Finally! An Affordable Electric Car We Actually Want

TL;DR

The new Renault Twingo EV delivers genuine fun and practicality under £20,000, reviving the iconic small-car formula with modern electric tech.

Key Points

• 1.The new Twingo launches under £20,000 with a 27.5 kWh LFP battery and 163 miles of range. It weighs just 1,200 kg, uses cell-to-pack technology for 20% higher energy density, and needs charging only once or twice a week given average daily use of 22 miles.
• 2.It was developed in just 100 weeks — half the normal Renault development time — to hit its cost targets. The car has a 60% lower carbon footprint than a petrol equivalent, uses low-carbon European steel, and sources 75% of components within 620 miles of its Slovenian factory.
• 3.The suspension setup is a deliberate cost-performance compromise borrowed from other Renault models. Front suspension matches the Renault 4 and 5, while the rear uses Captur geometry, delivering engaging handling without the expense of full multi-link geometry on all corners.
• 4.It is the first A-segment car to offer one-pedal driving, plus 24 advanced driver assistance systems. Safety features include a drowsiness-monitoring camera, speed warnings, and dual scoring for safety and eco driving, addressing that 30% of accidents stem from speed and 20% from drowsiness.
• 5.The Twingo's retro-futurist design faithfully echoes the 1992 original but adds practical modern touches. Iconic frog-eye headlights and the signature smile return, while aerodynamic bumper strips protect against parking scrapes; boot capacity reaches 360 litres — comparable to a Ford Focus.
• 6.Minor niggles include a small windscreen creating blind spots, no dedicated park button, and a 50 kW max charge speed (10–80% in ~30 minutes). The reviewer considers 100 kW the modern minimum, and pricing for the top Techno trim versus the base Evolution spec won't be confirmed until autumn.