Renault Twingo Electric: we drive the electric car with which Renault wants to conquer the city

Renault expands its electric car offering with a perfect complement to the Renault ZOE: the new Twingo Electric. A model that, unlike the ZOE, was conceived from the outset as a 100% electric car, has until now been offered with combustion engines.

However, when this third generation of the Twingo was developed, it was already done with future electrification in mind. And for Renault, the moment has arrived. The Twingo definitively says goodbye to the petrol engine to be offered in this new Electric version.

The best part is that, as we will see, the electrification does not make it lose a single one of the characteristics that define the Twingo. I would even say it enhances some of them. We are facing an original, customisable car with a design that conveys charm. And now, more efficient than ever, and also simpler and more pleasant to drive.

The main technical features of the Twingo Electric

You may not know it, but the Twingo Electric shares its platform with the Smart EQ forfour, another model that recently committed to full electrification. However, the battery and motor are different. The price is also different, as the Smart sits one step above the Twingo.

In terms of size and price, the Renault model competes with the cheapest electric cars on the market, such as the SEAT Mii electric and its “cousins”, the Skoda Citigo iV and the Volkswagen e-up!.

Having a platform designed with electrification in mind, the Twingo Electric’s battery is placed under the floor, without interfering with interior space or the boot, which offers almost 190 litres of capacity, expandable to 980 litres with the rear seat folded down.

Manufactured by LG Chem, the battery has a capacity of 22 kWh. For a car of this type, it is notable that it features water cooling, and that the Caméléon charger, compatible with 22 kW charging, is standard. The cooling system is installed at the front, under the bonnet, accessed by removing a trim piece and using the same car key that activates the ignition.

Up to 80 km of range with a half-hour charge

The R80 motor, located at the rear, is derived from the one used in the ZOE, and is manufactured in Cléon (France). The car is assembled in Slovenia. It produces 82 CV and a maximum torque of 160 Nm, allowing the Twingo Electric to claim a 0 to 50 km/h acceleration in 4 seconds. The top speed is 135 km/h, and the homologated range WLTP reaches 190 km on the combined cycle, and up to 270 on the urban cycle.

The Twingo Electric can be charged both at home and at public charging points, always with alternating current. Compatibility with 22 kW charging, which is the most common among public charging stations, allows 80 km of range to be recovered in about 30 minutes. A full charge would take around an hour and a half. A full charge from a domestic 2.4 kW socket would require 15 hours, reduced to 8 hours on a 3.7 kW socket, and to 4 hours with a wallbox at 7.4 kW.

Connected thanks to Renault Easy Connect

As with the bodywork, the move to electrification does not bring design changes to the Twingo Electric’s interior, beyond the many personalisation details.

The most interesting feature is the Easy Link multimedia system, with a 7-inch screen integrated into the centre console, compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Associated with the specific Easy Connect connectivity services for electric cars, and using the My Renault app or the on-board system, you can schedule charging, pre-condition the cabin while the car is plugged in, or check the charging status and range.

It also lets you plan a journey, taking charging points along the route into account. The navigator now displays in real time the radius of action based on remaining range, as well as available charging stations with up-to-date information.

Behind the wheel of the Renault Twingo Electric

The driving experience offered by the Twingo Electric is very rewarding, especially for what it is designed for: the urban environment. Even so, we took a route with some motorway and mountain roads, where the Twingo showed that it still boasts dynamic behaviour characterised by great agility and very easy driving.

In town these qualities are amplified, thanks to a turning circle of just 8.60 metres (the best on the market, on a par with another urban electric, the Honda e), and a very controllable motor that pushes with sufficiency and smoothness. Below 30 km/h you will hardly hear from inside the acoustic pedestrian warning system, which lets you select three tones. Once under way, sound insulation is very good for a car of this kind.

Three positions can be selected on the gear lever, B1, B2 and B3, which modify the braking effect provided by the energy recovery system. B1 is the lowest retention, ideal for driving on country roads or motorways. B2 is the intermediate setting, with the same level of retention as if you put the gearbox in “D” and forgot about the lever.

Mode B3 is the maximum retention setting. It is not as strong as the retention offered by the maximum energy recovery mode on other electric cars, but in many situations it allows you to reduce speed without using the brakes, simply by pulling the lever.

Another option offered by the Twingo Electric is to select ECO mode via a button on the centre console. What this programme does is limit top speed to around 100 km/h, as well as soften the throttle response and slightly reduce engine power. The good thing about this energy-saving mode, with which, according to Renault, 225 km of range can be achieved on mixed routes, is that it has a very pronounced point in the accelerator pedal travel which, once passed, restores full acceleration capacity.

This allows you to drive in ECO mode without having to “fine-tune” with your right foot to avoid overdemanding power and having the mode deactivate at the first gear change. As a curiosity, if you are travelling faster than the ECO mode limit and press the button, the car automatically drops to those 100 km/h even if you keep pressure on the accelerator.

During our first contact, of around 90 km, we were able to verify how little the Twingo Electric consumes, especially on a route that was not at all favourable to it, without using ECO mode except on rare occasions to see how it worked, and without driving as efficiently as would have been possible by using the lever retention modes. In the worst scenario, consumption was around 12 kWh per 100 km. We will check this in a more thorough test, but everything points to the 200 km of range being easily “within reach” in real driving, and the 250 km are easily achievable if you mainly drive in town.

Range and prices of the Twingo Electric

Renault offers the Twingo Electric in two trim versions: ZEN and the limited VIBES series. These are the prices, including in both cases the registration tax and the discounts applied by the brand, excluding the Plan Moves, which would allow access to a purchase grant of up to 5,500 euros:

• Twingo Electric ZEN: 20,915 euros
• Twingo Electric VIBES: 21,870 euros

The ZEN version comes as standard with LED daytime running lights, a decorative stripping band, Type 3 charging cable, air conditioning, Easy Link system with 7-inch screen and navigator, 15-inch alloy wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel, tinted rear windows and rear parking sensors.

The VIBES version, for about 1,000 euros more, adds mainly personalisation elements that on the ZEN can be chosen as optional packs. Here the 16-inch alloy wheels in white, the white inserts in the grille of the front panel and the identification badges of the limited series on the lower door protections are standard. In addition, the orange bodywork colour is reserved exclusively for this version, along with the option of fitting additional strippings on the roof and sides.

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Interesting options include the Type 2 charging cable (370 euros) or the lane departure warning (165 euros). In both cases the fabric sunroof (735 euros) can also be requested. For the ZEN, there are different exterior personalisation packs in red, white or yellow (124 euros), as well as stripping in white and black points, or the so-called “cosmic” ones (165 euros). Interior personalisation can be in black, red or yellow (125 euros).

Image gallery of the Renault Twingo Electric