The Renault Twingo is being revived as a $36k EV
Words: Harrison Wade | Photos: Renault
We hear that the Renault Twingo is set to make a comeback as an affordable EV that will be sold for under €20k ($NZ36k).
The quirky little city car was revealed in concept form at the French carmaker’s Ampere Capital Markets Day and is expected to hit the showroom floor in the next two years. So we will likely see a production version around 2026.
That’s a pretty fast turnaround time from concept to the showroom floor which means it probably won’t look too dissimilar to the design we’re being shown today.
On styling, the Twingo concept takes most of its inspiration from the original model that was released in 1992. A newer version is still being sold today but it doesn’t quite have the character of the first-generation car. However, the new concept most certainly does.
There’s a familiar smiling face up front, with two semi-circular headlights protruding above the bonnet line and what appears to be a funky battery charge indicator below the windscreen; it’s right where you’d find a three-holed vent on the OG model.
Other throwbacks include circular door handles, a bulging rear window, and a windscreen that matches the rake of the bonnet.
On the flip side, one of the fundamental differences between today’s Twingo and its predecessor is a new five-door layout compared with three previously.
It’ll also be fully electric, likely riding on the same platform as the incoming Renault 5. The EV architecture is now referred to as ‘AmpR Small’ under the French firm’s new Amphere subsidiary (Renault’s electrification and technology division).
Further technical details were few and far between but it is said that the production Twingo will produce 75 per cent less CO2 emissions during its lifespan than your average European combustion powered car. The model will also achieve a claimed electric efficiency of 10kWh per 100km travelled.
As previously mentioned, the Twingo will also be priced competitively at €20k ($NZ36k) in response to the deluge of cheap Chinese EVs currently flooding the European market.
