Renault Twizy hits UK showrooms today

Renault’s new electric two-seater, the Twizy, begins its showroom launch today – it will be arriving in 22 Renault dealerships across the UK, with an on the road price tag from £6,690.

The unique Twizys are now available for test drives around the country. Primarily demo models will be at dealerships with a large urban coverage, but all Renault dealerships will have a demo Twizy on display by 20th April.

Renault is the first mainstream electric vehicle manufacturers that are offering their EVs with battery leasing, a sales model designed to remove consumer worries about battery durability and lifetime. The Twizy is offered with separate battery leasing at £45 per month, based on a 4,500 miles per year for a three year contract.

Said to be the most striking of Renault’s new electric Z.E. model range, the Twizy is a small, quirky looking qradricycle with a highly efficient powertrain, ideally suited to urban mobility. The futuristic Twizy is just 2.34 metres long by 1.24 metres wide and is designed for a driver and one passenger to sit in tandem.

The stylish two-seater is charged using a standard three-pin plug, and causes zero emission during its use. A full charge takes three and a half hours, costing around £1 (depending on energy supplier and tariff), giving a range of around 60 miles depending on driving conditions. This makes electric motoring practical, economic and environmentally friendly. Locations of all electric vehicle charging points throughout the UK can be seen on Next Green Car’s Zap-Map.

The Renault Twizy is powered by a 13kW (17hp) motor with a limited top speed of around 50 mph. The bodywork is extremely visible in traffic to other road users and both occupants are protected by a deformable structure, while the outboard position of the four wheels and the lateral beams located either side of the chassis provide protection on either side.

The lower powered version, Twizy 45 (5hp), 45 kph/28 mph), was not originally planned for the UK market, however, recent confirmation that a new category of European licence – AM – for 16 year olds and over, comes into effect in the UK from 19th January 2013, means that Renault UK are now studying its sales potential.

Its safety retention systems include a driver’s airbag, a three-point seatbelt and with additional strap for the driver, and a three-point safety belt at the rear. Also, since Renault Twizy’s occupants are protected and held in place, they are under no requirement to wear any sort of protective gear or helmet.

Among the options and accessories available are scissor doors (£545), driver and passenger blanket £110 and a 50-litre leisure bag £95 which sits on the rear seat and clips into the chassis so that objects stay firmly in place. Rounding off the more traditional enhancements are metallic paint for £195, a child booster seat at £55, and alloy wheels for £340.

Thanks to its four-wheeled chassis and extremely low centre of gravity, the Twizy electric vehicle delivers an enjoyable and unique driving experience. Adding to the safety features, disc brakes all-round ensure precise and efficient stopping power.

To be offered in three trim levels – Urban, Colour and Technic – the Renault Twizy has been provided with a Next Green Car rating of just 17. Contact your local Renault dealership for more details.

Newspress