Renault Twingo Electric joins ranks of low-cost EVs

PARIS -- Renault has announced prices starting at 21,350 euros ($25,220) for the full-electric version of the Twingo minicar, which goes on sale starting in France this autumn. 

The base price makes the Twingo Electric among the least expensive electric vehicles sold in Europe. The Smart ForFour EQ, which shares many components with the Twingo and is built in the same factory, starts at 27,350 euros in France.

The Twingo Electric will have two main trim levels in addition to a special launch edition (see table, below). It is eligible for up to 7,000 euros in ecological bonuses in France, as well as a scrapping incentive of several thousand euros. 

Renault says the Twingo Electric has a range of 190 km in the WLTP mixed cycle and up to 270 km on the WLTP urban test cycle. It has a 22-kilowatt-hour battery that can be charged with up to 80 km of range in 30 minutes on a 22-kilowatt dedicated outlet.

The base Twingo with an internal combustion engine starts at about 11,500 euros in France, but Renault executives said that up to 40 percent of all Twingo buyers opt for the car's top trim levels and options, at prices of 16,000 euros to 18,000 euros, giving the company confidence that there is a market for the more expensive electric version of the minicar. 

Renault has said it hopes the electric Twingo accounts for 15 percent to 30 percent of the model line's overall sales, depending on how EV incentives play out. The automaker is targeting urban buyers as well as retirees who need an easy-to-maneuver car for shorter trips.

Last year Renault sold 86,486 Twingos in Europe, according to JATO Dynamics, about the same number as in 2018, when 86,774 were sold. The Twingo ranked fourth by unit sales in the minicar segment, behind the Fiat Panda, Fiat 500 and Toyota Aygo.

French industry analyst Inovev forecasts that Renault will sell 25,000 electric versions of the Twingo annually.

Other inexpensive EVs available in Europe include the Seat Mii Electric, at 20,869 euros in France; the Skoda Citigo e-iV, at 21,600 euros; the Volkswagen e-Up, at 23,440 euros; and the Smart ForTwo EQ at about 25,000 euros in France.  

All those EVs could soon be undercut on price by the Dacia Spring, a forthcoming version of the Renault Kwid minicar. The Spring is sold in China under various brand names by Renault’s joint venture partners there for less than 10,000 euros, although no prices have been announced for Europe.