French carmaker Renault has partnered with EV specialist R-Fit to make retrofit kits that turn the vintage Renault 4, Renault 5 (Le Car in the United States), and Twingo into all-electric cars.
European owners of these models can get the EV conversion installed at one of R-Fit’s garages, with the Renault 4 kit coming in at 11,900 Euro ($12,800). The retrofit kit for the Renault 5 will go on sale in France in September 2023, while the kit for the first-generation Twingo will be available at a later date, according to the manufacturer.
The Renault 4 conversion consists of a brushless synchronous motor that replaces the old internal combustion engine and leaves the original transmission untouched, a 10.7 kilowatt-hours lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery rated at 105 volts, an electronic battery charge gauge, and an onboard charger that can fully replenish the battery in three and a half hours via a 16-amp 220-volt domestic plug.
Gallery: Renault 4 EV Conversion By R-Fit And Renault
There’s a two year warranty and a driving range of around 80 kilometers (50 miles), and Renault says that the car’s weight distribution stays the same as before. The owner also gets all the required certification and registration documents that indicate the type of fuel as “Electricity” rather than gasoline.
“We are overjoyed about launching these electric retrofit kits that will enable people who love their classic cars and young people to drive in France in our iconic Renault 4, Renault 5 and Twingo, powered by electricity. In addition to the circular economy created by these new electric engine fits, the electric retrofit kits offer a solution that combines the pleasure of driving with savings and reliability without taking anything away from the style and the original designs of these well-loved timeless classics,” said Hugues Portron, Director of The Originals Renault - la collection.
R-Fit also makes and installs a conversion kit for the iconic Citroen 2CV, which starts at 8,900 Euro ($9,600 at current exchange rates).
