At the 2024 Paris Motor Show last week, Renault officially took the wraps off its all-electric Renault 4 E-Tech, a retro-futuristic reinvention of the rugged economy car built by the French brand from the early 1960s to the mid-1990s. Built on the same AmpR Small platform but larger than the new electric Renault 5, with which it shares 68% of its components, the 4 E-Tech leans more in the SUV direction.

“With Renault 4 E-Tech electric, Renault is pursuing its efforts to bring electric vehicles into the mainstream in Europe,” said Fabrice Cambolive, CEO of the Renault brand. “This latest model rounds out an already broad range, with Megane, Scenic, and the all-new Renault 5 E-Tech electric. But we were missing a compact car with real space. Now we have it with this versatile, functional, modular vehicle with a large, easy-to-load boot–a car able to satisfy a wide variety of everyday needs. It’s a mainstream electric car in tune with its times, with a host of useful technologies for driving and comfort.”

Announced at the 2022 Paris Motor Show with the 4EVER Trophy show car, it continues the original Renault 4’s sense of go-anywhere practicality, with its increased ground clearance—1.2 cm (0.5 in) more than Renault’s more conventional Captur subcompact SUV. It offers impressive interior space for its size thanks to its extended 2.62-m (103.2-in) wheelbase.

The car is 4.14 m (163.0 in) long, 1.80 m (70.9 in) wide, 1.57 m (61.8 in) tall. Weight is from 1410 kg (3110 lb), with a towing capacity of 750 kg (1650 lb).

The rear seat occupants benefit from generous B-segment vehicle headroom of 85.3 cm (33.6 in). The suspension has been optimized for a smoother, more comfortable ride than the 5, while the steering system has been revised with a shorter ratio (14:5) and a tight turning circle of just 10.8 m (35.4 ft) for easy maneuvering on city streets.

 

Retro-futuristic design

Design inspirations from the original Renault 4 are many, including the front grille made from a single 1.45 m (4.76 ft) long piece but with a continuous and illuminated surround framing the center Renault logo. At the rear are the original’s iconic three-part lights given modern lines and an LED signature. Other nods to the original design are hood lines that continue to the bottom of the grille, the shape of the rear quarter window, the three lines sculpted into the doors that recall the plastic protectors of the original, and the distinctive forms in the roof, now with roof bars.

“Bringing Renault 4 back to life as a versatile all-electric city car of functional, ultra-modern design was a decision driven by passion and emotion,” said Gilles Vidal, VP of Design at Renault and its Ampere EV and software company. “It has everything that created the alchemy of the original, such as its instantly recognizable body style. At the same time, it is a bold, stylish city car of contemporary design, with a range of sophisticated, high-tech details.”

Also evoking the original is a canvas roof, now electric, that opens at the touch of a button or by voice control to reveal an 80 x 92 cm (31 x 36 in) view of the sky that can be enjoyed by all passengers. Drawing on the expertise of its partners Webasto and Haartz, Renault developed a roof whose lining offers superior acoustic and sealing qualities with a claimed no trade-off in weight or loss of headroom.

An exclusive new color, Hauts-de-France Green, pays tribute to the Île-de-France Blue of the 1960s and joins six other shades of Glacier White, Urban Grey, Diamond Black, Carmine Red, Terracotta Brown, and Cloud Blue. Two-tone options will also be available, ensuring more variation for customers.

Inside are dual horizontal screens. The central 10-in multimedia screen is standard and can feature the OpenR Link system with Google built-in. It provides access to a range of services including a variety of apps from the Google Play store like Google Maps, which offers charging-optimized route planning and activates pre-conditioning of the battery as a charging stop approaches.

First seen on the 5, the 4 E-Tech has the Reno virtual traveling companion avatar “with real personality.” It supports customers throughout their ownership experience, both inside and outside the car, and can answer questions and perform tasks such as scheduling charging. With the integration of the OpenAI’s ChatGPT artificial intelligence app, the avatar can also provide easily comprehensible answers to many general knowledge questions.

A powered tailgate, with a wide, high opening and low load sill, reveals exceptional rear cargo space of 420 L (14.8 ft³) extendable by a folding rear bench seat. The space has various touches such as the four lashing hooks, two bag hooks, rubber bands to hold objects in place, and clever storage compartments including a 35-L (1.2 ft³) underfloor area for the charging cable.

 

Bidirectional charging and two powertrains

Two powertrains are available, both equipped with a heat pump to maximize efficiency and bidirectional charging with V2L (vehicle-to-load) and V2G (vehicle-to-grid) functionality that can power external devices from the battery or feed electricity back into the grid. V2G requires a compatible wall box and energy provider, with expected availability during 2025.

The car uses a PowerBox Verso bidirectional charging point manufactured in France by Renault mobility service company Mobilize delivers output of up to 22 kW of alternating current. It communicates with the car and cloud to charge the battery or feed electricity back to the grid, depending on some conditions including the battery charge requirements.

The V2G function is enabled by an electricity contract from Mobilize. Based on a technological partnership with The Mobility House, this contract provides a guarantee of green energy, while allowing users to monetize the energy fed back into the grid through automated control of the bidirectional charge.

The upper spec powertrain has a 110 kW/245 N·m (181 lb·ft) electric motor that accelerates the 4 E-Tech from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in less than 8.5 s. The 52-kW·h NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) battery has a simplified architecture for a mass of less than 300 kg (660 lb) and provides a WLTP range of up to 249 mi (400 km). A 100-kW DC charger can replenish the battery from 15% to 80% in 30 min, or an 11-kW AC can charge from 10% to 100% in 4 h 30 min.

The lower spec powertrain has a 90 kW/225 N·m (166 lb·ft) electric motor and a 40-kW·h battery, coupled to an 80-kW DC charger, to offer a WLTP range greater 186 mi (300 km).

Ranges and charge speeds are pending WLTP certification.

The electric propulsion motor of the 4 E-Tech is more compact than those of the Megane and Scenic E-Techs on which it is based. It uses Renault’s preferred wound-rotor synchronous technology. It uses no permanent magnets, so no rare earths, thereby reducing its environmental impact.

A new One Pedal function optimizes regenerative braking, decelerating the vehicle smoothly when the driver releases the accelerator pedal and comes to a stop without the driver having to apply the brake. It joins an array of driving aids that enhance safety and driving comfort, many of which are rarely seen in the B-segment, including rear occupant safe exit alert, active driver assist combining adaptive cruise control with stop & go, lane centering assist, blind spot monitoring, and hands-free parking.

The Renault 4 E-Tech is built at Maubeuge in Renault’s ElectriCity complex, the electric motor by Ampere in Cléon, and the battery pack by Ampere in Ruitz. The batteries are produced at the Douai gigafactory through a partnership with AESC from March 2025.

About 75% of suppliers are within a 190-mi (290-km) radius of the factory, honoring Renault Group’s sustainability commitments. A little more than 26% of all materials are from circular economy sources. The seat fabric of Techno and Iconic trim levels is made from 100% recycled fibers. At the end of its life, the car has an overall recyclability of 88.6%.

 

4 movements

At the Paris Motor Show, the Renault 4 E-Tech reveal also followed a similar playbook to that of the Renault 5 E-Tech launch a year ago with its collaborative “5 movements” program. Alongside its stand in Hall 6, Renault had another stand in Hall 5 dedicated to new means of e-mobility, presenting the 4 E-Tech with a mini-caravan, plane, motorbike, and water bike from startup partners.

Each of the means of e-mobility making up the “4 movements” features Cloud Blue, the color of the first Renault 4 on its reveal in 1962. They also all include denim-effect upholstery and a headlamp design inspired directly by Renault 4.

“For the reveal of Renault 4 E-Tech 100% electric, we are proud to be partnering with four French startups presenting four all-electric means of mobility,” said Arnaud Belloni, Global Chief Marketing Officer, for the Renault Brand. “It’s a stylish way to show the general public how e-mobility has developed to encompass all forms of transport, including the 4L, which is now Renault 4 E-Tech 100% electric.”

The “4 Movements” program is part of Renault’s ambition to work with French firms inventing tomorrow’s mobility to create a new sustainable ecosystem. This launch is a key stage in Renault’s plans to transform the way its customers get around through eco-friendly solutions and a smarter approach to mobility that is also more fun.

The four means of mobility are available for pre-order at the Paris Motor Show and are intended for small-scale production. They will be available from next spring, like the Renault 4 E-Tech.

Aura Aero is a Toulouse-based company committed to accelerating the decarbonization of air transport. The company’s Integral E is a two-seat e-plane that is 7.26 m (28.3 ft) long with a wingspan of 8.78 m (28.8 ft). Delivering a unique eco-sustainable flying experience, it has an endurance time of 1 h, with battery charging in under 30 min.

Carapate Aventure was founded in 2019 to revive the teardrop trailers developed in the U.S. The lightweight and comfortable mini caravans are made near Nantes. Featuring retro-design lines, with a bed that doubles as a sofa and an indoor-outdoor kitchen, they weigh just 560 kg (1235 lb), making them easy to tow and set up.

Ateliers HeritageBike, based in Annecy, designs electric bikes and motorcycles with a focus on technology, luxury, craftsmanship, and French know-how. Inspired by 1980s design, the Heritage Spirit Scrambler is available with a 7-kW/280 N·m (207 lb·ft) motor and a battery of up to 4.6 kW·h for a standard range of 110 km (68 mi).

Searider, based in the Alpes-Maritimes area, builds water e-bikes. Seacruiser can travel at speeds of up to 55 km/h (34 mph) on water with its two 22-kW electric motors. Runtime is 90 min.