Cloth falls (almost) for Renault Twizy

In the Netherlands, the Twizy has been discontinued since last year and, according to the Dutch Renault website, the Twizy is already out of production. The latter is not quite the case. The Twizy is in France, among others just new to configure. In 2019, production of the Renault Twizy was already transferred from Valladolid in Spain to Busan in South Korea, but production of the small EV will soon stop there too. In September, the very last Renault Twizy will roll off the production line, marking the end of the existence of the small city EV after more than 12 years.

Renault opened the Twizy book back in 2009, when the brand showed the Twizy ZE Concept at the Frankfurt IAA. That conceptual harbinger had headlights and turn signals that were given a place in the front in the shape of a flower. The wheels were hidden behind what Renault considered aerodynamic hoods. A year later, the definitive Twizy debuted at the Paris Motor Show.

The Renault Twizy – sold in Japan as Nissan New Mobility Concept – is born for the city with its length of 1.2 meters and width of 1.2 meters. That’s a good thing, because you can’t take it on the highway. The Twizy exists with a 13 hp electric motor that helps the cheerful Renault to a top speed of 80 km / h, but is also available with a 9 hp electric heart and a top speed of 45 km / h. The least potent variant could already be driven in the Netherlands by 16-year-olds with a moped license in their pocket. Regardless of the chosen version, the Twizy has a 5.1 kWh battery pack, good for an NEDC range of about 90 to 100 kilometers. Especially at the beginning of his career, the Twizy was a special appearance. The wheels of the Twizy are outside the body, the rear lights were centrally located in the buttocks and the occupants were not next to each other but behind each other. The Switchblade doors with transparent bottom were optional.

Fill it up: the Twizy Cargo.

We have certainly not yet mentioned all the striking features of the Twizy. In the front of the Twizy, for example, you were strapped to a seat with integrated headrest by means of four-point belts in the EV, and you got a lockable compartment with a capacity of 22 liters behind the co-driver’s seat. The upholstery was dirt and water resistant. In addition, the Twizy was fitted with various striking costumes. For example, Renault introduced the Twizy Cargo in mid-2013, a real ‘order version’ that did not have a rear seat, but instead got a cargo space with a capacity of 156 liters. In the German city of Wuppertal, two Twizys were deployed by the fire service from 2014 and in 2016 the first copies entered service with the (German) police. In 2013, Renault presented a Twizy overloaded with F1 elements: the Twizy Renault Sport F1. This crazy variant not only had heavy spoiler and wing work, but it stood up casually slicks and even had the KERS system from then current F1 cars tucked behind the front seat. With its 82 hp, this bizarre specimen buzzed to a speed of 100 km / h in 6 seconds.

Fiercely!

To date, 33,340 Renault Twizy units have been sold worldwide. In its last Dutch life phase, the Renault Twizy 45 was in the order books as Life from €12,490. The Twizy 80 cost a minimum of €13,290 in the same version.

The Twizy will not remain completely without successors. Renault Mobilize will offer this Duo, which builds on the Twizy, through subscription constructions.