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The Twizy, Renault's Renowned Runt showed up at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show as a production vehicle. Let's find out more about this EV microcar.
Runts tend to languish at the bottom of their respective species. But the Renault Twizy is a different sort of runt. At 992 pounds in weight and 7.5 feet in length, the Twizy is a midget machine, more suited to the shelves of retail stores than the lots of automobile dealerships. Yet to the latter it will go, come the waning days of 2011, and then it will dash into the streets.
The Renault Twizy is an electric microcar. It was originally unveiled as a concept car at the 2010 Paris Auto Show, and then strode into the limelight again as a production model at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show. The Twizy is only due for European shores come 2011; international speculations have received little confirmation from the manufacturer.
The Twizy is odd. It is saddled with a strange moniker, a unique clientele, and it even looks weird. Four 13-inch wheels protrude from the squarish base, upon which bobbles a plastic and glass globe where a solitary passenger gets a cramped chair behind the driver. Bright blue luminescent lighting and glazed, curvy surfaces give the Twizy a cheery, spritely touch; this is what Cinderella’s pumpkin chariot would look like in 2220. But all the idiosyncratic smallness has purpose. The five-foot Twizy has a tiny turning circle at 11.15 feet, and can park right angle to a curb, three in one parking spot. It is the definitive urban commuter.
A lithium-ion battery pack gives life to the Renault. It is connected to a standard 20-hp electric motor with 70 lb-ft of torque. A 5-hp variant, without the usual gullwing doors, is available for users who wish to drive without a license. The battery is chargeable using high-discharge roadside stations or a 220v AC outlet, which can charge the batter in 3.5 hours. All told, the standard Twizy has a range of 34-72 miles and a top speed of 46 mph; the 5-hp variant can hit 28 mph.
This petite, piddling microcar has a lot to prove in the way of safety. It sports a wide base with an extremely low center of gravity, two headlamps, two seatbelts, disc brakes, driver’s air bag and a deformable body with lateral reinforcements – commendable, but not quite conscientious.
The Twizy electric microcar is Renault's renowned runt. The Renault Twizy will likely become famous just for being itself – its cute, cramped, cool, commuting self.