Vive la Renault 4! Iconic 60s Renault returns as all-electric family car
Drawing inspiration from the original Renault 4, the new EV wants to be everything to everyone
by Chris Hall · T3Quick Summary
The Renault 4 is back as an all-electric car, packed with technology and looking to appeal to a wider range of drivers.
It will sit between the Renault 5 E-Tech and the Megane E-Tech in Renault's line-up.
The original Renault 4 was a huge success for the French car manufacturer. Selling over eight million cars worldwide over 30 years, it has been Renault's best-selling model. Following the rebirth of the Renault 5, the company has now unveiled the new Renault 4, in all-electric form.
The new model evolves the 4EVER Trophy that was revealed at the 2022 Paris Motor Show and it's fitting that the production model gets unveiled in Paris too. The car sits on the same AmpR Small platform as the Renault 5, with these models sharing 68% of their components.
The original Renault 4 was born at a time of change. It was designed to be a more practical car, with appeal for all drivers, propelled by the social changes of the 1960s. The capsule design was what made it iconic, with load space giving the freedom to do more than traditional car bodies. Those ambitions remain true of the new Renault 4 E-Tech.
The new Renault 4 E-Tech is a little larger than the Renault 5 and while it's a little shorter than the Captur, its overall dimensions are similar. It's a compact crossover, designed to be practical and affordable. The price hasn't been revealed, but Renault has said it will sit between the Renault 5 E-Tech (£23,000) and Megane E-Tech (£33,000).
Renault 4: The electric essentials
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There will be two options when it comes to power:
- 40kWh battery, 90kW motor (120bhp), 80kW charging, 185 miles range
- 52kWh battery, 110kW motor (150bhp), 100kW charging, 250 miles range
These two options are aligned as "urban" and "comfort", the idea being that you can choose the power options to better support your daily use. The car comes with an 11kW AC charger for home charging, and also supports V2L, meaning you can use the battery to power other devices, like a kettle when camping.
A modern twist on retro design
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Throughout the design of this car there are elements that nod to the original model. That can be seen in the shape of the grille and the bonnet, the easily-accessible rear - opening onto a 420-litre boot – and the optional canvas "Plein Sud" sunroof.
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But, there's also a lot that's very modern: there's wide use of recycled materials to be more environmentally responsible, while there's loads of technology onboard too.
There's a 10-inch central display paired with either a 10.1-inch or 7-inch driver display. The interior tech uses the OpenR Link system, which sits on Android Automotive, with full access to Google services. That means Google Maps, Google apps and Google Assistant, although Renault is also joining the AI trend, with Reno.
The Reno avatar can answer questions on demand, positioned as an expert on everything to do with the car. You can ask how to get the best range, for example.
Taking it a step further, Reno will also have access to ChatGPT to answer other questions when you're on the move.
To keep things sounding sweet, there's a 9-speaker 410W Harman Kardon system, the same as found in the Scenic E-Tech, with five listening modes created with Jean-Michel Jarre.
While all this sounds great, there's one important detail that you won't want to overlook: there is also the option for a wicker basket to carry your baguette.
The Renault 4 E-Tech will be on the road in 2025, full pricing is still to be announced.
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