Renault Twingo: Return as an electric car

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Renault has revived the design of the original Twingo, successful since 1993. Only that the Twingo will have four doors from 2026 and will be exclusively electric. There is no official price yet, but the French group promises around 20,000 euros. For that money, there are naturally no range records, but 263 km according to WLTP standard. That's similar to the competition in this segment: the Citroën ë-C3, for example, costs 19,900 euros and offers 212 km of range. And we don't know exactly how far the VW ID.1 will get yet, because we have to wait for the small Volkswagen until the end of 2027.

The basic data of the Renault Twingo offer what many European customers expect from a modern small car: the length is 3.79 meters, close to the 3.83 meters of the Hyundai Inster, which in turn is positioned slightly higher in price and range from 23,900 euros for 327 km and from 25,400 euros for 370 km. At 1.72 meters, the Twingo is exactly ten centimeters narrower than the VW ID.1 and 1.49 meters high, with a wheelbase of 2.49 meters.

Four colors, two equipment variants

To enable the low price, Renault has reduced the variety of variants. There are four colors: red, green, yellow, and black. And with Evolution (base) and Techno, only two equipment variants are offered. Standard features include 16-inch wheels with tires of size 195/60 R16. 18-inch wheels with 205/45 R18 are available as an option. There is no difference in equipment for the displays: a seven-inch screen in the cockpit shows the speed and other parameters, and a ten-inch multimedia display is added in the center. Like in the Renault 5 and Renault 4, a pioneer of electronic music, Jean-Michel Jarre, composed the welcome melody.

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Renault Twingo (7 Bilder)

For everyday use as a short-distance vehicle and commuter car, variability and usability count more than a nice jingle: the turning circle is small at 9.87 meters despite front-wheel drive, and the trunk has a volume of up to 360 liters – which likely refers to a rear seat bench moved all the way forward, as it can be moved by 17 centimeters. This includes a 50 liter compartment under the cargo floor. The front passenger and rear seat backrests can be folded down. This allows items up to about two meters in length to be transported.

Electric motor with 60 kW output

Regarding the drive: the electric motor in the Renault Twingo has an output of 60 kW. The acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h for the electric car, which weighs only 1200 kilograms, is 12.1 seconds, and it stops at 130 km/h. The manufacturer does not provide information on the air resistance coefficient, but on the more important cA value, which also takes the frontal area into account: 0.66. The traction battery of the Renault Twingo has a net energy content of 27.5 kWh. The system is built from LFP cells (for *lithium iron phosphate*), which are integrated into the housing without a module level (*cell-to-pack*). This construction is common in this segment because it is robust and inexpensive.

The interior can be pre-heated via the app, among other things. This is a comfort plus, and it can extend the range. However, no miracles should be expected: in extreme cold or at high speeds, 100 kilometers could be lost from the 263 kilometers of standard range.

DC charging as standard

AC charging at the wallbox is standard with 11 kW output. The traction battery is charged after about two and a half hours. DC charging with up to 50 kW is also installed in every Twingo; the charging process from 10 to 80 percent takes about 30 minutes. Renault also states that the AC charger is fundamentally designed for bidirectional use. With an adapter on the charging socket, external devices can be supplied with up to 3.7 kW.

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Renault Twingo Details (5 Bilder)

If the bidirectional charging is prepared for participation in the electricity market, that would be ideal. This is not clearly evident from the press release so far. It is clear, however, that there will be different modes in regenerative braking, even if only in the Techno version. The recuperation can be adjusted in four stages up to one-pedal driving via steering wheel paddles. For the Evolution, there is at least the option to increase regenerative braking in the B downhill driving mode.

Route planner with preconditioning

The route planner, which uses Google Maps, is by no means standard. It even includes preconditioning, i.e., targeted preheating of the battery cells for the charging process. This function is particularly important for the installed LFP cells because performance drops significantly in cold weather. Unlike the Citroën ë-C3 (test), the Renault Twingo is available with assistance systems that go beyond legal requirements: adaptive cruise control is not available for the Citroën. In the Twingo Techno, it is standard. The "Techno" equipment also offers automatic climate control instead of manual air conditioning, a rearview camera, a rain sensor, tinted rear windows, and more.

Easily switchable beeping

In addition, Renault has again installed a deactivation button to the left of the steering wheel on the dashboard, via which five assistance systems can be deactivated with one press. For example, the acoustic warning when exceeding the speed limit or lane keeping.

The new Twingo is undoubtedly an enrichment to the small car segment. The variability of the interior, the familiar basic shape, and the option to equip this Renault with numerous extras on request will appeal to many buyers. Volkswagen, in particular, will be watching the Twingo closely to avoid falling behind with the ID.1.

(wpl)