Renault showed off a near-production prototype of the new Twingo version at the Paris Motor Show. What we know about electric cars under 20,000 francs.
October 18, 2024 11:13October 18, 2024 13:32
Christopher Clausen/t-online
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Renault is swimming in a nostalgia wave. The Renault 5 now has electric drive and borrows many design elements from the original model, followed by a new version of the R4 and the Twingo small car. He is expected to be one of the stars of the 2024 Paris Motor Show. Still a prototype, but 80% ready for series production.
Renault 5 (left) and the slightly smaller Renault Twingo. Image: Imagery
The dwarf is 3.75 meters long and 1.73 meters high. The wheelbase is 2.5 meters and it can accommodate 4 adults, including 2 adults in the rear seat comfortably.
The design is heavily based on the first generation of the iconic small car from the 1990s. Short, steep front, air intakes on the small hood, with arched headlights and recessed handles for the door openers. The most important difference from the original: The E-Twingo appears to be a five-door model.
Renault has previewed the upcoming electric Twingo.Image: Renault
The study does not yet have any internal operations. But according to Renault, there will also be references to the original in the passenger lounge. One example is the fixed glass roof, which brings a lot of light into the cabin and is a nod to the folding roof of its predecessor. The prototype looks pretty solid thanks to the wheel arches that are still on display, and the question remains whether the three air intakes between the windscreen and bonnet that provide air conditioning will make it to series production.
The rear end is reminiscent of the first and second generation Twingo. Image: Renault
In addition to the low purchase price, Renault also promises that the new Twingo has extremely low standard fuel consumption of 10 kWh per 100 kilometers. In order to be considered an electric vehicle suitable for daily use in urban traffic, the range should be around 250 kilometers and the battery capacity should be at least 30 kWh. “But,” said a Renault expert, “you have to always keep an eye on the target base price below 20,000 euros because we have strict restrictions.”
The length of the new Twingo is only 3.75 meters. Image: Renault
Renault factory electronic offensive
The Renault 5 starts at 32,500 francs this year. A base model with a smaller battery will be launched in 2025 and will cost 25,000 francs. The R5 is produced in northern France and, in automotive terms, is the successor to the electric Zoe. The R5's design has a retro look and references small cars from the 1970s and 1980s.
Photo: Renault/Yannick Broussard
Image: Renault
Next year, the new R4 will also be launched in SUV form.
The Renault 4 is slightly larger than the R5, but it's also a small car. Image: Renault
Image: Renault/Clement Ciolo
The three models are developed and sold by Renault subsidiary Ampere but operate under the Renault name. The brand hopes to launch a total of seven electric models by 2031. The goal is to sell 300,000 electric vehicles by 2025, with this number expected to increase to 1 million by 2031. This will account for half of total vehicle production.
The newly formed subsidiary Ampere has more than 11,000 employees, a third of whom are engineers. Production takes place at three existing plants in Douai, Morbigue and Ruiz in northern France. The initial production capacity is 400,000 vehicles and is expected to increase to 1 million vehicles by 2031. Chinese and Japanese manufacturer AESC Envision and French start-up Verkor, which operate a gigafactory near the Ampere plant, will supply batteries.
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Source: Volkswagen AG
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