everything we already know about electric cars for less than €20,000

In 2026, Renault will launch an all-new electric Twingo. Design, autonomy, price: we already tell you everything.

This week, Renault deleted the Twingo from its website. Production of the third generation has indeed ended. But, unlike many of its competitors, the Losange is not definitively leaving the small city car market. In 2023, Renault confirmed the start of work on a fourth Twingo, which will be launched in 2026. Automobile Propre takes stock of this project.

Quel look ?

There will be no surprises. The look of the next Twingo will be very close to that of the concept car unveiled at the end of 2023, and recently exhibited at the Paris Motor Show. The Losange designers, who have just reinterpreted the 4L and R5, have imagined a modern version of the first Twingo. We find its monovolume silhouette, with a short plunging hood and a very straight rear window. The front features the frog's eyes, with headlights coming out of the bodywork, an effect that can be found on the lights. Details from the past are taken up, such as the three gills at the base of the windshield and the round door handles. The next Twingo will be a 5-door.

Which platform?

The electric Twingo will be based on the AmpR Small platform, that of the R5. This was confirmed to Automobile Propre by Vittorio d'Arienzo, responsible for this technical base. An industrial logic that will allow costs to be reduced.

As Vittorio d'Arienzo explained to us, the Twingo “will benefit from the synergies achieved by its big sisters. The number of investments and prototypes will be reduced. We also save on development time.” Renault intends to develop the car in just two years!

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If Renault chose the style and defined the technical contours of the project, the manufacturer called on a Chinese engineering company to design the car. The idea is in particular to find essential components at the best price in China.

What autonomy?

On this point, nothing has been officially announced. But there is no doubt that the next Twingo will automatically have an LFP battery, a less expensive technology than the NMC which will initially equip the R5. We imagine that the basic Twingo will have a range of 200 km, more than sufficient for urban use. Thanks to feedback from the previous electric Twingo and the Dacia Spring, Renault knows that customers of this type of car drive around 40 km per day on average.

The brand, however, has confirmed a clear objective: to become a benchmark in terms of consumption, aiming for 10 kWh/100 km. To achieve this, the manufacturer will go on the hunt for excess kilos, limiting the number of parts as much as possible. Which is another aspect that allows you to reduce design time and price.

What price?

Renault has promised a base price below €20,000, without taking the bonus into account. Remember that in 2025, the new R5 will start at €25,000 with a base Five version equipped with a 95 hp unit and a range of around 300 km. To be honest, we hope that the brand will ultimately be well below €20,000 with a Twingo smaller than the 5 and which will have less autonomy. Let's still point out that the electric Twingo 3 ultimately had a starting price of €25,500 with 190 km of autonomy.

Le Losange hoped to make the project more profitable by sharing it with Volkswagen, which ultimately said no. Luca de Meo, director of Renault, says he is always open to cooperation. Nissan has also just announced that it is considering launching its version of this Twingo.

Which production plant?

If Renault used a Chinese engineering company to help develop this model while keeping costs down, the Twingo will indeed be produced in Europe. The Losange no longer has a choice, in order to avoid the strengthening of customs duties on electric cars made in China. It is also almost obligatory to get the bonus in France. The car will therefore be assembled in Slovenia, on the site where the previous Twingo was produced.

What timetable?

The Twingo 4 will be launched in 2026. However, we imagine that the brand will get ahead of its presentation. Renault always likes to create an event at trade shows, so the car could be shown at the start of the 2025 school year at the Munich Motor Show.

What rivals?

Small city cars are now rare in Europe. But new models are arriving, such as the Leapmotor T03, now distributed by Stellantis, and the Hyundai Inster. Volkswagen, which still offers the e-Up, is also preparing a new small electric car for less than €20,000, expected in 2027, and which should be available at Skoda (or even Seat again). Above all, Renault must monitor the future basic versions of the Citroën ë-C3 and Fiat Grande Panda. They will have 200 km of autonomy. The Citroën will start at €19,900, although it has a larger size than the Twingo, since it is equivalent to that of the Clio.

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