Within the framework of the Capital Market Day of Ampere, the new electric car brand of the Renault Group, Luca de Meo, CEO of the automotive company, announced the return of the Twingo with a 100% electric and very cheap model.
It is true that the French have already experimented with an electrified version of this car – the Twingo E-Tech or Twingo ZE – but this time it comes with the great novelty that its design pays tribute to the first generation that was launched at the beginning of the nineties.
The new electric Renault Twingo was seen on stage through a prototype. And while this means that it may receive changes to its appearance before it hits the market, the first impression has been more than spectacular. A clear strategy appealing to nostalgiaconsidering that the original version of this car was not only an icon in Europe, but also in Latin America.
During his presentation, de Meo stated that the Renault Group’s intention is to work in record time on the new electric Twingo, in order to catch up with the production pace of Chinese manufacturers. Therefore, the executive promised that the car will go from being a simple concept to being a production model in just two years.
As explained, the Twingo will be one step below the electric version of the Renault 5 in terms of specifications and performance. Although the most important thing will be its low price: the French company’s intention is for the car to reach the market with an initial price below 20,000 euros (not counting aid). As for size, meanwhile, Renault promises that it will take up 20% less land space than the average European car.
Renault takes advantage of nostalgia, with the new electric Twingo
Of course, the new electric Renault Twingo will be a car designed for use in urban environments, although the manufacturer states that it has been thought of as a model “without concessions.” It is estimated that its consumption will be 10 kWh every 100 kilometers, under the WLTP cycle..
Regarding its availability, Renault has not provided further details. However, if what the company proposes is achieved, that the car goes from concept to production version in just two years, we could see it in action by early 2026 at the latest.
Regarding the manufacturing of the electric Renault Twingo, it would be carried out at least initially in Slovenia, although Luca de Meo did not rule out using an external partner to develop it. According to the top manager of the Renault Group, Its production costs will be 50% lower than those of a current C-segment SUV. Its main rival would be the Citroën e-C3, which also aims to have an initial price below 20,000 euros.
It is worth mentioning that during the Ampere Capital Market Day, the Renault Group also announced its great aspirations in terms of software. The automaker is developing its own architecture in collaboration with Google and Qualcomm and intends to embrace artificial intelligence in its future cars with the help of a new virtual assistant.
The new Renault Twingo is still a handful of years away. But the manufacturer considers that it will be a crucial piece in its strategy towards the electrification of its cars. In fact, de Meo described it as “the silver bullet of sustainable mobility”.