Renault Twingo Z.E. to be released this year

Renault has introduced the Twingo Z.E. and announced that sales are scheduled to launch at the end of this year. The battery-electric version of the small car will be equipped with an electric motor with 60 kW output and a water-cooled battery pack with a capacity of 21 kWh.

According to the French carmaking giant, this should enable a range of 180 kilometres in the WLTP test cycle. In city mode, the operating range would be up to 250 kilometres thanks to the higher proportion of recuperation phases. “Given that the average daily commute for mini city car users in Europe is around 30 kilometres, the operating range is sufficient for a week’s commuting without charging, making it the perfect electric city car alternative to internal combustion vehicles,” promises Renault. Under less favourable conditions, however, the range in practice is likely to be well below the WLTP value – making twice-weekly charging more probable.

The electric motor, reduction gear and power electronics are derived from the Renault Zoe. Renault manufactures the powertrain in Cléon, France, along with all other electrical parts used by the French manufacturer. The charging system Chameleon Charger also comes from the Zoe. This means that the Twingo will also have an AC charging capacity of up to 22 kW, which is equivalent to a range of around 80 kilometres in 30 minutes charging time. Charging to 80 per cent at 22 kW should take 1:03 hours, and four hours at a single-phase wallbox at 7.4 kW. The Twingo will apparently not have an option for a CCS DC charger, as is now available on the Zoe.

One difference, however, is the battery, which is the first electric car from Renault to have water cooling. The cells come from LG Chem, and the Korean company is also said to have been involved in the development of the high-voltage storage system. The battery weighing 165 kg sits under the driver and passenger seats.

The third-generation of the Twingo platform has been on the market since 2014, and was designed for electric drives right from the get-go. However, according to Renault headquarters, this latest model will not be launched on the market until the end of the year. And in Renault’s press release, the German importer, for example, speaks of the turn of the year 2020/2021.

The final assembly of the Twingo Z.E. will take place in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, where the petrol variants of the small car will also be built. The joint production with combustion engine models is possible because these have a similar design with rear engine. As in a BMW i3, for example, the electric motor in the Twingo Z.E. sits under the trunk floor. The top speed of the E-Twingo is 135 km/h, for acceleration to 50 km/h Renault specifies 4.0 seconds, the value to 100 km/h is 12.6 seconds.

Externally, the Z.E. will be distinguishable from the petrol-driven Twingos by means of blue decorative highlights. Renault promises no differences in the dimensions: The luggage compartment volume, built according to the VDA standard, is also 240 litres. When the rear seatback folded down, the result is a 980 litre and 1.34-metre long storage compartment. Since the backrest of the passenger seat can also be folded down, objects up to 2.31 metres long can be transported here.

“Depending on the equipment”, the Twingo Z.E. will come with the Renault EasyLink navigation system, which also has information on charging stations and controls the charging management (such as home charging at cheaper electricity rates). Alternatively, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can also be used. However, Renault has not yet published the exact scope of the individual equipment lines – the prices are also not yet known.

renault.com, autonews.com