The original model, Renault 4L was famous for its simple, efficient, and versatile design. It was built between 1961 and 1992 and was described as a “blue jeans” of cars by the former head of Renault Group, Pierre Dreyfus.
Many generations of new and young drivers were inspired by the car to learn how to drive and cruise around. Now, for the celebration of 6 decades of the company, Renault has joined forces with TheArsenale to relaunch the 4L as a flying car called AIR4.
“AIR4 is a symbol of independence and freedom, born out of the realization that traffic is compounding, lives are grinding to a halt, and the world above us is unhampered. Thus, AIR4 claims the air as the new road of the future,” writes a Renault press release.
The aircraft that is being made will be of carbon fiber only. The measurements, lines, and mass of the model will be the same as the original 4L. The only major difference that this new vehicle will have is the absence of wheels in it. In place of the wheels, it will have four two-blade propellers, one at each corner of the vehicle, allowing it to take off to the sky.
TheArsenale’s engineers made new generative design techniques with the help of artificial intelligence and used terabytes of data to enhance and fine-tune their ideas, even before beginning the first flying car tests.
The specifications of the model are amazing. It has 22,000 mAh lithium polymer batteries with a total capacity of 90,000 mAh. The horizontal maximum speed of the vehicle will be 58 mph (26m/s – 93 km/h), with a 45° inclination during flights, and up to a maximum inclination of 70°. It can easily reach an altitude of 2,300 ft (700 m) with a take-off speed of 31 mph (14 m/s – 50 km/h). Last but not the least, it has a landing velocity of 6.7 mph (3 m/s – 4.82 km/h).
The aircraft will be displayed at the Atelier Renault museum in Paris and in other places around the world in 2022.