Renault 4 E-Tech Electric Preview
We think it's safe to say the original Renault 4 can be neatly summed up in one word: versatile! Thirty years on from the end of its career, that same word is just as appropriate. Today, Renault 4 E-Tech electric – a car of the Renaulution – joins Renault's electric range as the car for every need. Its ambitions are expressed by the thinking behind its design: to reflect customer usage as widely as possible. To this end, it was designed for everyday needs as well as for weekends and leisure. It is ideal for both solo driving and family travel, with normal or intensive use of the boot. This of course is the legacy of the original R4. Like its predecessor, Renault 4 E-Tech electric is taking the long view with a new ambition: allowing everyone to explore the possibilities of electric vehicles. As the ‘blue-jean’ car of the 21st century, it is designed to do it all. It’s ready for the city and countryside, mountains and motorways.
Demonstrating its versatility, Renault 4 E-Tech electric combines exceptional boot space with a modular layout that is new to this segment. It includes 420 cubic litres of space, a low load sill, ingenious storage compartments, a folding rear bench seat and a flat-folding passenger seat – a first for a Renault electric vehicle! Everything you need for any purpose! At the same time, the increased ground clearance and advanced Extended Grip traction control system ensure a comfortable ride, both on tarmac and on bumpy tracks. All these features, along with the record-beating interior space, low centre of gravity, roadholding, One Pedal function and range of up to 400 km, were made possible by the dedicated AmpR Small platform, the only one of its kind in Europe. Shared with Renault 5 E-Tech electric, this platform delivers significant economies of scale, with no trade-offs for customers. Renault 4 E-Tech electric is the compact car you need to stay cool in traffic jams and on long journeys.
Renault 4 is back, but without nostalgia for the past. This much was clear from the muscular lines of the 4EVER Trophy show car in 2022. The aim was to transform and reinvent the legendary R4. With its retro-futuristic lines and stylish, go-anywhere looks, Renault 4 E-Tech electric is very much a contemporary car, adding a modern twist to some of the key features on the original Renault 4. The grille is the first aspect to catch the eye. Strongly inspired by the original Renault 4, it is nevertheless unique with its continuously illuminated surround and Renault logo in the centre. Made from a single piece (1.45m long), it is a world first in the automotive industry, a challenge addressed jointly by the Design, Engineering and Production departments at Renault and Ampere.
At the rear, the three-part lights gain a new lease of life with modern lines and a distinctive LED signature that pays homage to the capsule shape of the 60s icon. This has the unexpected effect of making the tailgate bigger than it appears. This was achieved by extending the door into the bumper for a bigger opening and lower load sill, in the same way as on the original Renault 4. The elegant rear quarter-light maintains not only its natural position on the side, but also the distinctive lines of its predecessor. The three identifying stripes sculpted into the door panels add a touch of distinction to the profile of Renault 4 E-Tech electric, bringing to mind the Renault 4 GTL. Finally, the roof maintains the emblematic design of the historic model, with the addition of roof bars for today’s needs.
Like all the latest Renault vehicles, Renault 4 E-Tech electric is packed with intuitive and useful technological innovations. These features deliver a new kind of onboard experience, based on well-being, simplicity, comfort, seamless connectivity and safety. An approach to innovation that is clearly part of the DNA of voitures à vivre, always seeking to make the best technology available to everyone. It starts with the experience behind the wheel. Renault 4 E-Tech electric is an agile vehicle delivering an exceptionally dynamic performance, with its optimised front suspension, and multi-link rear suspension, a feature previously reserved for segments further up the market.
Renault 4 E-Tech electric is also packed with advanced comfort and safety technology, including Active Driver Assist for level 2 assisted driving, no fewer than 26 driving aids, and My Safety Switch. This popular function on new Renault models lets drivers activate their preferred settings for five ADAS at the touch of a button. For enhanced safety, the new dynamic braking system combines braking and ESP in the same module to halve reaction time. Other functions include Fireman Access and occupant safe exit alert, as well as Safety Score and Safety Coach, already available on Scenic and Renault 5 E-Tech electric. Renault 4 E-Tech electric also includes the OpenR Link multimedia system with Google built-in, as well as Reno, the official Renault avatar, a new everyday companion. Working with the ChatGPT artificial intelligence chatbot, Reno completes the range of technologies available on Renault 4 E-Tech electric. Its role is to help customers understand aspects relating to electrical functions. It is easy to use, even for non-geeks.
Last, Renault 4 E-Tech electric comes with a new 11 kW AC bidirectional charger compatible with V2L (vehicle-to-load) and V2G (vehicle-to-grid) technologies. In this way, it can be transformed into an energy source and even become a player in the ecosystem by feeding carbon-free electricity back into the grid using Mobilize services. A wide range of services are also available for day-to-day driving with an electric vehicle: intelligent charging with Mobilize Smart Charge, access to over 800,000 charging points in 25 European countries with Mobilize Charge Pass and automatic charging without a badge or credit card with the Plug & Charge function. This is an exciting car for the brand and another nod to the heritage models that made the brand so successful in the past. We can't wait to see one on Irish roads!