The Renault Twizy is a battery-powered 2 seat electric city car designed and marketed by Renault and manufactured in Valladolid, Spain. Legally classified in Europe as a heavy quadricycle (light quadricycle for the lower-powered Urban 45 model), the Twizy has a maximum range of 100Â km (62Â mi).
The Twizy debuted as a concept car at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and was designed by Françoise Leboinne and Luciano Bove. In November 2010, Nissan announced a rebadged variant to the Twizy, called the New Mobility Concept, or NMC. In May 2011, Renault announced they would produce the Twizy and began taking reservations.
In March 2012, the Twizy was released to the France market, followed a month later in the UK and several other European countries. Available in three models, starting at €6,990 up to €8,490 (in the UK: GB£6,990 to GB£7,400), the Twizy sales price does not include the battery pack, which is leased for a monthly fee that includes roadside assistance and a battery replacement guarantee.
The Twizy was the top-selling plug-in electric vehicle in Europe during 2012. The milestone of 15,000 Twizys sold worldwide was achieved in April 2015. As of May 2016, the European region is the top selling market with over 17,000 units sold, led by Germany (4,404), France (4,048) and Italy (2,696). Global cumulative sales totaled 19,342 units up until December 2016.
Specifications
Construction and safety
The Twizy is an ultra-compact vehicle, with a length of 2.32 metres (7Â ft 7Â in), a width of 1.19 metres (3Â ft 11Â in) and a height of 1.46 metres (4Â ft 9Â in).
The vehicle's frame and body offer occupants extra protection with its deformable structure, while the outboard position of the four wheels and the lateral beams located either side of the chassis provide protection in case of a side impact. The safety retention systems include a driver's airbag, a four-point safety belt at the front and a three-point one at the rear.
The Twizy may be winterized with winter tires and adding flexi side windows to enclose the cabin. Heating would be provided by plugging in electric blankets to keep the driver warm.
Models
The Twizy model is electric, and it therefore is part of Renault's Zero Emissions program.
Twizy Urban
Twizy Urban 45
The Twizy range starts with the light quadricycle-classed Urban 45 that is priced at €6,990 in Europe with a monthly battery lease charge of €50. It has a motor power of 4 kW (5 hp), a maximum speed of 45 km/h (28 mph) and can thus be driven in most European countries by drivers from 14 years old with a special driving licence (France, Italy, Spain) or with a moped licence (Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, Finland).
Twizy Urban 80
The heavy quadricycle-classed Urban 80 model features a 13 kW (17 hp) electric motor and can drive up to 80 km/h (50 mph). It is priced at €7,690.
Twizy Colour and Technic
The Colour model is a colourful and 'fun' Twizy available for both the 45 and 80 trims.
The Technic model brings additional design elements while sharing the technical features with the Urban. It is priced at €8,490, and it is available for both the 45 and 80 trims.
Twizy Cargo
In June 2013 Renault announced the introduction of the Twizy Cargo, a model designed for hauling goods. The space destined for the seat of the second passenger was replaced with a cargo box with a volume of 180 L (6.4 cu ft) and maximum weight capacity of 75 kg (165 lb).
Twizy Cargo 45
The Cargo 45 has 4 kW of power and top speed is limited to 45 km/h (28 mph). Pricing starts at €6,750 (US$8,839) plus VAT and the monthly battery lease fee that starts at €50 (US$65.50).
Twizy Cargo 80
The Cargo 80 delivers a top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). Pricing starts at €7,350(US$9,625) plus VAT and the monthly battery lease fee that starts at €50 (US$65.50).
Nissan NMC
A rebadged version of the Twizy was launched in Japan as the Nissan New Mobility Concept (NMC). The electric vehicle was deployed in Yokohama on 11 October 2013 for service on a one-way carsharing program called "Choimobi Yokohama" (Choimobi means "easy mobility" in Japanese). During its first month on the market, over 2700 customers signed up for the service. A total of 45 units were registered through the end of October 2013.
Battery
The 6.1Â kWh (22Â MJ) lithium-ion battery is located underneath the front seat. Both motor variants carry the same weight of 474Â kg (1,045Â lb), including batteries of 100Â kg (220Â lb). The range is homologated at 100Â km (62Â mi). In real conditions, Renault announces around 80Â km (50Â mi). In worst conditions (high speed, no eco-driving), Twizy can reach 50Â km (31Â mi).
The battery can be charged with an extendable spiral cable stored beneath a flap at the front of the vehicle. The integrated charger is compatible with roadside battery charging facilities as well as the standard 220Â V 10Â A household electrical supply. Charging an empty battery takes around three-and-a-half hours.
A planned Renault battery plant near Paris was delayed due to technical constraints. Construction will start in the second quarter of 2012 and production of batteries is expected to begin in 2014 or 2015. In the meantime Renault intends to buy batteries for its EV range from a joint venture between Nissan Motor and NEC as well as LG Chem of South Korea.
Twizy is only supplied with LG Chem modules. Batteries are assembled in Renault Valladolid plant.
Sales
Since its market launch in March 2012, global sales reached 9,020 units through the end of 2012, of which, 9,015 units were sold in Europe, making the Twizy the best-selling plug-in electric vehicle in the European market that year. In France, a total 1,551 units were registered through June 2012, including 1,212 Twizy 80s and 339 Twizy 45s, representing a market share of 89% in the heavy quadricycle segment, and a market share of 28.5% among all categories of electric vehicles sold in France during the first half of 2012, surpassing the Bollore Bluecar, the top selling highway-capable all-electric car during this time period.
Global sales fell 66.4% in 2013 from 2012, with 3,025 units delivered. Cumulative sales reached 14,160 units through October 2014. As of October 2014, the best-selling markets were Germany with 3,728 units and France with 3,276 units, followed by Italy with 2,265 units, Spain with 1,292, and Benelux with 1,137 units delivered since 2011. The milestone of 15,000 Twizys sold worldwide was achieved in April 2015.
Renault is introducing the Twizy to Ecuador, along with the Kangoo, expecting to import at least 150 to 200 units between the two models. The carmaker teamed with a shopping centre in Cumbayá (a suburb of Quito) and the Ecuadorean Production Ministry to hold a draw for two examples in an introductory campaign. The winners received their cars on 17 February. All subsequent units are scheduled to arrive in-country from June, 2016, and will retail from USD14,990. Sales in Latin America totaled 305 units through May 2016, with Colombia as the regional market leader with 252 units, followed by Brazil with 34 units. The Renault Twizy 40 was certified by Transport Canada in March 2016, and was scheduled to be released on the Canadian market by mid-2016.
As of May 2016, Twizy sales led by Germany with 4,404 units, followed by France with 4,048, Italy with 2,696, Spain with 1,551, Benelux with 1,355, and Switzerland with 1,141. Global cumulative sales totaled 19,342 units up until December 2016. Of these, 18,592 have been sold in Europe, representing 96.1% of global sales.
Carsharing program
Renault tested a carsharing program called Twizy Way in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, beginning in late June 2012. During the testing phase the program operated with a fleet of 50 Renault Twizys distributed over a pilot area covering around 27 km2 (10 sq mi), and around 200 were allowed to sign up for testing. Twizy Way opened the service to the general public in December 2012.
Chinese copy
In September 2014 the Chinese company Zhejiang Litong New Energy Automobile Corporation launched the Rayttle E28. The E28 greatly resembles the Twizy in outside appearance, size and claimed performance.
Popular culture
In the music video of David Guetta's song "Rest of my Life", a Twizy was shown in one of the scenes where it is seen in a tunnel, and it also appeared in David Guetta's video for the song "Play Hard". Several Twizys are featured in Guetta's music video of the song "The Alphabeat". In it Guetta himself and the video's main characters drive Twizys. The cars are then charged by electricity generated by the dancing and jumping of the people attending Guetta's gig. Several Twizys are also featured as a futuristic vehicle in a film by Terry Gilliam called: "The Zero Theorem". A Twizy appears in British medical drama Casualty, as the personal vehicle of nurse Robyn Miller.
Gallery
See also
- City car
- Electric car use by country
- Microcar
- Nissan Leaf, another all-electric from Renault-Nissan.
- Renault Fluence Z.E.
- Renault Zoe
References
External links
- Official website (UK)
