Renault taking Twizy orders

Sales of the electric Twizy are due to begin early next year, but anyone keen to be among the first to own one can reserve theirs now with a £20 deposit via Renault’s website.

It’ll be available in two versions, the £6,690 Urban and the £7,400 Technic. However, owners are also going to have to budget for the £40 (including VAT) per month battery lease cost, which is based on a three-year / 4,800 miles per annum agreement.

Renault Twizy Urban (2012) Front SideRenault Twizy Urban (2012) Side
Renault Twizy Technic (2012) SideRenault Twizy Technic (2012) Front Side

Both the Urban and Technic use the same 19 bhp (15 kW / 20 PS) electric motor, which delivers a range of around 60 miles (100 kilometres) on a single charge and a top speed of 50 mph (80 km/h). Recharging takes three hours and thirty minutes to full battery capacity, or three hours for an 80% recharge.

Legally the Twizy is deemed to be a quadricycle, so as such it won’t be eligible for the UK Government’s Plug-in Electric Car Grant.  It’ll be competing directly against similar vehicles such as the Reva G-Wiz, although Renault reckons it could attract scooter riders and ‘proper’ car drivers too.

Of course, the counterargument is that for city use, a quadricycle has the vulnerability of a two-wheeler but without the benefit of being able to filter through traffic. Weather protection on the Twizy doesn’t look too great, either.

Related post:
The future's electric

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