Brilliant concept; head-turning looks; great to drive
Bureaucratic red-tape which is preventing Australian motorists and city environments from enjoying the Twizy
This is the Renault Twizy, a brilliant two-seat, zero-emissions city commuter vehicle which savvy residents of major European cities have been buying in big numbers for two years. Disappointingly, bureaucratic red-tape seemingly straight from the cript of the ‘Yes Minister’ TV series means it could be years before we see it sold in Australia.
In go-ahead Europe, the Renault Twizy is a classed as ‘Quadricycle’ and sells from just €6,990, but here we don’t have such a classification so in order to be homologated for sale, the Twizy currently needs to meet the same criteria as the full-size Renault Koleos SUV. That’s never going to happen so you’re thinking: “Easy, just create a new vehicle category for the Twizy and other vehicles like it.”
No, no, no things are never straight-forward and rapid when those Canberra pen-pushers get involved. We’re told it will be years rather than months before a decision is made (no doubt preceded by countless rounds of meetings, inquiries, research and don’t forget those overseas study trips!).
It must be enormously frustrating for Renault Australia. Here is a ground-breaking new type of vehicle which simultaneously addresses two of the world’s biggest issues – pollution and congestion – it’s now being produced but it can’t be sold here.
Renault Australia has a Twizy here, we’ve driven it and love it. And given its superb driving dynamics and cut-through, planet-friendly concept we’ve given our maximum five-star rating…and that’s very rare for www.carshowroom.com.au
Renault Twizy Overview
So a while back we were in Rome, Italy and staying in the heart of the city near the Via Condotti and Spanish Steps. Every morning and every night we saw this suave Roman businessman in his designer suits and carrying a Gucci briefcase commute to work and back in a Renault Twizy.
You can fit three Renault Twizys in one normal parking space so every night he got the ‘Rockstar Park’ right outside his apartment building – in short our mate had the ideal vehicle for getting around in Rome (or any other mega-city). Just as the Renault Twizy is ideal for those who live in or near Australia’s increasingly corwded cities (like say Darling Harbor in Sydney, Docklands in Melbourne or Fortitude Valley in Brisbane).
Renault Twizy is a two-seat commuter vehicle with a zero-emissions electric motor, top speed of 80km/h and a tiny 6.8-metre turning circle. Yes it’s lightweight (just 474kgs) but it comes with an airbag, four-point safety harness for the driver and retractable lap-sash seat belt for the rear seat passenger.
It’s a city car - you don’t see Twizys on Autostradas in Italy and they would not be driven on freeways in Australia.
Renault Twizy was developed by Renault Sport Technologies with help from the F1 race team and is made at the plant in Valladolid, Spain.
Renault Twizy Engine
Renault Twizy employs a Synchronous AC electric motor mounted at the rear and driving the rear wheels directly via single reduction gear. Maximum power is 13kW and peak torque of 57Nm is available instantly from a standing-start.
In a vehicle weighing only 450kgs, that motor provides a spritely ‘giddyup’. Zero to 45km/h takes about six seconds or 50 metres (virtually identical to a 125cc scooter).
That 13kW/57Nm electric motor gets its power from a 6.1kWh lithium-ion battery (mounted under the driver’s seat) which includes a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) developed straight from Formula One by Renault F1 and providing battery regeneration under braking. Range between re-charges is up to 100kms but in the real world we’re talking 80kms or 55kms with repeated maximum acceleration.
Full battery re-charge from a regular power outlet takes just 3.5 hours. But on the day we drove the Twizy, Renault Australia’s technicians noticed a virtually 90 per-cent re-charge in the time it took us consume a light snack – very impressive.
Renault Twizy The Interior
Renault Twizy is strictly a two-seater. Of course the driver sits in front and the passenger actually sits behind with legs splayed either side of the drivers’ seat.
The driver is presented with a steering wheel which could have come from a base specification Renault Clio and a relatively conventional electric car dashboard. You turn the ignition key until the instruments comes to life and you hear a ‘gong’ – that means you have power available.
To the left of the steering wheel on the Renault Twizy’s dashboard is a button for the transmission (‘Drive’, ‘Neutral’ or ‘Reverse’).
There’s no carpet and no cup-holders we could see (strange that, you’d reckon trendy Parisians or Romans would demand somewhere for the mandatory morning coffees…more likely they stop, get out and enjoy a coffee in a civilized way in a cafe ). There are two dashboard-mounted storage boxes providing space of 3.5-litres and 5.0-litres (the latter lockable) and there is a 31-litre storage area concealed under the rear passenger seat.
Renault Twizy Exterior & Styling
‘Unique’ is the only term we can think of to describe the styling of the Renault Twizy. With an overall length of 2.34-metres and a width of 1.24-metres, the Twizy is tiny (three can fit in a conventional parking space) and the four 13-inch wheels sit under plastic mudguards.
The bodystyle is tapered to the rear and there are obvious aerodynamic enhancements behind the passenger compartment.
The Renault Twizy driven by www.carshowroom.com.au was the ‘Technic’ equipment level meaning it was a black/white colour combo and featured 13-inch alloy wheels and carbon-fibre look body decals. It retails in Europe for €8,490.
Others are the ‘Urban’ and ‘Colour’ but you can pretty much option all sorts of colours and mix-n-match styles.
Our test car was fitted with the optional scissor doors but no side windows (they’re optional too). There’s no climate control but the glass windscreen has a single wiper blade and demisting elements.
Renault Twizy On The Road
We put the Renault Twizy through its paces over some closed roads east of Melbourne. And we also sampled the backseat while one of our colleagues drove.
No beating around the bush here – it was astonishingly good and really good fun. Renault Twizy accelerates well from a standing start and rides quite firmly in a sporting way.
Corners are straight from the world of motorsport with precision turn-in, a great mid-corner ‘set’ and high levels of grip. At the limit there is some understeer (as you’d expect to give a margin of safety) but the Twizy’s go-kart like response and lack of body roll will bring a smile to enthusiast drivers.
Renault says the Twizy has a top speed of 80km/h but we saw an indicated 85km/h with ease on one run.
The hardest part of the backseat ride was getting in (we’re sure its gets easier with practice). And the despite the dubious look of the seat and the leg-splayed seating position it’s surprisingly comfortable.
Renault Twizy Issues
Nothing wrong with the product itself – in fact it’s brilliant – so Renault Twizy’s challenge comes from those Canberra bureaucrats. C’mon let’s get this thing legalized and on-sale!
Renault Twizy Verdict
Today we’ve driven a vehicle which is truly a game-changer. In a world of cities suffering from traffic congestion and pollution, Renault Twizy provides an alternative to both.
Of course Twizy isn’t for everyone (we never saw our Rome mate with a partner). But thinking laterally, city-resident families could have two Twizys – one for mum and one for dad - they’d take up less space than one conventional car and emit zero emissions.
Renault Twizy The Competition
That would be zero. Some rivals have toyed with similar concepts but Renault Twizy is the first to be produced in volume numbers and sold via dealerships.
