While the two manufacturers have not yet launched their electric car for less than €25,000 excluding bonuses (Renault 5 and Volkswagen ID.2), Renault and Volkswagen announced the same day their respective intention to produce an electric city car for less than of €20,000.
Respective plans that coincide
For the French manufacturer, this vehicle should mark the return of the Twingo, in a form closer to the first models. It is announced for 2026. Volkswagen is currently less forthcoming about its future electric car priced at less than €20,000, which will not arrive before the second half of the decade.
It is perhaps this fairly close timetable which pushed the two groups to consider a partnership, as reported by the German daily Handelsblatt. This connection should of course be taken with a grain of salt and the sources close to the matter cited by our colleagues report discussions “at a very early stage”.
The main point of this potential partnership would be the platform that will be used by these vehicles. By using a common architecture, the two manufacturers could achieve greater economies of scale. Always according to Handelsblattthe two manufacturers would target annual production of 200,000 to 250,000 vehicles.
While Volkswagen declined to comment on this rumor, a Renault spokesperson acknowledged that “various discussions are underway, but nothing has yet been finalized”. He further indicated that collaboration was necessary in order to be competitive in this future market. As a reminder, mini-city cars, even thermal ones, are already struggling to remain accessible. Renault had also joined forces with Daimler to co-develop the third generation of its Twingo, which is a technical cousin of the Smart Forfour.