When you think about it, an electric Renault Twingo makes sense—a small car to begin with, it has the structure already in place to make for a good city-going EV. And with 155 miles of range, the Twingo Z.E. looks like a pretty decent addition to Renault’s lineup.
Renault knows there’s no point in messing with a good thing, which is why the Twingo Z.E. is pretty much identical to its ICE counterpart except instead of the 1.0-liter engine the ZE has an electric motor that retains the rear-wheel drive layout of the current Twingo. It’ll provide a whopping 81 horsepower and 118 pound-feet of torque, so don’t think you’ll be collecting pink slips at every traffic light. But if you’re content with a top speed of 84 mph? This car will do.
It’s nothing crazy, but the Twingo Z.E. is Renault’s answer to an affordable electric car—it’s functional as well as familiar. You can check out all the specs in Renault’s press release, but the car will get around 250 kilometers (155 miles) of range when driving in the city, which is more than enough for anyone who doesn’t have a lengthy commute. Here’s more:
Twingo Z.E. features a “B Mode” giving drivers a choice of three levels for the regenerative braking function as soon as they release the accelerator pedal. In the most advanced configuration, the car decelerates significantly, which quickly regenerates the battery, reduces the need for braking, and makes city driving easier.
When you run out of juice, though, Renault assures that the Twingo Z.E. is easy to recharge. With a basic charger 22 kWh charger, a mere thirty minutes will add 50 miles to your battery life.
Honestly, I’m a big fan of all these city-friendly EV models coming out. I’m a firm believer of the “the range is fine” ethos, and the Twingo Z.E. is a perfect example of that. We’re probably not going to see this car in America any time soon, but I have to say that Renault knows its audience. In countries with a more EV-friendly lifestyle and infrastructure, the Twingo Z.E. will serve as a solid competitor to things like the Smart EQ ForFour, the Skoda Citigoe iV, and the VW e-up!