Renault has revived its Twizy with an all-new two seater electric car called Duo, which will be sold under the company’s new Mobilize brand from 2024. 

Like the Twizy, the Duo is powered by an electric motor at the rear. There are two power ouputs available, but only one will be offered in the UK, which gives a top speed of 50mph. It has an official range of 87 miles – a useful increase from the Twizy’s 56 miles. A recharge takes around three hours. 

The Duo is marginally longer than the Twizy too, at 2.43 m long.

It is built around a tubular structure, with paint-free plastic (polypropylene) body panels. The front and rear bumpers are identical to lower production and repair costs. The plastic grain on the bumpers and skirts is purpose-engineered to reduce signs of wear as time goes by and to make scratches invisible.

The Duo's front and rear bumpers are identical to lower production and repair costs

The two large side doors have windows and open upwards so users can always climb into and out of the car on the safe side and have no trouble doing so between two parked cars. This is also safer for pedestrians and cyclists as the doors do not swing open onto the road or pavement.

Duo’s dashboard has been designed to resemble the ‘boombox’ stereos which were popular in the 1980s and 1990s. It is orange, the instrument screen is in the centre, the gearbox lever is to the left of the steering wheel, and there is a speaker and a smartphone holder to the right. Plus a USB-C port to charge a smartphone.

The two seats are fully padded to provide the same postural comfort as a standard car and come with a choice of two upholstery styles. The passenger compartment was designed to be easy to wash.

The driver’s seat slides 20 cm back or forth for easy access to the back seat. There are two storage compartments on either side of the front seat to fit two cabin bags. The back seat is large enough for a six-foot tall passenger to sit comfortably.

The steering wheel contains an airbag, which is rare in this type of vehicle.

The interior has been designed to resemble a 1980s portable stereo

The tech is upgradable because it updates remotely over the air, so connected services can be enabled or disabled when the customers’ preferences change. The Duo also has a keyless access and ignition system using smartphones, so it will be easy for several users to share vehicles in company or operator fleets.

The little bonnet at the front provides access to Duo’s fixed charging lead, which can have a standard three pin or Type 2 connector. Type 2 connectors work with most public charging stations on roads, on company premises or in car parks, and standard connectors are mostly used for charging vehicles at home and require no special fittings.

The Bento, a cargo version of Duo, has the same looks and is designed for professional customers. It has a closed boot at the back instead of the passenger seat which provides close to 700 litres of usable capacity.

The box has two asymmetrical doors opening a generous 140 degrees. A hatch also makes it possible to carry long objects on the driver’s right-hand side. 

Bento will be available on long-term leases for commercial users starting in 2024. No prices have been announced, but all Duos will only be available through subscription or lease services rather than being bought outright.

The Bento version has a 700 litre cargo box instead of a rear seat