Skip advert
Advertisement

New Renault Twingo EV to be “90 per cent” true to the concept car

Renault’s new baby EV is shaping up ahead of its 2026 launch – here’s what we know so far

Renault Twingo 2026 front quarter render
  • New fully-electric city car
  • Expected to cost from £17,000
  • To retain look of the concept car

The new Renault Twingo EV is edging closer to production, and some recent clues suggest that it won’t look too different from the concept car we saw last year.

That car wore styling inspired by the original Twingo from 1992, with its distinctive sloping front end and round headlights. The wheels were pushed right out to the furthest corners of the body, helping to maximise interior space without increasing the overall footprint. As a result, the Twingo concept looked to be pretty small, despite having five doors.

Advertisement - Article continues below

But that’s just the concept car. Making the leap from motor show stage to showroom floor often involves simplifying some of the more unusual design features, especially when the production car has an ambitious price tag to hit. For the Twingo, that’s expected to be in the region of just £17,000, which would make it one of the most affordable electric cars on sale.

However, a chat with Sandeep Bhambra, Renault’s head of concept car design, suggested that the new Twingo could make it to production without losing much of its charm. He said that the aim for the new Twingo is to make it as “timeless as possible”, and that will be achieved by making it as “minimalist as possible”.

What will the new Renault Twingo look like?

Key to the minimalist design is what Bhambra calls the Twigo’s “mono-volume” shape. Essentially, there are no separate ‘chunks’ to the design of the car, unlike a traditional hatchback with a defined bonnet for the engine and a separate passenger compartment. Renault has been able to achieve this by using the EV-only AmpR platform, which is shared with the new Renault 4 and 5.

Renault Twingo 2026 rear quarter render

He explained further: “All the key components are in the floor, between the wheels; it’s a long wheelbase – around 2.5 metres. At the front we have electronics, but all of it is very low. With this we can still meet crash and pedestrian impact [regulations], but with a mono-volume shape.”

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Our exclusive images give us an idea of what the production-ready Twingo could look like. It will retain the distinctive shape of the concept car and a few of its unique features, although we expect a few compromises in order to hit the sub-£20k starting price.

The concept car’s animated logo is expected to be one of the first details to be axed. Bhambra explained, “The Twingo is going to be sold for 20,000 Euros. That is quite low for an EV, so probably that logo will not make it in production”. It’s also unlikely that the concept car’s round door handles will see the light of day, with Bhambra explaining that “there is a possibility of pinching yourself when opening the door” with the current design.

Interesting lights are often one of the first things to be changed when a car transitions from concept to reality, and we expect the same to be true here. The concept car’s semicircular LED headlights and tail-lights will probably be swapped for a more conventional set of halogen lights in order to keep costs down. They should keep the same round shape, though, harking back to the original model from the ‘90s.

The Twingo’s distinctive trio of bonnet vents, inspired by the original car, will make it to production, too, and will be used to feed the air conditioning system.

Do we know anything else about the new Twingo?

Besides the exterior design, we know the Twingo will share much of its EV tech with the Renault 4 and 5. It’s likely to receive the smaller of the two battery packs available in those EVs, meaning a 40kWh unit and a range of somewhere around the 200-mile mark. Previously, Renault said it was aiming for an efficiency figure of up to 6 miles per kWh, which would be among the best of any electric car on sale.

In terms of pricing, the Twingo is still on track to be sold in Europe for €20,000, which would translate to just under £17,000 over here. While that would place it in direct competition with the Dacia Spring and Leapmotor T03, Renault is yet to confirm whether the Twingo will be sold in the UK. A decision is expected to be made in the coming year, before it reaches showrooms in Europe in 2026.

Find out more about the best small electric cars here…

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Best electric cars under £40,000 to avoid the luxury car tax
Best electric cars under 40k
Best cars
14 Mar 2025

Best electric cars under £40,000 to avoid the luxury car tax

New Mercedes CLA sets the standard with enormous 492-mile range
Mercedes CLA EV front quarter
News
13 Mar 2025

New Mercedes CLA sets the standard with enormous 492-mile range

New BMW 3 Series ‘Neue Klasse’ takes to the ice in first official photos
BMW 3 Series Neue Klasse testing front quarter
News
12 Mar 2025

New BMW 3 Series ‘Neue Klasse’ takes to the ice in first official photos

The smallest cars on sale in 2025
smallest cars on sale
Best cars
12 Mar 2025

The smallest cars on sale in 2025

Most Popular

New Peugeot 208 coming soon with hot GTi version under consideration
Peugeot 208 GTi render front quarter
News
10 Mar 2025

New Peugeot 208 coming soon with hot GTi version under consideration

New giant Skoda EV coming next year to challenge the Kia EV9
Skoda seven seater EV teaser front
News
13 Mar 2025

New giant Skoda EV coming next year to challenge the Kia EV9

Best car leasing deals 2025: this week’s top PCH offers
Mazda CX-5 tracking
Deals
13 Mar 2025

Best car leasing deals 2025: this week’s top PCH offers

Tips & advice

View All
Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
21 Oct 2024

Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps
Charging station
Tips and advice
23 Jul 2024

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
PCP vs HP
Tips and advice
17 May 2022

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Best cars

View All
Top 10 best car interiors
Peugeot 208 hatchback
Best cars
25 Jun 2021

Top 10 best car interiors

The 10 best electric cars in 2025
Bets electric cars 2025
Best cars
31 Jan 2025

The 10 best electric cars in 2025

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2025
Best cheap to run cars
Best cars
8 Jan 2025

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2025

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2025
Fastest hot hatchbacks 2025
Best cars
22 Jan 2025

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2025