Renault has opened orders for the Renault 4 E-Tech Electric Plein Sud, a sunnier version of its reborn electric hatchback fitted with a powered canvas roof.
The name is a nod to the Renault 4 Plein Air, the open-top version of the original Renault 4.
This new version does not go that far, so there are still proper doors and a fixed body structure. Instead, it uses a black electric canvas roof to bring some open-air character into the cabin.
The Plein Sud is available to order first in two-tone and solid Starry Black.
Other solid colours will follow in a few weeks. In Europe, pricing starts from €37,290 (RM172,000) for the Techno trim and €39,290 (RM182,000) for the Iconic trim, depending on market and before government incentives.
Renault said the car was engineered from the start to take the canvas roof, rather than having it added as an afterthought. The roof bars are removed to maximise the opening, while the antenna is moved into the rear window. Headroom is also little changed, with 906 mm at the front and 813 mm at the rear.
The opening itself measures 92 cm long and 80 cm wide, large enough for rear passengers to see sky as well. The roof can be opened in several intermediate positions using the key, a cabin button near the rear-view mirror, or voice control through Renault’s Reno avatar.
Renault worked with Webasto and Haartz on the roof design. To save weight, its structural parts use plastic rather than metal, while the canvas folds into three sections when opened. Sound insulation is handled through the thickness of the canvas and a wind deflector when the roof is open.
The wider Renault 4 E-Tech Electric range also gains extra driver aids. These include an advanced driver monitoring system, emergency stop assist and a predictive eco-driving assistant that uses onboard maps to warn of bends, roundabouts and other road features ahead.
Cold-weather charging is also improved through a new water-to-water heat exchanger for the battery heating circuit.
Renault said a 15% to 80% charge at around 0°C now takes 50 minutes instead of one hour after a short drive. At -20°C, the same charge drops from one hour 45 minutes to one hour 10 minutes.
The Renault 4 E-Tech Electric Plein Sud uses a 52 kWh Comfort Range battery, with range quoted at up to 410 km WLTP, depending on market and specification. That range is competitive in its segment but average by today’s standards.
