Renault R4 E-Tech: Why the 8 Million Icon Returns as an EV

The original Renault 4L sold 8 million units across more than 100 countries between 1961 and 1992. Sixty-three years after its launch, Renault revives the legendary name for a compact electric car, the R4 E-Tech, starting at €29,990 with 120 hp and a 40 kWh battery. The bet is clear: capitalize on nostalgia to sell EVs to people who weren't necessarily looking for one.

"Eight million units sold in over 100 countries — an absolute record for its time." — Autoplus, on the original 4L

A Car That Truly Motorized France

Launched in 1961, the 4L had a specific job: replace the 4CV and take it to the Citroën 2CV. To achieve this, Renault bet on pure pragmatism. Rear hatch, modular interior, soft suspension capable of swallowing the rough roads of the era — roads that weren't all paved, let's remember. The result: a car that everyone could buy, maintain, and drive.

Farmers, mail carriers, students, craftsmen. The 4L didn't discriminate. It was in the fields on Monday and on the boulevard on Friday. A versatility that today's manufacturers still try to replicate with €45,000 SUVs.

Why It Disappeared in 1992

The short answer: regulations killed the 4L. In the 80s and 90s, requirements for passive safety and emissions control tightened, notch by notch. The 4L, with its poorly protected bodywork and thirsty gasoline engine, could no longer keep up. Renault would have had to invest heavily to bring it up to standard — an investment the market no longer justified against more modern competitors.

1992, curtains down. End of a 31-year production run. The 4L left behind an emotional gap that Renault has never really filled since — until today, at least in theory.

What the R4 E-Tech Is Really Worth

Here's where it gets interesting — or less romantic, depending on your perspective. The new R4 E-Tech is a compact electric car built on the CMF-BEV platform, the same as the Renault 5 E-Tech. It sits higher, offers more space, and adopts a retro-square design that references the original without copying it. On paper, it's coherent.

The base version packs 120 hp and a 40 kWh battery for a WLTP range of around 300 km according to Renault. In the real world, on the highway in winter, banking on 220 to 240 km would be more honest. The starting price is €29,990, putting it in the same zone as the Volkswagen ID.3 or the Peugeot e-308, its direct competitors.

Starting Price and When Can You Order?

Orders are open. The R4 E-Tech starts at €29,990, before the ecological bonus. With the current €4,000 bonus for eligible households, you theoretically drop below €26,000 — an important psychological threshold. A more powerful version with a 52 kWh battery is also in the catalog for those who need a bit more range in daily use.

A hybrid version is rumored for 2026, according to Passionandcar, with announced fuel consumption around 4 liters/100 km. If that figure holds up in real-world conditions, it would frankly change the game for families who regularly take long trips and don't have a home charger.

Who It's Up Against

The R4 E-Tech isn't arriving in an empty market. The Ford Puma Gen-E, launched recently, uses a 46.8 kWh battery for a claimed range of 259 miles (about 417 km WLTP) and 166 hp. It leases from around £193 per month in the UK, according to WhatCar. The [Kia EV3](/article/nouveau-suv-compact-electrique-voici-comment-roule-le-kia-[ev5]