecting the shared development and manufacturing costs. With similar predicted residual values and nearly identical mechanicals, observers said buyer choice will likely be driven by subjective preferences for styling, material finishes and small feature differences such as the Micra’s adjustable regenerative braking and its marginally longer WLTP range.

Nissan has framed the Micra as a pragmatic expansion of its small‑EV line‑up that leverages alliance synergies to control costs while offering customers a conventional supermini package in electric form. The Micra represents Nissan’s first fully electric entry in the small‑car segment that directly competes with the Renault 5, and the company said it expects the two sister models to be strong sellers within the supermini EV market.

The Micra’s arrival follows a trend among automakers to share electric vehicle architectures across brands to reduce development costs. Nissan executives said the company preferred styling and software differentiation over mechanical changes, citing both financial pressures and the proven drivability of the Renault‑derived platform. Whether buyers prefer Nissan’s softer retro‑inspired detailing or Renault’s more overtly retro Renault 5 aesthetic will determine uptake between the two near‑identical offerings.