2024 will be a year full of news for Renault; Not surprisingly, the French firm will launch a total of six 100% electric novelties: the second generation of the Dacia Spring, an Alpine hot hatch, a van (probably the new Master), and three passenger cars under its brand (the compact SUV Scénic E-TECH, and two remakes of the classic R5 and 4L).
The new R5 and 4L will become the access step to the manufacturer’s electric range, both being framed in the B segment (utility vehicles). While the R5 will be a conventional hatchback, the 4L will take advantage of the original model’s rustic approach to transform into an SUV somewhat smaller than a Captur.
Sold from 1961 to 1992, the 4L is probably the best-known classic from the diamond brand. Its spiritual successor is expected to recover some of its aesthetic cues, including its round headlights enclosed in the grille, the sideline with three windows, and the pilots with a vertical design, in addition to its high ground clearance.
This model, whose final trade name could be Renault 4EVer (a play on words that combines the terms EV (Electric Vehicle) and Forever, which means “forever” in English), will have a van variant, which will replace Express within the company’s commercial vehicle offering. Both models will be produced in Douai (France).
The Renault 4L will be somewhat more expensive than the R5
Like the R5, the 4L or “4EVer” will sit on the CMF-BEV modular platform, derived from the CMF-B of the Clio and Captur. This architecture will be able to house 109 CV (80 kW), 136 CV (100 kW), and 218 CV (160 kW) motors, as well as 42 and 52 kWh capacity batteries with NCM (nickel, cobalt, manganese) cells of origin Envision AESC.
At the moment it is unknown which ones the 4L will be available with, although it is most likely that it will only be sold with the 136 hp engine associated with the 52 kWh pack, leaving the 109 hp engine and the 42 kWh battery reserved for the owners. R5 is more affordable. The 218bhp unit will likely only make an appearance in Alpine’s hot hatch, which will use the same platform. As for fast charging, it is known that this architecture will support peaks of 22 kW in alternating current and 130 kW in direct current.
We are not here just to look in the rear view mirror, we are here to reinvent things and I think the Renault 5 is a good example. A lot of people say to me, ‘why are you doing retro designs?’ This is not a retro design, it’s just the reinvention of a concept. In our library we have many things that we can reinvent”, defends Luca de Meo, executive director of Renault, who at the time was one of those responsible for the successful relaunch of the FIAT 500.
