2026 Renault Twingo EV is set to cost less than £17,000

A new Renault Twingo is set to arrive in 2026 with electric-only power and a price that will begin at less than £17,000. That will make the Twingo one of the cheapest electric cars on the market, undercutting the Dacia Spring. The production car will be very similar to the one shown in our images.

The all-new Twingo is based on the same EV-specific AmpR platform as the latest Renault 4 and 5 models, with a wheelbase of around 2.5 metres on the Twingo, and an overall length of 3.75 metres. This pushes the wheels to the far corners of the car to maximise cabin space, just like the original Twingo did.

Similarities with the first-generation Twingo continue as Renault has returned to a one-box design for the new EV model. Sandeep Bhambra, who is in charge of the design of the Renault Twingo concept car revealed in October, confirmed the new Twingo will take a minimalist approach, yet come with five doors and enough space for the family.

Avarvarii

Bhambra said: “Now that we have the AmpR platform, it allows us to make the Twingo mono-volume again.” He also confirmed the new platform allows Renault to meet the latest crash safety regulations, even with the Twingo’s electronics placed low at the front of the car.

The production Twingo will be “90 per cent” the same as the concept car, but Bhambra said some details will be different to get the finalised car’s price as low as possible. Details that are unlikely to make the cut include the concept’s animated Renault bonnet lozenge badge and the front door handles, but the bumper extensions should remain to cope with Parisian parking.

With city driving in mind, the 2026 Twingo will be launched with the smaller of the Renault 5’s two battery options. This 40kWh unit  offers a 186-mile range in the 5, so should stretch to 200 miles in the lighter, smaller Twingo. With the same 93bhp motor as the 5 powering the Twingo’s front wheels, expect 0-62mph in 10 seconds and a 100kW maximum charge speed.

Bhambra said: “We have a very specific use case [for the Twingo]. This gives us a very specific battery size, a very efficient weight target. Then you have something virtuous to drive as an urban object. Whereas if you try to do more things with one car, then you build on more weight, and more battery, and more constraints. The Twingo is more for doing a run around the city, instead of taking the highway or going on vacation.”

Renault did not sell the first-generation Twingo in the UK and has yet to confirm if this new EV model will come here. A decision is due to be made on a right-hand-drive Twingo in 2025, ahead of production starting in 2026.