Renault is also showing the production version of its new R4 at the Paris Motor Show. The press release says the Renault 4 E-Tech electric “takes up a natural position in the B segment, just above Renault 5 E-Tech electric. ”
Slightly bigger and roomier than the Renault 5 E-Tech electric, its positioning is similar to that of Captur in relation to Clio. While Renault 5 E-Tech electric is aimed at urban customers, Renault 4 E-Tech electric targets a broader audience, seeking to convert everyone to electric vehicles, including young families.
Versatility
The iconic Renault 4 is remembered as a multi-purpose, functional, and simple-to-drive car. It was the preferred choice for ordinary people, city dwellers, and farmers, and the Post Office, the Gendarmerie, and many others also used it.
When former Renault CEO Pierre Dreyfus, the father of R4, talked about ‘his baby’, he compared it to a pair of jeans. It was robust, functional, and, in its way, stylish. It appealed to all genders, ages, and even social classes.
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, for mountains and motorways.”
Demonstrating its versatility, the Renault 4 E-Tech electric combines exceptional boot space with a modular layout new to this segment. It includes 420 cubic liters of space, a low-load sill, ingenious storage compartments, a folding rear bench seat, and a flat-folding passenger seat.
At the same time, Renault increased the ground clearance, and the advanced Extended Grip traction control system ensures a comfortable ride on tarmac and bumpy tracks.
“All these features, along with the record-beating interior space, low center 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,” boasts the press release.
“This platform delivers significant economies of scale, with no trade-offs for customers, when shared with Renault 5 E-Tech electric. Renault 4 E-Tech electric is the compact car you need to stay cool in traffic jams and on long journeys.”
“With Renault 4 E-Tech electric, Renault is pursuing its efforts to bring electric vehicles into the mainstream in Europe,” says Fabrice Cambolive, Renault’s CEO. “This latest model rounds out an already broad range, with Megane, Scenic, 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 model 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.”
The top end of the B segment
According to Renault, the Renault 4 E-Tech electric is ideally proportioned for a vehicle positioned at the top end of the B segment. A vehicle that is compact, electric, and versatile by design. A long car that remains compact at 4.14m sits between Clio (9cm shorter) and Captur (9cm longer).
The wheelbase has been extended to 2.62m for increased interior space. The width remains moderate at 1.80m, sufficient to get around town without difficulty. It stands 1.57m tall, on par with Captur. The main difference between the two lies in the ground clearance. Renault 4 E-Tech electric has a clearance of 18.1 cm, 1.2 cm higher than Captur.
The front and rear suspension were taken from the Renault 5 E-Tech electric. They have been optimized here by adding a steering system with a short gear ratio (14:5) for greater comfort. Particular emphasis was placed on damping to make it more flexible for a smoother, more comfortable ride.
“The rear suspension features multi-link geometry, formerly reserved for vehicles further up the market. Its many advantages include more dynamic performance on tight corners, greater stability on wider corners, and an improved level of comfort with the reduction of percussion noise,” Renault claims.
Renault 4 E-Tech electric is the first Renault vehicle to feature the One Pedal function. Available from the Techno finish upwards, it works with the first three regenerative braking modes. Like them, it is activated from the steering wheel paddles.
Electric drive
Staking a claim to versatility, the main Renault 4 E-Tech electric model combines a 52 kWh battery with a 110 kW motor for a WLTP range of up to 400 km. The 52 kWh lithium-ion battery uses NMC (Nickel
Manganese Cobalt) technology “for the best energy density on the market today”. It comprises four large modules in one casing. This simplified architecture brings weight savings of 20 kg compared with ZOE. As a result, the battery now weighs less than 300 kg.
The 110 kW (150bhp / 245 Nm) motor of Renault 4 E-Tech electric is the same as that of Renault 5 E-Tech electric, based directly on the motor of the electric Megane and Scenic. With this motor, the Renault 4 E-Tech electric accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in under 8.5 seconds. The top speed is electronically limited to 150 kph.
All versions of Renault 4 E-Tech electric ship with an 11 kW AC bi-directional charger. In the 110 kW/52 kWh configuration, Renault 4 E-Tech electric also includes a 100 kW DC charger to connect fast-charging points, particularly on motorways. Charging times are as follows: 11 kW AC: from 10 to 100% in 4 hrs 30 min; 100 kW DC: from 15 to 80% in 30 min.
Renault 4 E-Tech electric is also available in a configuration with a 90 kW (120 bhp / 225 Nm)
motor and 40 kWh battery. In this case, it ships with an onboard DC charger of 80 kW. The WLTP
range exceeds 300 km according to WLTP standards.
Renault 4 E-Tech electric is the second vehicle in the Renault range (after R5) to ship with the new
11 kW AC bidirectional charger. It includes V2L (vehicle-to-load) functions for connecting a 220V device to the vehicle battery and V2G (vehicle-to-grid) for feeding electricity back into the grid and saving up to 50% on home charging.
Renault 4 E-Tech electric will be built in the ElectriCity complex at Maubeuge, alongside vehicles including Renault Kangoo. It capitalizes on the investments already made for the manufacture of Kangoo while also benefiting from several innovations, such as the ”jet print paint” robot for
two-tone painting.
There is no indication of an official price setting yet. Of course, it will be more expensive than its smaller R5 sibling.
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