Renault 4 E-Tech hits spotlight in France

Renault has unveiled its next mass-market EV, the 4 E-Tech. It bears a passing semblance to the iconic Renault 4 popular in the late 20th century, but is very much its own car.

The newcomer rides on the same platform as its smaller hatchback-shaped cousin, the Renault 5, but sports a distinct new style. For one thing, it rocks retro round headlights composed of tiny LEDs, rectangular body outlines, and trapezoid c-pillars. Like its historical predecessor, the 4 E-Tech will offer a sliding soft top in select trims. As for the 18-inch wheels, they are included as standard.

The original Renault 4 enjoyed a wide variety of spinoffs and special editions. The automaker brought one such edition to the Paris Show, named Fl4wer Power. It received 20-inch wheels, unique exterior and cabin styling cues, and 196 mm (7.7 inches) of ride height. The standard car is slightly less suited for bumpy roads with 181 mm (7 inches) of clearance.

Size-wise, the vehicle is 4,140 mm (161.7 inches) long with 2,620 mm (102.3 inches) of wheelbase and a modest 420 liters (14.8 cubic feet) of trunk space. The trunk height is just 61 cm (24 inches), but you can fit things up to 2.2 meters (86 inches) long. The cabin features a squared-off steering wheel, two displays sized 10 and 10.1 inches large, and a button-based HVAC unit.

In its cheapest version, the battery crossover will ship with a single engine rated at 120 PS (118 hp / 88 kW) and 225 Nm (166 lb-ft) of torque. A 40-kWh battery pack will grant it around 300 km (186 miles) of range.

The top spec will benefit from 150 PS (148 hp / 110 kW) and 245 Nm (242 hp / 180 kW) and a larger 52-kWh battery pack manufacturer-rated up to 400 km (248 miles). It will also sprint 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 8.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 150 km/h (93 mph). The drive is affixed to the front wheels with no other options announced so far.

Even so, owners will take advantage of torque control presets like Extended Grip, Snow and All-Terrain. Snow will work best on slippery roads by hard-capping the torque when moving at 50 km/h (31 mph) or below. All-Terrain will do the opposite, significantly boosting torque until 80 km/h (50 mph).

The launch date and prices remain to be announced.