Renault has finally opened up the 4 E-Tech, with the semi soft top version which many buyers had been waiting for. The ‘Plein Sud’ version with a full-length electric opening canvas roof is now available to order in the UK, with prices starting from £27,445 after the Electric Car Grant – that’s £1,500 extra. 

The company has also introduced some minor safety updates to the whole R4 range.

Available only in the mid and top techno+ and iconic+ trim levels, the ‘Plein Sud’ is a modern interpretation of a feature of the original Renault 4, and along with the Fiat 500e is the only electric car with four seats and a fully opening roof.

The hole in the roof necessitates some minor changes, such as the removal of roof bars and the shark-fin antenna to maximise the opening.

The roof is operated using either a one-touch button or voice control using Renault’s Reno digital assistant. When open it creates an 80x92cm aperture. The canvas roof can be opened in several intermediate positions when you just want a little bit of light. When closed, its multi-layer construction promises excellent noise and heat insulation and there is with no trade-off in weight or headroom compared to the fixed-roof version 

With the introduction of the ‘Plein Sud’ version, the Renault 4 has also been updated to the latest GSR2.3 safety standard, with a new advanced driver monitoring system using a camera installed in the windscreen pillar to detect driver fatigue.

There is also a new emergency stop assist function, which will slow the vehicle to a stop where possible if the driver becomes inactive.

Like the Renault 4-Tech electric it is based on, the Plein Sud version also qualifies for the full £3,750 Electric Car Grant.