Renault Twizy successor adds range, speed, comfort

PARIS -- The Mobilize Duo electric quadricycle will follow in the quiet footsteps of the Renault Twizy in 2023, when it will be launched with improved range, more comfort and optional higher maximum speeds.

A production version of the Duo will be shown to the public at the Paris auto show on Oct. 17.

Mobilize, Renault Group’s mobility services brand, plans to make a big splash at the Paris show, with a stand that will include the Duo, a one-person standup scooter concept called Solo, and the unveiling of a network of EV charging stations that will be deployed throughout Europe.

The Twizy, an open-sided quadricycle, was launched 10 years ago. Sales reached about 9,000 annually soon after its debut, but have fallen sharply in recent years. It is now built in South Korea, and production is scheduled to end ahead of the Duo’s launch. 

But the timing may be better now for such urban mobility vehicles, with Stellantis finding success with the Citroen Ami quadricycle, which now has an Opel variant, the Rocks-e. Other electric quadricycles now on the market in Europe include the Microlino, an upscale electric reinterpretation of the BMW Isetta minicar from the 1950s.

The Duo will be available by subscription or lease by the end of 2023. 

Like the Ami, the Duo will be built in Morocco, at Renault’s Tanger factory, and it will have a similar installed capacity, about 17,000 units. Stellantis builds the Ami and an Opel variant, the Rocks-e, at its plant in Kenitra. The Ami/Rocks-e and the Duo have identical front and rear bumpers to lower production and supply costs.

Stellantis says it has received about 25,000 orders for the Ami since its debut in April 2020. 

But the Duo differs in several key ways from the Ami: Like the Twizy, it has front-and-back motorcycle style seating, while the Ami has two side-by-side seats. It is available in a speed-limited version for drivers without licenses (top speed is 45 kph as per EU regulations), but unlike the Ami, there is also a version with a top speed of 80 kph, requiring a standard automobile license.

Duo customers cannot purchase the vehicles (the Ami can be bought outright for about 7,000 euros), but have a choice of a subscription or a minimum three-month lease. Mobilize is particularly targeting fleet owners who might be considering electric small cars, because operating costs for the Duo will be significantly lower, it says.

The Duo joins three other dedicated Mobilize vehicles.

• The Limo midsize full-electric sedan is built in China for ride-hailing and taxi services, with the first vehicles delivered to Madrid this year.
• The Bento (due in 2024) is the cargo version of the Duo, with a single seat and a 1 cubic meter “backpack” box mounted high in the rear.
• Finally, the Hippo is a “last mile” small delivery van.

The Duo will have a range of 140 km (87 mph). It is 2430 mm long, 1300 mm wide and 1460 mm high --  dimensions that allow three Duos to park perpendicular in a standard parking space, Mobilize says. There are two charging plugs: a standard one for home use and a Type 2 for public charging stations.

In comparison, the Twizy is 2337 mm long, 1234 mm wide and 1454 mm high, with a range of 100 km. It is available for sale for 11,600 euros in France.

Mobilize did not release other specifications or prices at a press event ahead of the Paris show. 

Mobilize is emphasizing Duo’s environment-friendly credentials. The seat cushions (another upgrade from Twizy, which has unpadded seats) are made of recycled materials, and 95 percent of Duo can be recycled. 

The Duo is also accessible to a wide range of users, with doors that open upward to ease access between parked cars and space for a folding wheelchair. 

Other features include an airbag (not required on quadricycles) and a “boombox” style dashboard that has a speaker and space to hold a smartphone to power the infotainment system.

Joining the Duo at Paris is the Solo concept, a three-wheel, covered electric scooter that a single passenger pilots from a “semi-seated” position. It is 1370 mm long, 900 mm wide and 1750 mm high. With a top speed of 25 kph, it is designed as a safer and more comfortable alternative to shared electric scooter services. It has an airbag and a foot-activated emergency button to stop the vehicle. 

The larger front wheels power the Solo, while a single small wheel at the rear is used for steering (via a joystick). There are three charging options: Swappable batteries, plugs for home or public stations, and an induction system in which a single Solo is plugged into a station and provides power for others behind it.

Beyond vehicles, Mobilize will also reveal a network of EV fast-charging sites that will have six charging stations and an area for drivers to work or relax while their cars are juicing up. Maximum power delivery will be 400 kilowatts.

The facilities will be accessed by a card, eliminating the need for large numbers of attendants, and they will be located within five minutes’ drive of major highways, Mobilize executives say. 

The first sites will open in the coming months, with plans for a network of 200 across Western Europe by 2024, with 90 in France -- one for every 150 km of major highway.