Renault and R-Fit start offering EV retrofitting for older cars

25 January 2023

Renault and R-Fit are teaming up to offer owners of older cars a factory-quality electric car conversion kit. Initially there will be three kits available - Renault 4, Renault 5 and Renault Twingo.

While there is no question that the majority of car owners would like to have an opportunity to drive and own an electric car, the reality is quite different. Availability is and will be an issue for at least another year, but affordability is an even bigger problem. Then there is the fact that many people simply don’t want to sell their old car.

EV conversions aren’t a new thing, in fact the conversion business is booming and many new companies pop up all over the world. Majority caters for classic car owners allowing them to keep their beloved collectors items updated for the future.

If you look hard enough, you’ll find an EV conversion kit for pretty much any vehicle. While initially the choice of electric motors was limited and Tesla batteries were worth gold, nowadays we are spoiled for choice.

With the conversion businesses growing and public voicing its concerns about EV affordability and availability, it is no surprise that Renault is jumping into this lucrative niche. The company has teamed up with R-Fit, a French company specializing in large volume conversion kits.

From February 1 you will be able to order a conversion kit for the classic Renault 4. The kit is complete and comes fully installed. So, what are you getting? The donor vehicle stays as close to original as possible, even the gearbox is untouched. The electric motor replaces the original engine, and according to Renault it has 48 kW (64 hp). Not a lot of power then but the output is similar to the original in order not to upset the driving dynamics.

The electric motor is the synchronous and brushless item, it is coupled with a LFP battery of 10.7 kWh capacity and apparently good for up to 80 km of driving. Full charge takes around 3 and a half hours from a domestic socket.

Both Renault and R-Fit refuse to put a larger battery in the Renault 4 in order not to change its driving characteristics and weight distribution. The size of the battery is limited by its weight unfortunately.

After the conversion, the owner of the now all-electric Renault 4 can enjoy the emissions free cruising for two years without worrying about anything going wrong. The 2 year warranty is included and should put many prospective buyers at ease.

How much is that pleasure you ask? You know what they say - he who asks for the price… is a clever man! The price for the Renault 4 kit starts at €11,900. Not a small amount of money at all, but if you consider that putting similar kit together, from random parts and from random sources, would come close to €10,000 anyway - it puts the Renault and R-Fit in a different perspective. Would you be tempted? Let us know in the comments.

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