The Renault revolution by Luca De Meo also passes through names and definitions, and that is why, from now on, the entire electrified range of the French brand will be identified with the name E-Tech.
In the days when De Meo himself announced to the French magazine Challenges that the Twingo will soon disappear from the market precisely because “the small internal combustion cars will disappear due to the European rules of the game”, Renault is looking to the future with the 8 models full Electric, full hybrid and plug-in hybrid that are part of the new E-Tech range: “And as electric, Tech as Formula 1 technology”, explained the French.
Driving the range remains the Zoe: the compact sedan remains the best-selling, with over 5,424 registrations representing 78% of sales, alongside the electric Twingo. On the hybrid front, however, the range counts on the Clio Hybrud and on Capture and Megane plug-in hybrid. Twizy, the electric city quadricycle, and commercial vehicles (Kangoo ZE and Master ZE) complete the circle. And in the course of 2021 other arrivals are expected: from the Arkana and the Capture full hybrid to the Megane sedan plug-in hybrid, vehicles that will bring the E-Tech range to 11.
Ipsos research: Italians more open to electric mobility
In conjunction with the launch of E-Tech, Renault also wanted to present a study commissioned by the market research institute Ipsos and aimed at investigating the expectations and opinions of the European “big 5” in terms of electric mobility. And out of a sample of about 5,000 people residing in Spain, France, Great Britain, Germany and Italy, the Italians – also thanks to the covid pandemic – 10 – were the most favorable to a transition to electricity.
Analyzing the Italian sample, 35% said they were particularly concerned about climate change, appreciating the improvement during the lockdown (62%). 79% of Italians, the highest percentage compared to the rest of the countries analyzed, said they were in favor of a conversion to electricity and convinced that it will also have benefits in terms of travel. Even though they are more confident and open, however, half of the interviewees believe that the heat engine is more satisfactory with respect to their needs, including economic ones.
Renault says goodbye to Twingo
Returning therefore to Renault’s plans, the offensive on the electric market now seems ready, and as in all wars they are predicted to have fallen in battle. The Twingo, according to De Meo, will be the first: the costs to be incurred to remain in segment A are too high, thanks to a decline in the appeal of city cars and the fact that – as said by De Meo himself – “the tightening of CO2 emissions standard makes it rather difficult to make a 3.6 meter long petrol model profitable ”.
The third generation of the Twingo will therefore be the last, even if the Losanga house has no intention of letting go of the entry level models. The electric R5, for example, could fill the gap, even if only starting from 2023: the model was presented a few days ago, and the price announced by De Meo himself could remain under 20,000 euros to make the model accessible. electric. In terms of accessibility, however, it is Dacia that plays the lion’s share, with the new electric Spring arriving on March 20 which will cost, this is now certain, less than 20 thousand euros.
