Driven: Renault Twizy
Is the new Renault Twizy a revolution in enthusiast motoring? Not quite, says Chris Harris
It is not possible to write an especially extensive first drive evaluation of the Twizy. It has a 17hp electric motor, weighs 475kg and runs little 125-section tyres. It moves away silently from stationary and then offers the world a shriek of some unease - like Beaker from the Muppets ceaselessly mewling - which turns out to be gearbox whine.
It will cover 0-28mph in 6.1sec, on a flat surface, but inclines add to that figure and downhill I saw 53mph.
Dynamically, what we have here is a lightly evolved golf kart. Struts at each corner with a coil-over damper, and the claim that Renaultsport (the people who jab hot pokers into Clios) were responsible for all calibration and settings. Being charitable, they probably did the best they could.
You see the Twizy isn't really a car, it's a form of short-distance transportation classed in this country as a quadracycle. You climb into the driver's seat, twist the rather disappointing Clio key, watch the LCD dash light-up, select Drive, wrestle with the handbrake and head-off. A minute later you're already looking, and failing, to find stuff to comment on, and places to go and misbehave. You already know the ride is poor, bordering on compressed-vertebra, the performance is barely adequate on the open road and that on Ibiza, at nineteen degrees, having no windows is ideal. Should you carry a passenger, they will be crammed in directly behind you. It's possible, but not for too long.
If you intend on driving fast, this is no problem because the Twizy will run out of puff after about 40 miles, perhaps less. Keep it rolling, creating more regenerative energy, and that figure could rise to around 60 miles. I especially like the naturally cautious range-meter: it always showed 30-50 miles from a full charge and then increased if it could. Nothing worse than watching the number fall, as they do in the Tesla, and beating yourself up for being a rubbish eco-driver.
The steering is unassisted, fluid and pleasant. The brakes have no ABS, and there's far more grip than you'll ever need, unless you're an 18-year-old on holiday which, come to think of it, is probably the core market for the Twizy. Renault could quite literally clean up in Mediterranean holiday destinations with this machine: local governments will love the message and the sight of them bobbing around the place.
And this is where I started to get a little bit more excited about EVs. Not because I found the Twizy especially engaging, but because it made me understand just how niche EVs will be for the coming years. They have limited capabilities, but if your own needs fit within them, they could be a clever solution. From a normal domestic electricity supply, it will take around 12 hours charging time to give you that 60 mile range. Upgrade your supply and you could cut that to 4 hours, but unless you trust the neighbourhood youths to not tamper with your cable, the Twizy really is for people with off-street parking.
Strangely, I could really benefit from a Twizy. I live over the Severn Bridge, but head into Bristol regularly. In a car that averages 30mpg, each return trip costs me £20, including the crazy £6 bridge toll. Being a quadracycle, in a Twizy I wouldn't have to pay the toll any more, and the electricity costs would be less than half of the fuel costs. If it was a daily commute, the saving would be in the thousands, despite having to pay a £45 per month battery rental charge.
But if it rained, I'd have to wear one of those blanket things moped riders sport in Paris, and I probably wouldn't have much fun staring at the axle-cases of HGVs as they pounded past me. We all know that the real killer for EVs in the UK is the complete lack of meaningful infrastructure outside the M25, leaving the Twizy handicapped into the role of cute curiosity. Get used to them on hot islands though; they will soon be very popular.
RENNUALT TWIZY 80 TECHNIC
Engine: 3CG - electric asynchronous (induction)
Transmission: single-speed auto
Power (hp):17
Torque (lb ft):42@0-2,100rpm
0-28mph: 6.1 sec
Top speed:50mph
Weight: 474kg
MPG: 62-mile range
CO2: N/A
Price: £7,400
Seriously, why do people buy quads, other than to blast around beaches or offroad? On the road they're utterly pointless - they lack the nimbleness of a bike or the practicality of a car!?
Oh, and there's recharging infrastructure aplenty up here around Newcastle - I pass no less than 5 recharging stations on my daily travels and I only ever see 1 car (a Leaf) using any of them!!
It does look a bit like a mobility scooter. I guess it is.
An electric bike would do the job for a lot less money. Although they are limited to 15mph.
If it had windows and was under £5k I think it would do quite well.
An electric bike would do the job for a lot less money. Although they are limited to 15mph.
If it had windows and was under £5k I think it would do quite well.
I'm interested that you live the other side of the Severn Bridge. I've been doing Miskin to Bristol and back for 7 years now and it's starting to hurt. I have a lease Scirocco GT TDi and also cover Gloucestershire/Oxfordshire, so doing I'm nudging 3,000 miles/month (plus that bridge toll). £30 in fuel used to last all week but now I'm lucky if it covers half that.
Personally, I'm keeping an eye on where the prices/lease costs go on Ampera's & Volt's and similar cars as I see these type's of EV's with range extenders being the answer for commuters like me, and would slash my own fuel costs by at lease £250k/month.
The costs are so high I'm getting less interested in what the car looks like/drives like over the potential savings...
Greg
However, tax on my VW is around £2,200 IIRC whereas the EV's are around £650 ( have to pay 25% private use but that reduces my tax code).
So with hardly any tax to pay and a useable 200 mpg plus - just need to sort out that bridge toll now!
However, tax on my VW is around £2,200 IIRC whereas the EV's are around £650 ( have to pay 25% private use but that reduces my tax code).
So with hardly any tax to pay and a useable 200 mpg plus - just need to sort out that bridge toll now!
I wonder if Vauxhall are offering big discounts on these like they do with everything else...
This is made by Renault and they are reviewing it,at 7k im not sure,dont know exactly how much those little electric thingies cost.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff