The Electric 4L finds its open-air soul with the Renault 4 E-Tech Electric Plein Sud

This may be the most charming version of the new electric 4 yet.

Renault has not simply added a roof opening and called it a special edition. This is a deliberate attempt to bring back something the original Renault 4 understood perfectly: freedom does not always need speed, luxury or complexity.

Sometimes it just needs light. Air. A simple roof that opens. And a car that still does everything else properly. That is exactly the idea behind the Plein Sud.

The Renault 4 becomes more emotional

The reborn Renault 4 E-Tech Electric already carries a lot of responsibility. It has to reference the legendary 4L, without becoming trapped by nostalgia. It has to feel useful, simple and versatile, while also being modern enough to compete in the growing small electric SUV market.

The Plein Sud version adds another layer. Renault describes it as a more pleasure-focused version of the car, designed for daily driving and weekend escapes. Not as a second car. Not as a toy. But as the same practical Renault 4, simply with more emotion built into the experience.

A canvas roof with a real purpose

The main feature is the large opening canvas roof. Renault says the roof offers nearly one square metre of open-air surface, making it one of the largest openings in its segment. It can be opened or closed in around 10 seconds, either by a button or by voice command.

The roof is not trying to turn the Renault 4 into a convertible. It is trying to make every normal journey feel a little lighter. The morning commute, the drive to the coast, the school run, the quick weekend escape. It brings back the spirit of open Renault 4 models from the past, including the playful Plein Air and the charming Sixties.

No compromise to the practical side

The clever part is that Renault says the Plein Sud keeps the core strengths of the Renault 4 E-Tech Electric intact. That means the design remains unchanged in its overall character. The cabin space is preserved. The modularity remains. The boot volume and low loading sill are not compromised. Even the ability to tow a trailer or small caravan remains part of the package.

That is important. Because many lifestyle-focused versions of practical cars lose part of the practicality that made the base car appealing in the first place. The Plein Sud cannot afford that. The Renault 4 name is built around usefulness. If the canvas roof came at the cost of everyday usability, the whole concept would weaken.

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The canvas roof is a simple idea, but it fits the Renault 4 perfectly. It brings back the spirit of the original car without turning it into a retro cliché. More importantly, it adds emotion without apparently sacrificing the practical strengths that make the new Renault 4 relevant in the first place.

A modern electric Renault 4 should not be a museum piece. It should be useful, clever, light-hearted and easy to love. The Plein Sud seems to understand that brief better than most special editions.