Renault Twizy Review

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Electrifying.com score

6/10

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Was the Renault Twizy ahead of its time? This small, quirky electric car (technically a quadricycle) isn't the most practical or impressive to drive, but it's still stands out from the crowd - not much like it has been made since. 

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  • Battery size: 6.1kW
  • Miles per kWh: 8.36
  • E-Rating™: A+

    Click here to find out more about our electric car Efficiency Rating.​

  • Max charge rate: 2.3 kW
  • Range: 56 miles
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  • Battery size: 6.1kW
  • Miles per kWh: 8.36
  • E-Rating™: A+

    Click here to find out more about our electric car Efficiency Rating.​

  • Max charge rate: 2.3 kW
  • Range: 56 miles
  • Renault Twizy
  • Renault Twizy
  • Renault Twizy
  • Renault Twizy
  • Renault Twizy
  • Electrifying.com E-Rating A+

Ginny Says

“The idea of owning a Twizy works when I think about living in a big city, where the sun always shines. Which I don't. It's quirky, fun and has a niche of it's own, but it's never going to be a mainstream choice. Despite that, I'm still rather fond of it.”

Tom Says

“Quirk-tastic tandem two-seater that’s for urban commuting only. No proper doors, no heating, no problem. Think of it more as a city busting scooter that you can’t fall off at traffic lights, and you’d be about there. I like these. No idea why.”

You can charge a Twizy at any normal three-pin socket. There are millions of them, but not many at dedicated EV charge stations! 

  • Range: 56 miles (NEDC official)
  • Battery:6.1kW
  • Home/Public charger (230v three-pin):3.5 hrs
  • Fast charging 20-80% (50kW):N/A
  • Ultra Fast Charging (Supercharging) 20-80% (150kW):N/A
Renault Twizy
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Range

Clearly, the Twizy isn’t going to be the first choice for a driver who needs to do long distances. This is a car which is designed to do commuting, station runs and urban deliveries. With that in mind, its official range of 56 miles should be perfectly adequate. 

But bear in mind that the Twizy is a car which is designed for use around town, and any prolonged runs at its maximum speed of 50mph will run the battery down much faster. Cold weather seems to affect it too, and in reality most people will find they only manage 30-40 miles before they start searching for a socket.

Battery

The Twizy is a tiny car, so the battery is miniscule too, compared to ‘proper’ electric cars. At just 6.1 kW it’s a tenth of the size of the one fitted to Nissan Leaf e+, for example. From new, many Twizys were bought through Renault's battery lease scheme, whereby buyers owned the car, but paid a monthly lease for the battery. At the time, this was seen as a clever way of bringing the purchase price of the car down, and didn't burden owners with a degrading asset in the form of a small battery that might lose capacity. 

Buy second hand, and you'll have to be mindful of this if looking at an older car - you'll need to take the lease on or buy out of it. Towards the end of its life this option was removed, and the Twizy and battery were sold as a complete car. So make sure you know which one you're buying!

Charging

There are literally millions of places where it should be possible to charge a Twizy, as it will plug into any standard three pin socket using a coiled cable which is attached to the nose of the car. If you have a garage or an outdoor plug, then you can just plug in and fill up the battery in about three and a half hours. There’s no need to have a special charge point installed, although it makes sense to have the electrics checked by an electrician to make sure they are up to the task of charging a car. 

While this seems simple, it does actually limit charging at public points as most will not have a three-pin socket. Third-parties sell adapters for this though. 

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