Renault’s smallest car, the Twingo, seems to be ready to make the transition to battery-electric power.

This would allow it to challenge the likes of the Volkswagen e-Up! and other zero-emission A-segment hatchbacks out there. If the report from Autocar turns out to be true, then the electric Twingo should arrive as early as next year.

“We originally planned to launch an electric Twingo at the beginning and then we saw that there were no [charging] stations, so we slowed down”, Renault’ product planning chief Ali Kassai told the British publication. “And then we had Zoe and we had ambitious plans for that.”

Also Watch: Review Penalizes Renault Twingo for Poor Dynamics

Electrifying the third-gen Twingo would have been easy, as it shares the same platform with Smart’s ForTwo and ForFour, both of which are being offered with electric powertrains alongside the ICE-powered variants. Renault even previewed the small EV that never went into production with the 2013 Twin’Z, a concept built on the same architecture as the latest Twingo. The study used a rear-mounted electric motor that produced 50 kW (68 PS / 67 hp), powered by a lithium-ion battery pack mounted under the floor.

The small hatchback is not the only electric car planned by Renault, as a larger model could be offered as a direct rival to the Volkswagen ID.3 or Tesla Model 3. In total, they want to have eight zero-emission vehicles in the lineup by 2022, so they can get establish themselves as serious players in the market.

Note: 2013 Renault Twin’Z Concept pictured in the Gallery

Renault’s Sharpening Up Its Electric Game, Zero-Emissions Twingo Comes Into Play
Renault’s Sharpening Up Its Electric Game, Zero-Emissions Twingo Comes Into Play
Renault’s Sharpening Up Its Electric Game, Zero-Emissions Twingo Comes Into Play
Renault’s Sharpening Up Its Electric Game, Zero-Emissions Twingo Comes Into Play
Renault’s Sharpening Up Its Electric Game, Zero-Emissions Twingo Comes Into Play
Renault’s Sharpening Up Its Electric Game, Zero-Emissions Twingo Comes Into Play
Renault’s Sharpening Up Its Electric Game, Zero-Emissions Twingo Comes Into Play
Renault’s Sharpening Up Its Electric Game, Zero-Emissions Twingo Comes Into Play
Renault’s Sharpening Up Its Electric Game, Zero-Emissions Twingo Comes Into Play
Renault’s Sharpening Up Its Electric Game, Zero-Emissions Twingo Comes Into Play
Renault’s Sharpening Up Its Electric Game, Zero-Emissions Twingo Comes Into Play
Renault’s Sharpening Up Its Electric Game, Zero-Emissions Twingo Comes Into Play