We saw 3.8mi/kWh over a mixture of roads – including stop-start London traffic, a long run up the motorway and some more enthusiastic driving on our favourite rural roads. That equates to just shy of 200 miles on a full charge, and we reckon a more considered driving style would see you get much closer to the car’s stated WLTP range. It largely tallies with what the R5 can achieve in similar conditions, and in our hands, that car managed 4.1miles/kWh in more mixed conditions.
Charging speeds are less impressive, but pretty much par for the course in this part of the new-car market. Renault claims a 100kW peak – identical to those of the Ford Puma Gen-E and the various Stellantis compact SUVs, plus marginally quicker than the MINI Aceman’s. But we saw no more than 65kW on a 150kW charger, having plugged in at around 40 per cent. It maintained this speed pretty consistently to almost 80 per cent, however, which was good to see.
One smart feature of the charging system on the Renault 4 is that it has a vehicle-to-load capability. This means you can plug an adaptor into the car’s charging port and charge or run external devices. The power source is rated at 3.7kW.
| Model | Battery size | Range | Insurance group |
| Renault 4 E-Tech | 52kWh | 247 miles | 27 |
Insurance groups
There are three versions of the Renault 4, but they only fall into two insurance groups. The Evolution model is in group 28, while the higher-spec Techno is in 27 (likely to be a group lower because front parking sensors are added), and the range-topping Iconic is also in group 28. These groups are all a little high, especially when you consider the Puma Gen-E is in groups 18 and 19.
Tax
The all-electric powertrain helps keep running costs low for business users, while the affordable pricing of the R4 means road tax isn’t affected by the £40,000 luxury car tax premium. You will still have to pay the standard rate of annual vehicle excise duty (VED), as EVs are no longer exempt from it.
Depreciation
The R4 is expected to retain between 52 and 54 per cent of its original value over three years or 36,000 miles, which is pretty good for a small electric SUV. In comparison, the Puma Gen-E is slightly lower in the 49-50 per cent ballpark, depending on spec, while the MINI Aceman has residuals of between 48 and 54 per cent.
