The Renault Group’s nascent mobility division has lifted the covers off the production version of its Mobilize Duo, the spiritual successor to the Renault Twizy.
Revealed ahead of its debut at the Paris motor show, it’s an electric quadricycle like the Citroën Ami but has been designed to offer the creature comforts of a full-size car.
For instance, it gets Bluetooth and USB-C phone connectivity, air conditioning, a heated seat and an airbag – a more comprehensive kit list than its Ami and Micro Microlino rivals.
Two versions will be available, homologated to the L6e and L7e quadricycle regulations. The former (which can be driven in the EU without a full driving licence) is limited to the same 28mph as the Ami, whereas the latter can do 50mph.
The Duo is powered by the 48V motor used in the Renault Austral mild hybrid. Renault has yet to disclose a power figure for the unit, but claimed it provides “strong acceleration” up to town speeds.
L6e quadricycles are legally limited to 8bhp, while their L7e counterparts can be boosted up to 21bhp. The L7e Microlino’s single motor puts out 17bhp, for reference.
It packs a 10.3kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery, which yields a range of up to 100 miles on the WMTC (World Motorcycle Test Cycle) regimen used for quadricycles.
Renault said this should translate to a real-world range of around 62 miles in winter.
The company did not detail maximum charging rates but said it takes 3hr 50min to go from 20-80% on an AC connection and 3hr 25min on DC, suggesting the Duo peaks at around 3kW.
Despite measuring just 2.43m long and 1.3m wide, it has seating for two, using the same tandem interior layout as the Twizy.
That helps to give the Duo a turning circle of 6.80m – tighter than a London cab’s.