Renault 4 E-Tech is a retro-styled, electric family car

The 4 E-Tech is a reincarnation of the original Renault 4. The single-piece front grille – at 1,450mm wide, is unique to the industry according to Renault – is a direct copy of the classic, but the new EV has an illuminated border and a lit-up badge in the centre. The circular LED headlights are another retro touch matched by the lozenge-shaped tail lights. 

Like on the classic, the 4 E-Tech’s bonnet curves down to the front bumper, and you get a boot line that drops on a near-constant slope to the back bumper. Even the ribs in the Renault’s flanks nod to the protective cladding originally fitted to the classic.

Colours include Hauts-de-France Green, which pays tribute to the Île-de-France Blue of the 1960s; Glacier White, Urban Grey, Diamond Black, Carmine Red, Terracotta Brown, and Cloud Blue. Two-tone options will also be available.

A folding fabric roof, which slides back electrically or by voice command to reveal an 800mm by 920mm space, proves Renault is making more than token gestures to the classic. It’s said to have “excellent acoustic and sealing properties” with no impact on weight or interior headroom.

The new Renault 4 shares 68 per cent of its parts with the Renault 5, but it’s larger at 4,140mm long with a 2,620mm wheelbase, offering 164mm of rear legroom and 850mm of headroom.  

Inside, you’ll find an interior that’s very similar to the new 5’s, which is no bad thing. A ten-inch display driven by Google takes centre stage with charging-optimised Google Maps route planning. An avatar called Reno “supports customers throughout their ownership experience.”

Reno has nothing to do with the 420-litre boot, though, which is nearly a quarter bigger than the 5’s but slightly smaller than a Peugeot’s 2008 boot. It has patriot luggage bands embroidered with the colours of the French flag, lashing points, bag hooks and a 35-litre underfloor storage area big enough for your charging cables.

A ride height 120mm higher than a Renault Captur crossover means the new 4 should have some of the rough-road readiness of the original, with suspension optimised for comfort. Short ratio steering gives the 4 a 10.8-meter turning circle, and you get one-pedal braking that will bring the car to a stop when you take your foot off the pedal.

Two powertrains are available; both come with a heat pump to maximise efficiency and bidirectional charging with V2L (vehicle-to-load) and V2G (vehicle-to-grid) functionality. Basically, you can use your 4 to power household items – like a toaster, say – or sell electricity back to the grid. 

The top-of-the-line model gets a 52kWh battery mated to a 150PS (110kW) electric motor that produces 245Nm (181lb ft) for 0-62mph in 8.5 seconds and a 250-mile range.  The battery uses Nickel Manganese Cobalt technology and simplified architecture, which means it weighs less than 300kg. 

With 100kW charging, the Renault 4 can recharge its battery from 15-80 per cent in 30 minutes using a fast public charger or charging at home in 4 hours and 30 minutes. The other option is a 40kWh battery capable of recharging at speeds of 80kWh, with a 120PS (90kW) motor that produces 225Nm (166lb ft).

The Renault 4 comes with a number of big-car features like autonomous driving aids that can drive the car on the motorway and in slow-moving traffic, and a safety exit alert system that warns when you try to open the doors into traffic. 

Renault is also keen to highlight the eco credentials of its new EV. The car is built in Maubeuge, France, and the motor (Cléon) and battery (Ruitz) are also assembled in France, with 75 per cent of suppliers located within 190 miles of the factory. Meanwhile, more than a quarter of the car’s materials are recycled, including the 100 per cent recycled seat fabric in Techno models. Nearly 90 per cent of the car can be recycled at the end of its life.

Prices have yet to be confirmed for the new Renault 4, but expect the company to target a price of less than £30,000 when it goes on sale in the middle of next year. Renault is selling queue-jump passes for £150, allowing you to order the car ten days before its official launch.