Renault has confirmed plans for a new sub-£17,000 electric city car currently known as ‘Legend’, which it claims will offer “best-in-class”efficiency and will serve as a key part of an expanded European line-up of seven EVs.
The new machine will effectively sit underneath the forthcoming 5 and 4, and will serve as a spiritual successor to the Twingo. It is due to be revealed later today (Wednesday) as part of a Capital Markets Day event for Renault Group’s new Ampere spin-off firm. So far, Renault has only referred to the machine as ‘Legend’, which implies it might follow the Megane, Scenic, 5 and 4 models in taking on a retro-inspired nameplate when it reaches production.
So far, Renault Group has only given a few outline details on the Legend model, describing it as a “fit-for-purpose urban vehicle with no compromise”. It claims the machine will offer an impressive efficiency of 6.2mpkWh, and will offer 75 per cent lower CO2 emissions over its lifecycle than the “average European ICE car sold in 2023”.
A previous report in Automotove News Europe suggests that the Legend model could be built at Renault’s factory in Novo Mesto, Slovenia. It would neatly fill the gap left by the Twingo, which is still available in some left-hand-drive markets, but is nearing 10 years old. The Zoe, which is being phased out of production after ten years, will be more directly replaced by the 5.
The Legend will be priced at less than €20,000 (£17,000), which Renault Group claims will cost less than €100 (£87) per month. The firm is due to show the car and reveal further details later today (Wednesday).
The Capital Market Day financial event also serves as a launch for the Ampere firm, a new standalone company within Renault Group. Officially launched on November 1, it will design, engineer manufacture and market EVs in Europe – although models will be sold under the Renault brand. It will have around 35,000 employees.
A key focus for Ampere will be on achieving price parity between EVs and combustion engined vehicles. It will focus on B and C segment models using two existing Renault Group electric platforms. B-segment cars such as the 5, 4 and Legend will be built on the AmpR Small (previously CMF-BEV) architecture, with C-segment cars including the Megane and Scenic using AmpR Medium (CMF-EV).
Ampere claims that has a roadmap to reduce variable costs for the 2nd generation of bespoke C-segment EVs – which the firm describes as “Megane and Scenic successors” – that will arrive by 2027/28 with a focus on a 50 per cent reduction in battery cost per vehicle, a 25 per cent reduction in powertrain and platform costs and a 15 per cent reduction in upper body vehicle costs. It also claims it will refine its operations to reduce manufacturing and logistic costs by half.