2021 is the year of celebration of the 60th birthday of the Renault 4L, a model of which more than 8 million units have been sold in more than a hundred countries. Much more than just a car, the 4L is a true icon and will be reborn as Renault’s 100% electric production model after 2024. Meanwhile, the French manufacturer has collaborated with TheArsenale – a conservation and retail company with agents in Paris, Miami and Macau – on a different project than usual: the Air4 is a flying R4 that makes air the way of the future.
The vehicle, completely designed in carbon fiber, maintains the same lines and volumes of the original 4L offering, at the same time, new dynamic performances. Rigidity has been completely revised to include new concepts such as thrust and climb, work that took hours of calculations and testing. Using artificial intelligence, TheArsenale’s engineers were able to test several terabytes of data to improve and refine the designers’ ideas, even before doing the first real-world tests.
The Air4 doesn’t need wheels to get around. It features four dual propellers, one for each corner of the vehicle. The chassis rests in the center of the structure and the driver can sit in the practical cockpit by lifting the Renault 4’s body, which is attached at the front. Air4 is powered by 22-thousand ampere-hour lithium-polymer batteries, which generate a total power of about 90 thousand mAh. The vehicle can reach a maximum horizontal speed of 26 m/s with a 45° tilt during flight and a maximum tilt of 70°. It can fly up to 700 meters high with a takeoff speed of 14 m/s, limited to 4 m/s for safety reasons, and a landing speed of 3 m/s. Finally, AIR4 offers a maximum vector thrust of 380 kg, or 95 kg per propeller.
“I have dedicated my entire life to a passion for mobility and always continue to explore every aspect of the world in motion,” says Patrice Meignan, CEO and founder of TheArsenale. “The R4 is a car that symbolizes adventure: simple, practical, useful and as modern as it is retro. Most drivers agree that it allows you to travel differently and have a real adventure. It’s this difference that inspired me and my team.”
