Small electric car presents an affordable option for city dwellers looking to go green On sale 2026 Price from £17,000 (est)
Darren Moss darren.moss@haymarket.com
IF YOU’VE BEEN put off electric vehicles (EVs) thus far by high prices, the upcoming Renault Twingo could be the model to change your mind. When it arrives in 2026, it’ll be one of the cheapest new EVs around.
Indeed, with a price that’s expected to start at just under £17,000, or from less than £90 per month on a PCP finance deal, the new Twingo will be cheaper than such small car stalwarts as the Seat Ibiza,Toyota Yaris and Volkswagen Polo – none of which is available in fully electric form.
The Twingo is one of seven EVs that Renault plans to have on sale by 2031. Among those are the upcoming Renault 4 and 5, the Megane E-Tech (already on sale) and larger Scenic E-Tech SUV.
Unveiled in concept guise, the Twingo follows the Renault 4 and 5 concepts in channelling the design hallmarks of its namesake, which went on sale in 1992 and lasted through three generations before being withdrawn in 2019. Signature touches include the bonnet vents of the original Twingo, despite there being no combustion engine to cool.The original’s distinctive front and rear lights have been reimagined using LED tech, and the door handles are recessed as per Twingo tradition.
Renault describes the Twingo as a “fit-for-purpose urban vehicle with no compromise”. The brand promises that it will have a focus on efficiency, which suggests that the new car will feature a relatively small battery and single, modestly powered electric motor.
One option could be for the Twingo to use the same 26.8kWh battery as the Dacia Spring (destined for the UK this year), Dacia being owned by Renault.That battery would bring a likely range of around 150 miles; that’s not as far as the MG 4 and upcoming Volkswagen ID 2 will take you, but it could be enough for city living. Another possibility is for the Twingo to use the 42kWh battery from the larger Renault 5, potentially yielding a 200-mile range.
In terms of power, the Twingo is expected to share both of the Spring’s electric motor options, with buyers able to choose between 44bhp and 64bhp versions.
While the Twingo could make use of the 5’s 134bhp electric motor for a range-topping model, it’s unlikely that Renault’s performance sister brand, Alpine, will produce a hot version of the Twingo in the vein of the 5-based A290.
We’re yet to see insi
