Renault has confirmed plans to launch one of the cheapest electric cars in the UK after finding “huge potential” and interest among drivers.
The Twingo E-Tech electric vehicle will arrive in the UK with a price point of under €20,000 or £17,000, offering drivers a cheap alternative to petrol and diesel cars.
While the official release date has not been revealed, the new model is hoping to rival other popular electric cars on offer in the UK, including the Citroen e-C3 and Dacia Spring.
The model is the new electric version of the existing Twingo, which was introduced in 1992 and has come back following popular demand.
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The vehicle is expected to be priced at less than £17,000
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Renault CEO Fabrice Cambolive said: “I’m pleased to confirm Renault Twingo will launch in the UK. I put all my attention on the challenge to launch Twingo in right-hand drive.
“I believe a car under €20,000 (£16,844) equivalent has huge potential in the UK as well as Europe, both for opening up the segment because of its design, technology and dynamics as with R5 and R4.”
He added that the new electric model aims to appeal to customers, as the cheaper price point makes it a more attractive vehicle choice.
“Accessibility to EVs is critical for the future, and Twingo offers something new for Renault, and for all car buyers,” he explained.
While Renault has not announced the battery range of the vehicle, it is expected that the city car will be able to travel around 185 miles on a single charge.
Across the UK and Europe, car brands have been taking an increasing interest in electric vehicles, with Renault itself pledging to only sell electric models by 2030 as well as halving its emissions by 2035.
Josep-Maria Recasens, chief strategy officer of Renault Group, previously said: “Renault Group’s commitment to sustainability has enabled us to meet the challenges facing the industry in recent years.
“We have embraced the electrical and software transition in an inclusive way, upgrading and reskilling our employees through ReKnow University.”
The electric car is a remake of the original 1992 model
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The new Twingo model will join the company’s existing electric fleet on offer in the UK, including the 5 E-Tech, R5 Turbo 3E, 4 E-Tech, Scenic E-Tech and the Megane E-Tech.
A prototype of the EV was originally released in 2023 by the carmaker with Thierry Piéton, chief financial officer at the group, explaining that due to “high-performance cars, competitive prices, a strong brand and high-quality services, Ampere is well positioned to catch the growth on the EV market”.
Earlier this year, Renault announced plans to bring its 5 E-Tech model into the UK market, which is expected to arrive at showrooms in Spring this year, with the new Twingo set to follow.
The new electric car entering the UK market comes at a crucial time as the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate gets rolled out.
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Renault currently offers seven electric cars in the UK market
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The mandate requires all cars to be electric by 2030, with carmakers required to have at least 28 per cent of new car sales be electric this year.
