Mon dieu – now Renault is reviving the Renault 4 van

A new all-electric version of the iconic Renault 4 van could be coming to UK streets soon with Renault said to be evaluating a commercial version of the newly launched Renault 4 family SUV.

The UK could be a handy market for a new Renault 4 van, with one EV van sale worth two EV car credits as part of the Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate. That means Renault UK is likely to be pushing hard for a van version of its latest retro model to help it meet its government-set EV sales targets – currently at 28 per cent of cars sold for this year.

It’s not known when a new Renault 4 van is likely to arrive, but with the new 4 car arriving in a matter of months, it would be relatively easy to put a van version on sale with minimal development – it could be as simple as removing the rear seats, flattening the floor and fitting a bulkhead behind the front seats.

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Renault’s AmpR Small platform is flexible enough to cope with the demands of a small van, with the Renault 4 car packing the larger of the two batteries seen in the new Renault 5, which shares the same technology. So that would mean a 52kWh battery, which with less unladen weight to carry around in a van, could see a greater range than in the car, possibly well over 250 miles.

However, it’s also possible that Renault will target lower-mileage users who use their vans for local delivery work, in which casthe Renault 5’s 40kWh battery could also be used, giving a potential Renault 4 van a range of around 200 miles – more than enough for many ‘last mile’ delivery firms.

The original Renault 4 van, also called the F4 Fourgonnette, remained on sale from 1970 until the early 80s – over two million versions were made. It was a two-door version of the Renault 4 car with a cube-like rear end for added practicality along with a wide-opening side-hinged door. A longer F6 version was also available for added practicality and with a heavier weight capacity.

The original van also included a ‘giraffe roof’ – a lift-up panel at the back of the load bay that allowed larger objects to be carried – an idea that was continued on the Express and Kangoo models that came after the 4 van.