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RENAULT Twizy EV Review

OUR TEST CAR: RENAULT Twizy Urban 80 2012

 
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RENAULT Twizy EV - Page - 4
The Twizy doesn't wear a Renault badge by accident, as it is just a spoke in the electric wheel the French automaker is trying to invent. Renault is a car company that rises above everyday activities and reinvents itself every once in a while, coming up with something revolutionary that appeals to the masses.

Renault is currently in the midst of such a reinvention season. The company has been working to come up with a pill that can cure both traffic and sales issues and, like any good wonder pill should, this has a catchy name: ZE, standing for Zero Emissions.

The French now have a whole range of these electrons-driven vehicles, and while the Fluence ZE and the Kangoo ZE are mere conversions, the Twizy and the ZOE are cars that were designed to rely on electricity from the very beginning. The B-segment ZOE has been launched too recently for a conclusion to be drawn, but we can tell you that the Twizy is far more important than it may seem at first glance.

The fact that the Twizy's EUR6,900 ($8,825) starting price brings it relatively close to city cars makes you wonder if you really want to put a ring on its finger. But before you start introducing "it's not you, it's me" lines and leave it, we have to remind you that three-wheeled scooters that flood the streets of many European cities aren't much cheaper than the four-wheeled French creation. In fact, the Twizy is only about 10-15 percent more expensive than a Piaggio MP3, for example.

OK, you also have to pay a monthly lease of about EUR50 ($64) for the battery, but you don't need to spend anything on protective clothing or a helmet. We also like the list of optional extras. You can have the doors (yes please!), a special bag that can be secured to the passenger's seat when you're traveling alone, rear parking sensors and even a Parrot audio kit with Bluetooth connectivity, which also has no shame in taking a bite of your Apple or other external devices.

Of course, you're not going to buy the Twizy and use it as your only car. But you can shake its hand firmly when it comes to the holy grail of modern motoring, urban mobility.

If you do that, what you get in exchange is a mixture of amusing driving costs, equally amusing sensations behind the wheel, as well as a collection of raised thumbs coming from virtually all the circles of your life.

But this is just a part of the story, as this electric vehicle, being a pioneer, serves its core purpose and also acts as a test bed. Make no mistake, the fact that the Twizy was the best-selling EV in Europe in the first half of 2012 after having gone on sale in March hasn't remained unnoticed.

The model may be working to help the EV market get out of the darkness, but many pairs of predator eyes are watching the little car from behind the bushes, as there are a multitude of carmakers who will launch competitors one second after they're convinced the market is ready. Toyota is the number one hybrid player in the world, BMW recently introduced a maxi-scooter offensive... do we need to go on with the examples?

And there's something else that the vehicle is good at: taking you back to the everyday basics of car control, thanks to the lack of any assistance.  The Twizy can be felt in a way that no reasonable road car can, everything is extremely direct, as if your had a wheel attached to each of your arms and legs. So, if you have the opportunity to drive one, don't miss it.
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56user rating 87 votes
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RENAULT Twizy RENAULT Twizy turningRENAULT Twizy in urban environmentRENAULT Twizy charger coverRENAULT Twizy MacPherson suspensionRENAULT Twizy scissor doorsRENAULT Twizy cabinRENAULT Twizy seatsRENAULT Twizy interiorRENAULT Twizy seat backrestsRENAULT Twizy front seat headrestRENAULT Twizy dashboardRENAULT Twizy dashboard displayRENAULT Twizy dashboard buttonsRENAULT Twizy gearbox controlRENAULT Twizy wiper controlRENAULT Twizy handbrakeRENAULT Twizy with doors openRENAULT Twizy wheelRENAULT Twizy charger in carRENAULT Twizy turn signalsRENAULT Twizy seatsRENAULT Twizy steering wheelRENAULT Twizy rear detailsRENAULT Twizy EVRENAULT Twizy profile detailsRENAULT Twizy frontRENAULT Twizy parkingRENAULT Twizy rear wiew mirrorRENAULT Twizy profileRENAULT Twizy on narrow roadRENAULT Twizy RENAULT Twizy urban drivingRENAULT Twizy vs bikesRENAULT Twizy with doorsRENAULT Twizy EVRENAULT Twizy speedingRENAULT Twizy beautyRENAULT Twizy pedestrian visual impactRENAULT Twizy on crowded streetRENAULT Twizy profileRENAULT Twizy rearRENAULT Twizy in cityRENAULT Twizy city drivingRENAULT Twizy parking