Western auto media is currently full of stories that a Chinese partner is helping Renault produce an electric Twingo car due to go on sale in 2026 in Europe priced below 20,000 EUR (21,700 USD). Currently the Chinese partner is unknown but the two most likely candidates are either Geely or Dongfeng.
Development of the all-new Twingo is being led by Ampere. This is a separate company within Renault set up in late 2022 with the aim of designing, engineering and producing electric cars for the Renault Group. The first model resulting from this is the Renault 5 EV.
Interestingly at about the same time that Ampere was established Renault signed the Horse project JV with Geely to develop ICE and hybrid powertrains. This recently resulted in the creation of Horse Powertrain Limited on May 31, 2024 as a 50:50 owned company between the two partners.
However, this is not the only cooperation between the two companies. In 2022 Geely acquired a 34% stake of what is now known as Renault Korea, a company which started life as Samsung Motors. Under the agreement with Renault there is collaboration dedicated to bringing fuel-efficient Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) and Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) models to the South Korean market as well as for export sales. Cars produced by Renault Korea will use Geely’s compact modular architecture (CMA) along with taking advantage of Geely’s hybrid powertrains.
The existing relationship between the two companies is probably the strongest evidence for the Chinese partner in the Twingo project being Geely along with Ampere and Horse being initially announced around the same time.
Furthermore Geely has expertise in smaller EVs, not only does it have its own micro EVs like the Panda but also has worked with Smart to create the Smart #1 and created its own Zeekr X car.
The other main contender is Dongfeng with whom Renault had a joint venture until 2020. Dongfeng continues to produce the Dacia Spring which initially debuted in China as the Renault K-ZE and was subsequently sold in China as the Venucia e30. However, Dongfeng given the continual decrease in Renault involvement seems less likely than Geely. Also the only small EV that currently appears to be part of the Dongfeng line up is the Nammi 01.
Twingo development
The Chinese partner has been embedded in the development process of the electric Twingo since inception and is not the result of breakdown of talks on the project with Volkswagen. Development is being undertaken in France with the electric Twingo due to be produced in Europe. According to Autohome a project insider said “The development of the car will be done together with the Chinese partner to reduce the development lead time and costs.” Renault has previously said the car would go from concept to production within two years.
Sources: Autohome, Auto Express
On a Dutch car website, just to have some fun with the Renault fans, I posted a link to an Alibaba ad for the JMEV-Renault Xiaoqilin and said “here’s the next Twingo”. You can buy that car for as cheap as 6.000 USD. Remarkably, the Renault fans didn’t appreciate it…