By Ray Massey
Updated: 18:30 AEDT, 14 October 2024
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One of the most iconic French family cars of the 20th century has been reborn for the electric era.
The Renault 4 E-Tech, which has a 'retro-futuristic' design and a circa 250-mile range, aims to do the same versatile job as the original 1960s legend and and follows on from the earlier Renault 4EVER Trophy concept car shown at Paris Motor Show in 2022.
It's expect to cost from less than £30,000 when it goes on sale next year.
The fabled Renault 4 is back for the 21st century as a family-friendly EV that's expected to cost between £28,000 and £35,000
For three decades following its 1961 launch, the Renault 4 was the mainstay of the French middle classes
For three decades following its 1961 launch, the Renault 4 was the mainstay of the French middle classes.
It revolutionised the car market - gaining cult status among busy families, and proving a big hit among women selling more than eight million units in 100 countries in the years up to 1994.
But today the new 4 E-Tech seeks to capture the spirit of the original car and its charismatic design elements just for a modern world; it's been designed for everyday needs and to be as equally appealing to women and men.
Even with practicality in mind Renault hasn't done away with the iconic design that made so many people fall in love with the 4 back in the day; the 4 EV of today invokes the 60's car in order to 'seduce' a new generation of customers
In 1956 Renault CEO Pierre Dreyfus told his team to create a car that's equally at home in the city and countryside, on mountains or motorways – for the every day and every weekend. He demanded, 'give me something with volume!'
At 1.57m tall it is the same height as the Captur but with an extra 1.2m of ground clearance, and Renault says it is similarly proportioned inside to the Captur; you get 16.4cm of knee room in the second row and 85.3cm of 'generous' headroom.
Even though the 4 E-Tech is longer than the R5 EV it will share the same EV platform and 68 per cent of its components with its smaller sibling
The electric tailgate is concealed inside the bumper for a 'wow factor' opening
Size-wise the 4 E-Tech is in-between a Clio and a Captur: at 4.14m long it's 9cm longer than a Renault Clio but 9cm shorter than a Captur.
At 1.57m tall it is the same height as the Captur but with an extra 1.2m of ground clearance, and Renault says it is similarly proportioned inside to the Captur; you get 16.4cm of knee room in the second row and 85.3cm of 'generous' headroom.
The 4 E-Tech is built on Renault's new bespoke AmpR platform and it's not the only reincarnated car that is; Renault is also bringing back the fabled 5 as a new electric R5 hatchback.
Even though the 4 E-Tech is longer than the R5 EV it will share the same EV platform and 68 per cent of its components with its smaller sibling.
But the larger and more flexible R4 is aimed at a broader audience, including young families, than the smaller city-focused R5 hatchback. It's pitched as a rival to Tesla's Model Y, Citroen's cheap e-C3, Kia's new EV3 and the Jeep Avenger.
And it promises to live up to the flexible load-lugging rural and urban use of the original 4.
Renault said a total of 8,15,424 original R4s sold in 100 countries on five continents over more than 30 years. The new car will be built in Northern France
It has a spacious 420 cubic litre boot which includes 35 litres of ingenious underfloor storage compartments, as well as four 'lashing hooks', two bag hooks and a rubber band to secure objects
In 1956 Renault boss Pierre Dreyfus told his team to create a car that's equally at home in the city and countryside, on mountains or motorways – for the every day and every weekend. He demanded, 'give me something with volume!'
The 21st EV to come out of the similar but updated brief, has a spacious 420 cubic litre boot which includes 35 litres of ingenious underfloor storage compartments, as well as four 'lashing hooks', two bag hooks and a rubber band to secure objects.
Renault's also included a low loading sill, a folding rear bench seat and a flat-folding front passenger seat to allow long loads like surf boards. The electric tailgate is concealed inside the bumper for a 'wow factor' opening,
But even with practicality in mind Renault hasn't done away with the iconic design that made so many people fall in love with the 4 back in the day; the 4 EV of today invokes the 60's car in order to 'seduce' a new generation of customers.
There's an optional retractable canvas roof for wind-in-the-hair motoring as per the original, updated round LED headlamps, distinctive upright three-part pill-shape rear taillights and a distinctive trapezoidal-shaped quarter windows above the rear wheels.
The three sculpted side stripes along the side bring to mind the plastic door protectors of the original.
Renault says the one-piece illuminated grille is a world-first; it forms a continuous oblong-shaped tube of light stretching around the main interior grille and distinctive round headlights, with an illuminated Renault badge at its centre.
The driver has a 10.1-inch digital instrument panel (only seven-inch in entry-level models) alongside a 10-inch central screen with comes with Google inbuilt and ChatGPT.
The seat fabric of the Techno and Iconic trim levels are from recycled fibres from plastic bottles – a nice sustainability tick.
Premium Harman Kardon 410W system already present in the Scenic E-Tech electric - which features nine speakers and a subwoofer in the boot – are carried cross to the new 4 EV.
There's also a range of fun 3D printed accessories including a binnacle organiser, additional stroage compartments, 'e-pop' lip-stick tube covers for the gear-shifter handles (first seen on the R5) and the much-loved baguette holder.
The driver has a 10.1-inch digital instrument panel (only seven-inch in entry-level models) alongside a 10-inch central screen with comes with Google inbuilt and ChatGPT
Renault says the one-piece illuminated grille is a world-first; it forms a continuous oblong-shaped tube of light stretching around the main interior grille and distinctive round headlights, with an illuminated Renault badge at its centre
The seat fabric of the Techno and Iconic trim levels are from recycled fibres from plastic bottles – a nice sustainability tick
Renault's up the environmental credentials on its new R4: 88.6 per cent of the car can be recycled and 26.4 per cent of its materials already are.
Green campaigners will also be pleased that the motor has no permanent magnets and uses no rare earth metals, thus 'reducing its environmental impact' says Renault.
Three-quarters of suppliers (75 per cent) are located within a 190-mile radius of this so-called Renault 'ElectriCity' complex.
The new R4 is available in 40kWh and 52kWh versions with two power levels: 90kW and 110kW
Useful for those out of town trips, the new R4 also has an 11 kW AC bidirectional charger which can both charge accessories and return excess charge to the grid when not required.
Battery, range and driving
While the 4 was all about versality, the electric performance of this car today is just as important.
The new R4 is available in 40kWh and 52kWh versions with two power levels: 90kW and 110kW.
The 110kW produces 150bhp and will do 0 to 62mph in 8.5 seconds. Range is 248 miles, while rapid 100kW charging to 80 per cent takes 30 minutes
The 90kW (120 bhp) electric motor has a range of 186 miles, and while performance figures are yet to be confirmed it's expected to cover 0 to 62mph in around 9.5 seconds.
30 minutes on a 80kW charger will get you 80 per cent charge.
In both cases, top speed is electronically limited to 93mph.
To keep the 4 E-Tech nippy around town it has a turning circle of just 10.8m, for easy driving and U-turns on city streets.
And useful for those out of town trips, the new R4 also has an 11 kW AC bidirectional charger which can both charge accessories and return excess charge to the grid when not required.
The techno trim upwards has one pedal drive, and there are 26 driving aids in total to keep driver and passengers safe and sound.
The 4 will go on sale in Spring 2025 ahead of first showroom deliveries from the summer
Official prices are yet to be released but the new R4 range will likely cost between £28,000 to £35,000 - sitting between the Renault 5 and Renault Megane EVs.
There are three trim levels: Evolution, Techno (with a denim and copper twist) and Iconic (matching a hounds tooth with a yellow watch-strap style flourish).
There are seven colour options – from Glacier White to a new Hauts-de-France Green in tribute to the Île-de-France Blue of the 1960s – which feed into a staggering 670 possible combinations of colours, trims and wheels.
You can also personalise the roof, bonnet, wings and bumpers for extra flare.
The 4 will go on sale in Spring 2025 ahead of first showroom deliveries from the summer.
On sale: Spring 2025
First deliveries: Summer 2025
Price: from £28,000 to £35,000
POWERTRAINS AND BATTERIES
Comfort range versions:
110kW/150bhp electric motor/52kWh battery
Range: up to 248 miles
0 to 62mph: Under 8.5s
Charging times:
To 100% 11kW AC: 4hrs 30 mins
To 80% 100kW DC: 30 min
Top speed: 93mph
Urban range version:
90kW/120bhp electric motor
40kWh battery
Range: greater than 186 miles
0 to 62mph: Circa 9.5s
Charging times:
To 100% 11kW AC: 3hrs 30 mins
To 80% 80kW DC: 30 min
Top speed: 93mph
DIMENSIONS
Length: 4.14m
Width: 1.80m
Height: 1.57m
Wheelbase: 2.62m
Wheels: 18-inch
Ground clearance: 181mm
Weight: from 1,410 kilos
PRACTICALITY
Doors: 5
Seats: 5
Boot capacity: 420 litres
Towing capacity: 750kg
FEATURES
Optional retractable canvas roof
Illuminated grille
Retro styling cues
Low boot sill for easy of loading
Bespoke 3D printed accessories
Room for a surf-board
Bi-directional charging
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