Renault to launch two EVs in India

Renault could introduce two electric cars in India in the next two years. After evaluating an EV akin to Dacia’s Spring for several years, the company is considering larger models.

According to a report from the Indian website Autocar Professional, Renault will resume launching new cars in India in 2026 after a five-year hiatus.

In addition to two high-volume ICE models, the third-gen Duster and the first-ever Bigster (to be sold under the Renault name in India), the company is looking to introduce a new electric small SUV called the Kiger EV.

Kiger

Realizing the urgency of developing new products for its showrooms, Renault has started developing the Kiger EV. The company plans to begin production in the second half of 2026 and aims to launch it at a competitive price of under 15 lakh Indian rupees (€16,870).

Renault already sells a Kiger with an internal combustion engine in India and plans to give the gasoline-powered small SUV a facelift later this year. To save costs, the company plans to build the Kiger EV on a dedicated EV platform instead of modifying that model’s CMF-A+ platform.

The report does not say whether Renault is developing a new EV platform for India or plans to use the Euro-focused AmpR Small platform, which is used, for example, for the Renault R5 Electric. The second option could pose a challenge because of its comparatively high cost.

“India is not an easy market, and many carmakers have had to bite the dust,” said CEO Luca de Meo on his last visit to India. “We need to find our secret sauce, and in the past, maybe the only thing we were focusing on was trying to get the cheapest possible car to get access to mobility, but the market is changing a lot, so we have to be a little bit more creative,” he added.

Triber

Autocar Professional writes that Renault will introduce an electric Triber by March 2027, following the Kiger EV. The report does not clarify whether the company plans to launch the electric Triber as a separate model utilizing the dedicated EV platform or as a conversion of the existing ICE model.

That is a mini-MPV with three-row seating in a car of less than four meters. This was achieved by making the hood and engine bay as short as possible. The stretched wheelbase and the reduced overhang also contribute to the spacious cabin space, which Renault design chief Van den Acker claimed is around three meters long.

Renault will likely source the batteries for the Kiger EV and electric Triber locally and is discussing a deal with Tata AutoComp. Tata AutoComp imports cells from China’s Gotion and operates a local joint venture with the Chinese supplier called ‘Tata AutoComp Gotion Green Energy Solutions’.

Locally sourcing the battery packs may allow the company to price both EVs aggressively, which is its forte with the ICE models it currently sells in India.

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