With some retromodern touches but the latest tech, the Renault 4 E-Tech shows how serious the French multinational is getting with its EV strategy
The Renault 4 is back, this time as an EV.
In the spirit of the Renault 5 E-Tech, the all-new 4 E-Tech references the original, but has modern styling and the latest technology, with the choice of a 40 kWh or 52 kWh battery.
Unveiled at the Paris show today, the Renault 4 E-Tech has a chunky, upright appearance, looking like a crossover. Utilitarian it is not—that was an adjective that applied to the 1961–94 original, but the 4 E-Tech is a far more sophisticated item.
A distinctive grille up front is made from a single 1·45 m-wide piece, featuring an illuminated surround. There is an electric canvas roof measuring 80 by 92 cm, a reference to the original 4. The rear quarter window’s shape also recalls the original car.
It shares 68 per cent of its components with the 5 E-Tech, but is a larger vehicle, with a 2·62 m wheelbase and an overall length of 4·14 m. Boot space is 420 ℓ, and there is a 35 ℓ underfloor area for the charging cable.
Inside are two horizontal screens with a central 10 in multimedia screen. The Reno assistant can answer questions and perform basic tasks such as scheduling charging.
Range is 400 km for the 52 kWh battery models, and 300 km for the 40 kWh ones. The former comes with a 100 kW DC charger, which can take battery capacity from 15 to 80 per cent in half an hour, or an 11 kW AC charge from 10 to 100 per cent in four-and-a-half hours.
The 4 E-Tech is made at Maubeuge, France, with the motor at Cléon and battery in Ruitz. Renault says three-quarters of its suppliers are within 305 km of its factory. The seat fabric in the Techno and Iconic trims are made from 100 per cent recycled fibres, and 26·4 per cent of all the 4 E-Tech’s materials are from the circular economy. The car has an overall recyclability of 88·6 per cent.
Those in the UK who want to beat the queue in purchasing a Renault 4 E-Tech can purchase an R-Pass for £150, letting them place their order 10 days before others. Final price and specifications are to be announced, with UK availability from mid-2025.
Over 8 million of the original 4 were made in a 33-year production life, as Renault’s answer to the Citroën 2CV.
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