Renault to build new electric Twingo in Slovenia

French car manufacturer Renault has signed a letter of intent with the Slovenian government to build the new electric Twingo at Renault subsidiary Revoz in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, from 2026. The government will provide subsidies, though the amount is still unknown.

There have been rumours that Renault plans to build the Twingo E-Tech Electric in Novo Mesto, as the current Twingo is also built there. And the plans have been officially confirmed. According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Renault aims to produce 150,000 vehicles a year at the plant. Supporting the investment in EV production in Slovenia “will secure not only Slovenia’s future as a car manufacturer but also its transition into an electric vehicle manufacturer,” the Slovenian government said in a statement.

This also means that Renault will receive an unknown amount of funding from the Slovenian government for its investment in EV production in Novo Mesto. According to an official statement from the Slovenian government, possible subsidies include “incentives for investments in tangible and intangible assets, development, research and innovation, for the recruitment and retraining of employees and, above all, for ensuring Slovenia’s competitiveness as an industrial location.”

“By investing in advanced technology and supporting companies like Revoz, we are creating conditions for new jobs, higher productivity, increased salaries and improved quality of life for all citizens,” said Economics Minister Matjaž Han. “After months of discussions between Renault, Revoz and our Ministry, we have achieved our goal: the future electric Twingo E-Tech model will be produced in Slovenia. This project further demonstrates our commitment to be one of the leaders in sustainable mobility and confirms that Slovenia is an attractive destination for complex investments.”

Renault wants its new Twingo E-Tech Electric to be priced below 20,000 euros and unveiled a study for the model in November. Since then, it has been clear that although the compact electric car was initially labelled a ‘Legend,’ it is actually an electric Twingo – with many design references to the first Twingo generation from the 1990s. However, the prototype has virtually nothing in common with the current electric Twingo, which still shares the platform with the now-discontinued Smart Forfour, apart from its compact format.

reuters.com, gov.si