Renault's Ampere Begins Development Of Electric Twingo - Report

In an effort to fend off fierce competition from Chinese rivals, Renault plans to begin engineering work on a more cost-effective version of its electric Twingo model this month, two sources told Reuters. Production is expected to begin in two years.

China's automakers, who lead the world in producing electric cars, are quickly gaining traction in the European market and putting pressure on established players like Renault to reduce expenses and shorten the time it takes to launch a new model. Chinese EV manufacturers have slashed the average amount of time needed for new car development to 2.5 years, which is about half of what automakers have historically needed.

The two people with knowledge of the matter stated that last week was the "freeze concept" for Renault's upcoming electric Twingo, where the vehicle's outline was confirmed and validated.

According to one of the sources, Ampere, Renault's electric vehicle division, will now begin selecting suppliers, developing prototypes, and increasing production.

Renault has been attempting to reduce the five-year average development time for legacy automakers. It took four years to develop the electric Megane and three years to develop the electric R5, which will go on sale this year.

According to Gilles Le Borgne, head of technology at Renault, last month, engineers will use more generic components and prioritize parts that are readily available at suppliers in order to expedite the Twingo launch. This will result in a 20% reduction in the number of parts needed.

Confirming Renault's intentions to begin mass production of the new Twingo in 2026, a third source said the model would be put together in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, the same place that makes the current generation electric Twingo ZE.

However, Renault opted not to respond.

Over the past 30 years, more than 4 million Twingos including the electric and fossil fuel versions have been sold.

To help them compete with Chinese brands like BYD, European automakers are aiming to produce smaller EVs that sell for less than €20,000 (RM103,00).

In an effort to cut expenses even more, Renault is in discussions with Volkswagen to share the Twingo platform.

According to the first source, those discussions will go on "in parallel" with the vehicle's development, which won't be impacted by the conclusion of the talks.

Thomas Schaefer, CEO of the Volkswagen brand, stated in March that the company was exploring launch window options for an entry-level electric vehicle by 2027, including collaborating with partners. We anticipate a decision in the upcoming months.