Renault has revealed the new electric Twingo ZE city car with a range of up to 143 miles – although the model won’t be offered in the UK.

As with rival electric city cars, such as the Smart EQ Fortwo and Volkswagen e-Up, the Twingo ZE is based upon an existing combustion-engined model. The petrol-powered Twingo was launched in 2014.

The Twingo ZE uses a rear-mounted motor that offers 80bhp and 118lb ft, giving it a top speed of 84mph and a 0-62mph time of 12.6sec. Power is drawn from a 22kWh lithium ion battery and a ‘B-mode’ allows the driver to choose from three levels of regenerative braking.

The car has a range of 143 miles on the WLTP city cycle or 102 miles on the WLTP combined cycle. The battery can be charged at speeds of up to 22kW, at which rate 50 miles of range can be added in around half an hour. 

The Twingo ZE weighs 1112kg and retains the same dimensions as the petrol model, at 3615mm long with a wheelbase of 2492mm. 

Renault removed the Twingo from its UK range when the model was facelifted last year. That decision reflected the small sales volume for the model in the UK and the cost of producing right-hand-drive variants of the refreshed design. 

The Twingo ZE will be followed later this year by a Kadjar-sized electric crossover.

Renault’s budget brand, Dacia, will unveil its first EV at the Geneva motor show, alongside a new Renault concept car called the Morphoz.

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