New Renault 4 Electric revealed: The French all-rounder is reborn
More than 30 years after the last one, the Renault 4 is back, now a small electric city crossover
The Renault 4 is back and it is completely new. In fact, it has very little to do with the model of the past, as it is now a small electric city crossover that does not, however, mind the occasional out-of-town excursion, thanks primarily to its highly advanced and proven mechanics.
One of the headlines of the Paris Motor Show 2024, on stage from 14 to 20 October in the French capital, it evolves the concept of retrodesign in terms of style, thanks to many references to the 1960s model, but in this case without exaggeration. Let's discover it in detail.
- New Renault 4 2024, the exterior
- New Renault 4 2024, the interior
- New Renault 4 2024, the mechanics
- New Renault 4 2024, the prices
New Renault 4 2024, the exterior
The new Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, that's its full name, is a B-segment crossover with dimensions of 4.14 metres in length (9 cm more than the current Clio but 9 cm less than the current Captur), 1.80 metres in width, 1.57 metres in height and with a very interesting wheelbase of 2.62 metres.
The fact that it is a true crossover can be seen by looking at the ground clearance, a good 18.1 cm, which is very high for the segment, and which, at least on paper, should allow the new small car from La Lausanne to tackle even some slightly rough terrain.
Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, front three-quarter view
Turning to the design, one of the most interesting features of this new car, talking about the exterior, is certainly its lines, which are inspired by those of the classic model of the past, but as already mentioned, without recalling it excessively.
At the front, for example, the 1.45 metre wide grille is one of the elements most reminiscent of the 1960s all-rounder, with a rather vertical profile that always remains illuminated, along with the Renault logo in the centre.
At the rear, on the other hand, the three-part vertical headlights are reminiscent in style of those on the historic model, which for those who remember them, were 'pill' shaped and one of the model's most distinctive features.
Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, three-quarter view from the rear
Another very important detail of the new small French battery-powered car is the large tailgate, which has been extended up to the bumper with the aim of achieving an almost record-breaking opening. This important detail is joined at the rear by a slanted rear window, reminiscent - at least in part - of the one on its ancestor.
Finally, among the accessories, there is also a special opening canvas roof, inspired by that of the original Renault 4 Plein Air, and roof rails not present on the original model.
Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, the side view
| Length | Width | Height | Wheelbase |
| 4.14 metres | 1.80 metres | 1.57 metres | 2.62 metres |
New Renault 4 2024, the interior
Moving on to the interior, even inside the new Renault 4 the style of the original car evolves in design, but adopts 21st century upholstery and technologies, which vary depending on the chosen trim levels, and which we will talk about later because there are many other things to say first.
Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, gli interni
The dashboard of the new Renault 4 is developed horizontally on several levels and houses a new horizontal infotainment system with screens of unspecified dimensions and accompanied by the steering wheel in common with the company's other electrics.
At the same time the air vents, just like those on the 1960s model, have also been designed horizontally and have been accompanied by fabric upholstery on the lower part of the dashboard: a prerequisite of some of the equipment.
Finally, the door panels are practical, as are the huge seats, designed almost like living room armchairs and again upholstered in different materials depending on the trim.
Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, the infotainment system
The boot, then, as mentioned, has a capacity of 420 litres (including 35 litres in the lower compartment), all of which can be used thanks to the very generous size of the hatch and the particularly low loading sill, which stands at 61 cm (10 less than the segment average).
The great practicality of the compartment also transpires from the various elements present in this space, such as the small compartments designed to store certain objects and the other side compartments designed to house the various accessories with which the car can be equipped.
Finally, the lower glove compartment has a door with two separate openings that prove useful especially when one side is blocked by cargo, while the other can be opened.
Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, the boot
There are three interior trim versions: Evolution, Techno and Iconic. The first is the access version and is characterised by light colour schemes and stitching that echoes the French flag motif.
Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, the dashboard detail
The second is called Techno and adds some important accessories and features seats upholstered in Jeans-like fabric, actually made of recycled polyester in a saturated blue colour, copper rivets and stitching along the sides of the seats and an easter egg reading 'Allez-y vous êtes en Renault 4', which translates as 'Yay! you're in a Renault 4'. Finally, the dashboard is upholstered in a quilted checked fabric.
Finally, the top of the range version is the Iconic, which features seats and headrests in houndstooth fabric with yellow stitching and watch strap motifs on the front seats, rear bench and dashboard, the latter of which is also embellished with laser-engraved and backlit 'Renault 4' lettering.
Finally, according to the company's statement at this early stage, at the technological level, all versions are equipped with the latest evolution of infotainment based on Google Automotive, developed vertically and integrating the en-route charge status manager, which searches for charging stations instead of the driver.
Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, detail of the interior
The last feature to be mentioned in the interior of the new Renault 4 is the fabric sunroof, a key design element of this new crossover, according to the manufacturer, which is a hallmark of the Plein Air version.
Available in black for both the Techno and Iconic trims, it was made by Webasto and Haartz with a plastic rather than metal structure and with the aim of maintaining very high acoustic and airtight qualities, thanks to the technologically advanced covering.
To open it, all you have to do is press a button that makes it retract, forming three folds instead of four, thanks to the absence of roof bars and the antenna, which is integrated in the rear window. The price is not yet clear.
Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, the canvas roof
New Renault 4 2024, the mechanics
But let's get down to business and talk about the most interesting part of this new Renault 4, namely the mechanics. The car is obviously based on the Renault Group's new AmpR Small platform, the platform of the Ampere division dedicated to electric vehicles in the B segment, which it shares with the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric, compared to which, however, it has 8 cm longer wheelbase.
The front end has been taken from that of the current Clio, Captur and Renault 5, but optimised with a steering with a short gear ratio (14.5) to increase comfort. Thanks to this modification, the turning diameter has been reduced to 10.8 metres. The rear end, on the other hand, has been equipped with multilink geometry.
Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, the name detail
In terms of powertrain, the car combines a 52 kWh battery with a 150 PS motor for a declared overall range, according to the WLTP cycle, of 250 miles, or a 40 kWh battery with a 120 PS motor and 186 miles.
The batteries, in particular, are based on NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) chemistry and are composed of several modules placed in a single container: a solution that, according to the French manufacturer, has made it possible in the design phase to reduce weight by around 20 kg compared to the ZOE.
The motors, on the other hand, are the same as those already available for the company's other electric cars, such as the new Renault 5, and have been designed starting from those of the Megane E-Tech Electric and the new Scenic E-Tech Electric.
As mentioned, the car has two power levels. The first of 120 PS and 225 Nm of torque, the second of 150 PS and 245 Nm of torque. The latter, in particular, allows the 4 to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in less than 8.5 seconds and run up to an electronically limited top speed of 93 mph.
An 11 kW bi-directional alternating current charger is standard for all versions and all can be recharged in direct current up to a maximum power output of 80 kW, in the case of the less powerful powertrain, or 100 kW, in the case of the engine with more horsepower.
| Power | Torque | AC/DC charging | Battery capacity |
| 120 PS | 225 Nm | 11 kW/80 kW | 40 kWh |
| 150 PS | 245 Nm | 11 kW/100 kW | 52 kWh |
Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, detail of the headlights
In terms of driving, then, according to the manufacturer's statement, the new Renault 4 is the company's first vehicle to be equipped with the One Pedal function, available from the Techno trim onwards and in addition to the first three regenerative braking modes that can be activated via the steering wheel paddles.
But that's not all. Unlike the Renault 5, the new Renault 4 has also been fitted with the new Extended Grip system (optional) with two new off-road driving modes for light off-road driving that act on the braking system and the ESP system: Snow and All-terrain, i.e. for snow and dirt.
New Renault 4 2024, prices
During the presentation at the Paris Motor Show 2024, Renault did not disclose the prices of the new Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, which will therefore also be announced in the coming weeks for Europe.
In any case, they should not stray too far from those of the Renault 5, which starts at €32,100 (incentives excluded) in Italy. In the UK we expect this figure to remain around the £25,000 to £27,000 area.
Renault 4 E-Tech Electric UK pricing will be announced in early 2025 with deliveries planned in the middle of 2025.
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Gallery: Renault 4 E-Tech 2024
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