Electric car Renault Twingo: Optimized for city traffic

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Renault is keeping its promise and positioning the Twingo financially between the Dacia Spring and the R5. This is helped by, among other things, a strict limitation to what has been defined as essential and a small selection of variants and extras. The nearly 3.79 m long mini-car is built in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, with almost half of all parts coming from China.

By no means meager

The base model “Evolution” costs 19,990 euros, the top version “Techno” 1600 euros more. Always included are the sliding rear seat bench, rear parking aid, air conditioning, LED headlights, and the ability to integrate Android Auto and Apple CarPlay wirelessly. The top version includes, among other things, its navigation system with ChatGPT, a rearview camera, adaptive cruise control, keyless entry, and automatic high beams, air conditioning, and wipers. Even if you order everything the short price list offers, you'll stay well under 25,000 euros.

Preconditioning and three-phase charging

Fortunately, Renault has not cut back on the battery-related equipment. On alternating current, it can be charged in three phases at up to 11 kW. Renault does not participate in the game of further reducing costs by a few Euros with single-phase chargers. Battery cell preconditioning is also always standard, even if it plays a subordinate role in the scenario in which the Twingo is likely to be primarily used. The 212 kg battery has 27.5 kWh, and if you want to stay within the usual window between 10 and 80 percent, you can use around 19 kWh. The Twingo can close the window between 15 and 80 percent in 30 minutes with a maximum of 50 kW. So, net, almost 18 kWh are recharged with an average of around 36 kW.

The mini-car is unmistakably designed for short distances. Therefore, it is worth looking not only at the combined consumption of 13.1 kWh/100 km but also at the values in and around the city. Renault promises 8.4 to 9 kWh there in WLTP. The combined consumption value is driven far upwards by the highway portion, which is included in the average at 18.6 to 18.7 kWh. This is how the promised combined WLTP range is said to be around 260 km, while the inner-city range is still a respectable 387 to 390 km.

Strategic decision

It would not have cost Renault much more to equip the Twingo with more power, but 60 kW is more than enough in urban environments. The top speed is 130 km/h. Beyond German highways, that's enough practically everywhere in the world. As with energy content, the developers made the decision at this point within the budget framework to allocate the released funds differently. The result is a by no means meagerly equipped mini-car, primarily for short distances. Those who constantly want or need to drive long distances will not find an ideal companion here. However, outside this profile, the Twingo could be convincing. Volkswagen plans to enter this segment with the ID.Every1 only in 2027.

(mfz)