- Renault’s new Mobilize division has revealed the electric Duo, the successor to the tandem two-seat Twizy.
- Two versions capable of 28 mph and 50 mph cater to different Euro regulations, with the slow one being legal for drivers without a license.
- Mobilize has also developed a Bento cargo van variant for urban deliveries.
Renault killed the Twizy off in September 2023 but it hasn’t given up on its quirky tandem two-seater. The microcar has been reborn as the Mobilize Duo, this time with a much greater emphasis on refinement, as well as the addition of a Bento cargo van spinoff.
Mobilize is a new Renault company that focuses on mobility services like car sharing and subscriptions, and the Duo/Bento models, debuting at this month’s Paris Motor show, are production versions of a pair of Mobilize concepts launched at the same event two years ago.
Related: Mobilize Duo And Bento Are Renault Group’s New Subscription-Based Urban EVs
Looking like a more macho Twizy, the Duo features Lamborghini-style scissor doors with built-in flip-up windows for better weather protection, and there’s a greater emphasis on car-like gadgets this time around. A heated seat, air conditioning, and Bluetooth are part of the package, as is an airbag, something missing from the Duo’s Citroen Ami rival because cars like this are homologated as quadricycles in Europe and exempt from some safety demands.
But all quadricycles are not created equal. Some (L6e) can be driven in certain European countries by 14-year-olds and those not holding a car license but must be limited to 8 hp (8 PS / 6 kW) and 28 mph (45 kmh). Others (L7e) are designed for licensed motorcycle riders and car drivers and allowed to pump out 21 hp (21 PS / 16 kW) and run to 50 mph (80 kmh), so Mobilize is building two different Duos to suit each set of regs.
How much power the motor pinched from the Renault Austral hybrid makes in the punchier Duo hasn’t been confirmed, but Renault says the 10.3 kWh NMC battery is rated at 100 miles (161 km) of range and should still be good for 62 miles (100 km) in cold weather. Topping it up from 20-80 percent takes 3 hr 50 mins via an AC charger and 25 mins less when hooked up to a DC outlet.
The Duo’s tiny 2,430 mm-long (95.7 inches) chassis measures just 1,300 mm (51.2 inches) across and has a turning circle of only 6.8 m (268 inches), making it perfect for carving through and parking in cities. Mobilize says it consists of one-fifth the number of parts that go into a regular car, and that 40 percent of the Duo’s components are recycled.
French prices start at €9,090 ($9,950) for the slowest version, the Duo 45 Neo, or you can drop €2,090 ($2,290) and pay just €29 ($32) per month for 37 months. The speedier Duo 80 Pro is €10,700 ($11,700) and the more luxurious Duo 80 Evo is €11,600 ($12,690).
But sure to be piquing the interest of delivery drivers and small businesses around Europe is the Bento van, which swaps the back seat for a cargo box and costs €10,000 ($10,940), excluding tax. The 649-liter (22.9 cu-ft) box adds 110 mm (4.3 inches) to the length and cuts the range to 93 miles (149 km), but the 60 percent bigger load area and its more conventional placement give it a major advantage over Citroen’s Ami Cargo.
