The Renault 4 E-Tech is a
battery electric subcompact crossover SUV
Subcompact crossover SUV is an Car classification, automobile segment used to describe the smallest segment of crossover SUV, a type of sport utility vehicle, below the compact crossover SUV. Subcompact crossover SUVs are usually based on a plat ...
produced by French manufacturer
Renault
Renault S.A., commonly referred to as Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English), is a French Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company curr ...
since 2025. It is based on the same
AmpR Small platform as the
Renault 5 E-Tech
The Renault 5 E-Tech is a B-segment battery electric car produced by the French manufacturer Renault since 2024. Inspired by the original Renault 5 in styling, the 5 E-Tech was previewed by a concept car shown in January 2021, with the producti ...
, and takes its name from the
Renault 4
The Renault 4, or R4 in short (and 4L, pronounced "Quatrelle" in French ), is an economy car built by the French company Renault from 1961 to 1994. Although the Renault 4 was first marketed as a short estate or wagon, its minimal rear o ...
hatchback that was produced from 1961 to 1994.
Overview
History
In 2021, the Renault 4ever was announced as one of several new EVs Renault would introduce by 2025. "4Ever" is the name of the EV project that resulted in the 4Ever Trophy prototype
concept car
A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle or show vehicle) is a car made to showcase new styling or new technology. Concept cars are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not ...
first shown at the
Paris Motor Show
The Paris Motor Show () is a biennial auto show in Paris. Held during October, it is one of the most important auto shows, often with many new production automobile and concept car debuts. The show presently takes place in Paris expo Porte de V ...
in October 2022.
The 4 E-Tech is a compact
crossover
Crossover may refer to:
Entertainment
Music
Albums
* ''Cross Over'' (album), a 1987 album by Dan Peek, or the title song
* ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987
* ''Crossover'', an album by Intrigue
* ''Crossover'', an album by ...
cousin of the forthcoming all-electric
Renault 5 E-Tech
The Renault 5 E-Tech is a B-segment battery electric car produced by the French manufacturer Renault since 2024. Inspired by the original Renault 5 in styling, the 5 E-Tech was previewed by a concept car shown in January 2021, with the producti ...
. Both the 4 E-Tech and 5 E-Tech are based on the same
AmpR Small platform; because the AmpR Small platform shares half of its components with the existing
CMF-B platform, production costs are expected to be two-thirds of the current B-segment EV offered by Renault, the
Zoe.
The 4 E-Tech is expected to sell at a premium compared to the 5 E-Tech;
the relationship between the 5 E-Tech and the 4 E-Tech is expected to be analogous to the relationship between the CMF-B based
Clio
In Greek mythology, Clio ( , ; ), also spelled Kleio, Сleio, or Cleo, is the muse of history, or in a few mythological accounts, the muse of lyre-playing.
Etymology
Clio's name is derived from the Greek root κλέω/κλείω (meaning ...
and
Captur.
[
A commercial ]panel van
A panel van, also known as a delivery van (United Kingdom), blind van, car-derived van or sedan delivery (United States), is a small cargo vehicle with a passenger car chassis, typically with a single front bench seat and no side windows behind ...
variant is also planned which will share the front end and front compartment of the 4 E-Tech with an enlarged cargo area, similar to the relationship between the ''R4 Fourgonnette'' and the original Renault 4.
The 4 E-Tech will be built alongside the 5 E-Tech at Renault ElectriCity, a planned union of three existing Renault factories in northern France, Douai
Douai ( , , ; ; ; formerly spelled Douay or Doway in English) is a city in the Nord (French department), Nord département in northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe (rive ...
, Maubeuge
Maubeuge (; historical or ; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department in northern France.
It is situated on both banks of the Sambre (here canalized), east of Valenciennes and ab ...
, and Ruitz; ElectriCity is scheduled to produce 400,000 EVs per year by 2025. Both the SUV and van variant of the 4 E-Tech will be assembled at Maubeuge, while 5 E-Tech will be assembled at Douai; because the AmpR Small cousin Nissan Micra EV also will be assembled at Douai, production of the 4 E-Tech SUV was shifted to Maubeuge. In addition, Renault plans to build a new battery factory in Douai as a joint venture with Envision AESC.[
]
Earlier use of "4ever" and electromod
In 2011, Renault sponsored the "Renault 4ever" contest that "aim dto revive the R4's spirit" and celebrated the original R4's 50th anniversary. The contest was held conjunction with the web magazine ''designboom
''Designboom'' (stylized as ''designboom'') is a daily web magazine headquartered in Milan and covering the fields of industrial design, architecture, and art internationally.
History
Launched in 1999, the publication was the first web magazin ...
''. The competition was won by Mark Cunningham, who received a vintage R4 rally car.
In 2019, a vintage ''R4 Plein Air'' convertible was restored and shown at the 10th annual Renault 4L International Festival in 2019. The one-off electromod
An electromod is a vehicle that has been restored and modified by electric vehicle conversion, converting its drivetrain to operate as an electric vehicle (EV). The term is a portmanteau of electrification and restomod, itself a portmanteau of r ...
also was fitted with a battery-electric powertrain borrowed from the Twizy; the single traction motor had an output of and of torque, and the 6.1 kW-hr battery gave it a range of approximately .
Production model
The production model was revealed on 15 October 2024 at the 2024 Paris Motor Show
The 2024 Paris Motor Show (in French ''Mondial de l'automobile de Paris'' or ''Mondial de l'Auto'') took place between October 14 and 20, in the Porte de Versailles exhibition pavilion, the first day the show was open to the public on October 15, ...
.
File:Renault 4 E-Tech Electric - 04 (cropped).jpg, Rear view
File:Renault 4 E-Tech Electric - 06.jpg, Interior
Safety
Concept car
A few teaser photos were released on 4 October, ahead of the official debut on 17 October 2022. The concept 4Ever Trophy was built to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the 4L Trophy
The 4L Trophy is a yearly humanitarian rally across the Moroccan desert. Established in 1997 upon the initiative of Jean-Jacques Rey, it is organised by Desertours in a partnership with ESC Rennes School of Business. The rally can only be joined b ...
humanitarian rally, and was equipped with modifications to increase its off-road capabilities, including a raised suspension giving a ground clearance
Ride height or ground clearance is the amount of space between the base of an automobile tire and the lowest point of the automobile, typically the bottom exterior of the differential housing (even though the lower shock mounting point may be l ...
of and a custom carbon-fibre roof rack with LED lighting housing the vehicle's spare tire
A spare tire (or stepney in some countries) is an additional tire (or tyre - see spelling differences) carried in a motor vehicle as a replacement for one that goes flat, has a blowout, or has another emergency. ''Spare tire'' is generally a ...
.
References
External links
*
*
{{Renault
4 E-Tech
Cars introduced in 2024
Subcompact crossover sport utility vehicles
Retro-style automobiles