Modern electric cars are often like kitchen appliances – efficient, but unbearably "beige" and boring. And then Renault comes along. They took a whiff of the past, chopped off the roof, added four-wheel drive and created the Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept. It's crazy, impractical and absolutely fantastic.
Look at the road. What do you see? An endless sea of gray, white, and perhaps occasionally cautiously blue boxes, transporting people from point A to point B with all the enthusiasm of a smart dishwasher. The automotive industry, especially in the electric crossover segment, has lost its sense of humor. But the French, thank God, have moments of pure, unadulterated madness in their history. Think of the legendary Citroën Méhari or the Mini Moka (well, the latter were British, but you get the point). Now, they're Renault apparently stopped taking tranquilizers again and introduced us to the concept Renault 4 JP4x4.
This isn't just another car; it's an open love letter to 1969 and the original roofless versions of the French icon, as they were Open Air and later JP4 from 1981. The name itself is a wonderful play on words – the abbreviation JP officially stands for “day at the beach”, which translates simply to “a day at the beach.” And that’s exactly what this car embodies in every millimeter of its bodywork.
It's all in the design (and the lack of a roof) – Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept
Engineers took a completely everyday five-door electric hatchback and with a smile on their faces, they simply cut off the rear doors and the entire roof. They created a two-seater “buggy” with a drop-down rear door in the style of classic pickup trucks. There are no side windows. There’s also no soft top. Do you have a plan B if it rains? Your problem. For a car with such an unruly character, we simply don’t care about bad weather.
As for color palettes, it is Renault 4 JP4x4 a real feast for the eyes. The pearly emerald green body screams for the relaxed 1970s, while inside you are greeted by a textile upholstery so aggressively orange that you will feel like you are sitting in the heart of fresh citrus fruits. The bucket seats are a direct and sincere homage to Renault's "Egyptian mummy" design from that crazy era. Add to that the 3D-printed pattern on the sides, which is openly inspired by the design of sports sneakers, and the turquoise X-shaped roof structure that serves as a surfboard holder, and you have the ultimate lifestyle winner.
Numbers under the sheet metal (and those in the sand)
But underneath all that stylish boldness lies some serious hardware. While the usual stock R4 E-Tech comes to the market only with front-wheel drive, this concept used the setup from last year Savane 4×4 Concept and simply added a second electric motor to the rear axle. This means that this toy is actually equipped with a full four-wheel drive (AWD).
It borrows the platform and energy from a production model, which is powered by a battery with a capacity of 52 kWhThe basic single-engine system can handle very solid 112 kW (150 hp), and with the additional engine at the rear, the power and torque will of course be even more impressive. The standard architecture offers a top speed that is electronically limited to 150 km/h (93 mph), and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (0–62 mph) in 8.2 seconds. It's safe to say that this twin-motor sand devil is even faster with reduced weight. And when you need more power after a hard day at the beach? The battery supports fast charging with up to 100kW DC, which in practice means that you charge it from 15 to 80 percent in total 30 minutes.
For carefree driving on off-road and dunes, the chassis has been raised by an additional 15 mm (0.6 in) compared to the standard model, while the track is wider for 10 mm (0.4 in) on each side. The icing on the cake are the exclusive 18-inch alloy wheels with tires Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+ 225/55 R18No, this is definitely not a car for tackling extreme rocks, but sand, gravel and bad coastal roads will be an absolute joke for it.
“It was conceived primarily as a leisure vehicle and invites us to reconnect with the free-spirited spirit of the 1960s and 1970s,” Renault proudly said at the unveiling. And we really couldn't agree more.
The harsh reality: The perfect car that won't make it to mass production
And now we come to the part that evokes some personal cynicism and sincere disappointment. Personally, I think it's Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept a fantastic achievement. It is tangible proof that there are still designers in the automotive industry who have the soul, the heart and, above all, the courage to be stupid. I love how every component – from the handy space for two skateboards in the back to the complete and daring absence of doors – is united by a single simple goal: absolute fun for life. He has found that positive spark that we too often no longer see among heavy batteries.
But Renault is painfully and brutally honest about it all. This car will remain forever one-off – just a unique concept model with no plans for mass production. It will play its special role at the grand premiere at the Roland-Garros tennis tournament in mid-May 2026 and then most likely end up in a museum.
If after reading this you really crave the wind in your hair and a new R4 in your backyard, you'll have to choose the official version Full South with its large electric sliding canvas roof. This will cost you very specific 37,290 euros (~$43,800).
But if you're reading this across the pond, in the US? The situation there is even more tragic. The American market won't even see the basic R4, let alone the iconic R5 or this fantastic concept. Renault JP4x4The modern automotive world seems extremely unfair at times, but as long as the French serve us such uncompromising masterpieces here in Europe, driving is still a much more magical thing.
