Back in 2012, Renault tested the waters with a relatively affordable, tiny electric vehicle with very basic functions. Christened the Twizy, it is still being sold nine years later.
Technically, it is a quadricycle, not a car, and instead of the usual options, such as heated seats, sat-nav, multi-zone climate control, wireless charging pad and perhaps digital gauges, it can be specced with doors and windows – and a Bluetooth module. And you will want to check those boxes, as otherwise, you will get cold ears and wet hands if it rains.
Capable of seating two in tandem, it has no power steering, but thanks to the narrow wheels and tires, it is easy to drive. It will never hit the 60 mph (97 kph) mark because it has a 50 mph (80 kph) top speed, though it does have enough grunt to get you to 30 mph (48 kph) in a decent time.
It was built only for short commutes, so out of the estimated 50 or so miles (80 km) of range in top form, you’re looking at around 20-ish miles (32 km) in the real world, apparently. The tiny battery can be juiced up at any domestic socket in around three and a half hours.
In the UK, where this review took place, the Twizy is offered in two trim levels. The Expression has a manufacturer’s recommended retail price of £11,995 (equaling to $16,980), and the Dynamique starts at £12,695 ($17,970).
Now, is it worth the money, or should interested parties save up and go for a real electric vehicle with an actual trunk, like say, the Honda e or Peugeot e-208? That is what you are about to find out, as the ex-Top Gear co-presenter who had a go in the Twizy recently answered pretty much every question about it. And he also pinned it against an electric bicycle for a short ‘drag race’ as a bonus.
Capable of seating two in tandem, it has no power steering, but thanks to the narrow wheels and tires, it is easy to drive. It will never hit the 60 mph (97 kph) mark because it has a 50 mph (80 kph) top speed, though it does have enough grunt to get you to 30 mph (48 kph) in a decent time.
It was built only for short commutes, so out of the estimated 50 or so miles (80 km) of range in top form, you’re looking at around 20-ish miles (32 km) in the real world, apparently. The tiny battery can be juiced up at any domestic socket in around three and a half hours.
In the UK, where this review took place, the Twizy is offered in two trim levels. The Expression has a manufacturer’s recommended retail price of £11,995 (equaling to $16,980), and the Dynamique starts at £12,695 ($17,970).
Now, is it worth the money, or should interested parties save up and go for a real electric vehicle with an actual trunk, like say, the Honda e or Peugeot e-208? That is what you are about to find out, as the ex-Top Gear co-presenter who had a go in the Twizy recently answered pretty much every question about it. And he also pinned it against an electric bicycle for a short ‘drag race’ as a bonus.