Renault desires to lure city patrons with the Twingo Z.E., a full-electric model of the model’s rear-engine minicar that it hopes will make up as a lot as 30 % of all Twingo gross sales. 

The Twingo Z.E. — Renault’s second full-electric automotive after the Zoe – was initially developed because the Good ForFour EQ, which first went on sale in 2018 as a part of Renault and Daimler’s partnership. The Twingo Z.E. has extra vary than the Good model, and usually has a cheaper price. 

“That is the logical evolution of the Twingo,” Frederic Clermont, Renault’s international advertising supervisor for minicars and small automobiles, mentioned at a test-drive occasion in October.

Research have proven that minicar house owners throughout Europe drive a median of 30 km a day, Renault mentioned, so the Twingo Z.E.’s WLTP vary of 190 km on a combined cycle is sufficient for nearly per week’s driving. The Twingo can journey 270 km in an city cycle, Renault says.

Clermont mentioned that Renault is assured there’s a marketplace for a Twingo that begins at 21,350 euros, virtually 10,000 euros greater than the least-expensive gasoline-engine variant, which begins at 11,700 euros in France. 

That’s as a result of EV incentives in France, Italy and several other different European nations deliver the worth of the Twingo Z.E. to about 15,000 euros, and even much less with authorities trade-in bonuses.

Renault says that 40 % of gasoline-engine Twingo patrons go for the 2 highest trim ranges — which begin at about 15,000 euros and 16,000 euros, respectively, roughly the identical as the electrical model of the automotive together with incentives.

The Twingo Z.E. is out there in 4 trim ranges, as much as a launch version that begins at 26,450 euros in France earlier than incentives.

Renault is selling a 37-month lease at 99 euros a month that offers patrons the possibility to make use of a bigger, longer-range Renault mannequin such because the Espace minivan for a small payment for as much as 30 days a yr for holidays or for hauling larger masses.

The Twingo Z.E. has 5 drive modes. Along with an ordinary mode, which robotically selects the most effective ratio of freewheeling and regenerative braking, there are three “B” modes, with the best degree maximizing regenerative braking permitting for just about single-pedal driving, Renault says. There may be additionally an Eco mode, which limits acceleration and prime velocity to extend vary by about 20 %.

The interior-combustion Twingo ranked fourth within the minicar phase within the first half of 2020, with 33,968 gross sales, a decline of 24 %, though the phase as an entire fell by 49 %.

The Fiat Panda and Fiat 500 are the longtime phase leaders, with 59,344 Pandas and 56,917 offered within the first half.

Renault officers say the phase is shifting towards electrification, as the price of emissions compliance for small, low-margin automobiles turns into unsustainable.

The Twingo Z.E.’s competitors consists of the Good ForFour, though Good is lowering its European presence after the model was transferred to China’s Geely from Daimler; the equally priced VW e-Up, Skoda Citigo-e iV and Seat Mii Electrical — in addition to the just-announced base model of the Fiat New 500 EV, at a value of 26,150 euros in Italy earlier than incentives. 

It may additionally face competitors on the decrease finish of the worth scale from the Dacia Spring, a car imported from China with an anticipated European value of about 15,000 euros.