The Little Electric Renault 4 That Just Wants to Play in the Dirt
Image Credit: Renault Group.
The world of EVs is getting weirder, wilder, and a whole lot more interesting than just sensible little boxes on wheels. Take, for instance, the return of the legendary Renault 4. A car once so simple, so utterly French, it practically came with a baguette holder and a beret on the dashboard. It was the kind of car that just got on with things, no fuss, no muss.
And now? It's back, baby! Reborn as a snazzy little electric crossover. It's already hitting the streets over in Europe, looking all modern yet wonderfully retro. It's built on the clever platform called AmpR Small – which sounds less like a car architecture and more like a tiny, grumpy robot - but it works! It's the same base for the rather spiffy Renault 5 EV and even its sporty cousin, the Alpine A290.
Image Credit: Renault Group.
The production R4s are perfectly lovely, front-wheel-drive little things. You get a choice of power, either about 118 horsepower or a peppier 148 horsepower. That's a far cry from the original 1960s R4, which put out maybe a tenth of that if the wind was really pushing it. But 148 horsepower in a small electric crossover? That's plenty for zipping around town or making the milk run without feeling like you're holding up a parade of actual snails.
But Renault, in their infinite wisdom (and possibly after one too many espressos), decided that just bringing the R4 back wasn't enough. They had to tease us… And unveiled a concept car, a toughened-up, go-anywhere (or maybe just go-slightly-off-the-beaten-path) version they've dubbed the R4 Savane. And the name is a nice little nod to the past, which I always appreciate.
The Savane concept is basically the standard electric R4, but wearing hiking boots and a slightly mischievous grin. The big news? It sprouts an extra electric motor on the back axle. Suddenly, this little front-driver becomes an all-wheel-drive machine! While Renault is playing coy about the exact power output of this dual-motor setup, putting two motors where one used to be on a platform that already handles up to 148 horsepower? Well, you don't need a degree in rocket surgery to figure out that number is probably going to be quite a bit higher. Potentially pushing towards 300 horsepower, which would be utterly bonkers – almost ten times the power of the original! The sensible electric R4 suddenly having the potential to scare passengers… Who would have thought?
But it's not all just about the extra shove. The Savane concept looks the part, too. It's been given a bit of a lift – about 0.6 inches of extra ground clearance. I know, 0.6 inches isn't exactly climbing Mount Everest, but it might help you clear that rogue speed bump that always seems to appear out of nowhere or navigate the treacherous terrain of a poorly maintained parking lot.
Image Credit: Renault Group.
Renault also slapped on some bespoke 18-inch wheels wrapped in chunkier Goodyear UltraGrip performance tires. These wheels also push the track width out by about 0.79 inches at the front and rear, giving it a slightly wider, more stable stance. And finally, the Savane is painted in a lovely Jade Green – a new color for the R4 – and even sports a cool printed fabric roof.
Inside, things get… brown. Renault went with a Deep Brown finish for the seats, complete with houndstooth backrests and bolsters. The dashboard also gets a splash of mud-colored accents. It's got that outdoorsy vibe, which I guess is appropriate for a car that one day might venture onto a gravel path. Though the most mud these will see is the splatter from a puddle you misjudged.
Renault hasn't officially committed to building this dual-motor, lifted, slightly less sensible R4 Savane. They've just sort of winked and said it "demonstrates the potential" of their platform for all-wheel-drive B-segment EVs. But companies don't usually go to the trouble of building cool concepts like this unless they're at least thinking about it. Especially Renault, which isn't afraid to greenlight slightly mad projects, like that totally bonkers electric 5 Turbo 3E hot hatch concept that apparently costs around $175,000.
We don't know the battery size for the concept, but they might stick with the larger 52 kWh pack available in the standard R4. That one is rated for about 248 miles on a charge, which is pretty respectable for a little city hopper. The standard 148 horsepower R4 with that battery takes a leisurely 8.2 seconds to hit 62 mph. This dual-motor Savane would definitely shave some time off that.
Image Credit: Renault Group.
If Renault does build it (and my fingers are crossed!), it won't be as cheap as the standard R4. The regular electric R4 with the bigger battery starts around $34,500 in France after their environmental bonus. Adding a second motor, the lift, the special wheels, and the oh-so-brown interior bits would naturally bump that price up. But for someone who loves the retro charm of the R4 but maybe needs a little more grunt or the reassuring grip of all-wheel drive, the Savane could be a rather appealing package. It's a fun idea, adding a bit of rugged personality to an already charming electric comeback kid.
