The new Renault Twingo E-Tech isn't perfect, but it's magical – in that French way that makes you laugh and a little angry at the same time.
The new Renault Twingo E-Tech is here. This time in electric guise and with the ambition to become the most affordable EV in Europe. Cheaper than €20,000, produced in Slovenia and designed in France – the Twingo E-Tech is so European that it should have its own flag. And yet – it is not an electric miracle, but a very well-considered compromise. Typically French, then: charming, stylish, a little stubborn and above all convinced that it is right.
French cuisine under the hood
Small battery, big purpose
Under the electric hood of the new Renault Twingo E-Tech we find 27.5 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery. This is not a battery for marathons, but for everyday driving – school, work, coffee shop, home. LFP technology means less energy per kilogram, but a longer lifespan and lower costs. Renault chose it for a reason: the goal was to make electricity accessible, not perfect.
“Enough electricity so you won't have the excuse that gasoline is cheaper,” someone in Boulogne-Billancourt would say.
An engine that doesn't pretend
The engine develops 60 kW (81 hp) and 175 Nm of torque. This means Twingo will jump at traffic lights with the ease of a French waiter who is late with his bill – fast but without drama. You won't be setting records up to 100 km/h, but you'll always be the first to the parking lot around town.
Reaching real people
With a declared range of around 260 km (WLTP) The Twingo is aimed squarely at where most people actually drive – the city and its surroundings. You’ll realistically see between 200 and 230 km, which means you’ll be charging it every three or four days, not every hour. This is an electric car that doesn’t play superhero – it prefers to sing its “La Vie en Cité”.
Drama-free charging
Charging on AC up to 11 kW and DC up to 50 kW It won't break Tesla's Supercharger records, but it's enough for city life. At a public 50 kW station, you'll top up your battery from 20 % to 80 % in about half an hour - just between one "flat white" and another. I'd like at least 80 kWh charging and the option for 22 kW on a classic AC charger. Important in the city.
Design: retro charm with a modern smile
At first glance, the Twingo E-Tech is a mix of nostalgia and minimalism. Round lights? Yes. Bubble silhouette? Absolutely. And despite all the compromises, it has something that the French always know how to do: he looks more confident than he has any right to be. The interior follows the same philosophy: useful but pleasant. A digital display, a few physical buttons (thanks, Renault) and colored inserts that make you feel like you're driving something more cheerful than an Excel spreadsheet on wheels. Very modular seating options, following the example of its predecessor, including an auxiliary rear bench.
A typically French compromise: smart savings
Renault makes no secret of the fact that the Twingo E-Tech was designed with a sharp calculator in hand. Therefore:
- only four color options,
- cheaper materials inside,
- battery from China and
- production in Slovenia, which we praise (the author of this article is from Slovenia)
This is a lesson from European reality: if you want electricity that doesn't cost as much as an apartment, you have to compromise somewhere. The Twingo does it with style – with a French smile that says: “Yeah, I know I'm frugal, but look at me - I'm beautiful.”
Price and market position
Base price new Renault Twingo E-Tech under 20.000 € (The Dacia version is even under €18,000) is the Twingo's biggest asset. Renault is aiming directly at the heart of European cities and wallets, which the Volkswagen ID.1 is still waiting for.
And yes, Slovenia will be one of the first countries to have this model at home – production in Novo mesto means that the local market will finally have an “electric local”.
Conclusion – croissant electricity
New Twingo E-Tech It's like a French croissant: slightly hollow, but insanely delicious. It's not perfect, it's not luxurious, it's not fast. But it's exactly what many people need – cheap, cute and practical in everyday lifeIf he is still important in the test NCAPAs pioneering as the Twingo once was, we can congratulate Renault and perhaps even the author of this article would have liked it, as it was his second car in life, right after the Lancia Thema.
If you're looking for something that will impress you with raw power or technological excess, you've come to the wrong place. But if you want a car that doesn't take life too seriously, can park the length of a sofa and makes you smile when you look at it - then you're right where the French have always been: between sarcasm and style. And one more thing. It took them only 100 weeks to develop. And we can only hope they didn't forget anything.