Renault 4 E-Tech Joins The Manufacturer’s Lineup Of Retro-Inspired EVs

Renault is playing the history card with new EVs like the 4 that was just revealed at the Paris motor show.

Renault 4 E-Tech 2024

Photo by: Renault

Andrei Nedelea

By: Andrei Nedelea

Oct 14, 2024 at 8:31am ET

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Renault 4 E-Tech debuts as the more practical alternative to the 5 E-Tech hatchback.
It shares 68% of the hatchback's components in a slightly larger and more practical body.
It offers up to 250 miles of WLTP range, bidirectional charging and ChatGPT integration.

Making electric vehicles appealing to buyers is becoming more challenging due to the increasing number of models in the segment and increased competition among automakers. Renault wants to make its electric models, at least its smaller offerings for now, stand out by infusing them with revived classic designs from the company’s past.

After launching the Renault 5 E-Tech modeled after the 1970s classic city car bearing the same name, it showed the prototype for an upcoming Twingo revival inspired by the 1990s model. Now it has revealed the Renault 4 E-Tech, a B-segment electric crossover that harkens back to the classic 4L that was in production for over 30 years, between 1961 and 1994.

Over 8 million 4Ls were built, so it was a very common sight on European, South American and African roads, and its iconic shape should be instantly recognizable to buyers, or so Renault hopes. The manufacturer is positioning the 4 E-Tech as the more practical, more spacious alternative to the 5 E-Tech hatchback, targeting a broader audience that includes young families.

It’s 163 inches (4.13 meters) long, or about 6 inches shorter than a Chevy Bolt EUV, it has 7.1 inches (18 centimeters) of ground clearance, and its trunk has a maximum load volume of 14.8 cubic feet (420 liters). Underneath its retro-futuristic body is the same bespoke EV platform that underpins its hatchback cousin, the 5.

Only front-wheel drive is offered, with either a 121 hp motor that produces up to 166 lb-ft of torque or a more powerful 148 hp unit with a peak torque rating of 181 lb-ft. The latter can sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 8.5 seconds and the top speed is limited to 93 mph (150 km/h) for both variants.

Two battery packs are available: 40 kilowatt-hours and 52 kWh, with WLTP range ratings of 186 miles (300 km) and 250 miles (402 km). Both can DC fast charge at up to 100 kW from 15% to 80% in about 30 minutes. The 11 kW onboard charger can bring the battery from 10% to full in four and a half hours.

Gallery: Renault 4 E-Tech 2024

Renault 4 E-Tech 2024

Source: Renault

Like the Renault 5 E-Tech, the 4 E-Tech has bidirectional charging capability at up to 11 kW, allowing it to run appliances or power tools (V2L) and return energy to the grid (V2G), but it can't power your house (V2H). Unlike older Renault (and Nissan) EVs, the revived 4 and 5 have a heat pump that helps warm the cabin more efficiently in winter while also helping the vehicle keep its battery pack at optimum operating temperature.

The 4 E-Tech shares 68% of its components with the 5 E-Tech, including the independent front and rear suspension setup, and even with its slightly larger footprint and crossover form factor, it’s still light for an EV. The small-battery variant weighs just over 3,100 pounds (1,400 kilograms).

Its exterior design stays close to the 4ever Trophy concept, which drew a lot from the original, but it is a lot less aggressive, ditching the study’s bulging flanks and large overfenders. Maybe Renault is planning to launch a more off-road-oriented variant that will more closely mirror the 4ever Trophy concept—there is a niche for EVs that can handle rough terrain, and it would certainly boost the model’s cool factor and appeal.