Not only will Renault’s new electric Twingo come in at under the £20k price point but it is expected to sell for under £17k. The wee city car will be built alongside the Clio at Renault’s Revoz plant in Slovenia. Evidently its two-year development cycle is one of the shortest yet for the French firm.
The Slovenian Press Agency recently reported that the nation’s government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Renault to build 150,000 new Twingos per year at the plant, kicking off in 2026.
That also means Revoz will be able to sustain its existing outputs after the production of the previous Twingo ceased following a 10-year run. The announcement will protect 1400 jobs.
A production example of the new Twingo will be revealed late next year, after just two years in development.
Renault has enlisted an unnamed Chinese supplier to help it accelerate the development programme. Not only will it help Renault meet the tight timeline but it will also be crucial in finding cost efficiencies.
The decision to build the Twingo in Europe rather than China probably relates to the recent tariffs on Chinese-built cars introduced by the European Union.
SAIC, owners of MG, must pay an extra 37.6 per cent on the price of EVs built in China. BYD is being charged 17.4 per cent extra and Geely 19.9 per cent.
This also affects eGT New Energy Automotive, the firm that builds the Dacia Spring. It will be charged a tariff of 20.8 per cent.
