Compact e-quad and minivan turning heads with vertical elytra doors

Renault’s fun-loving compact EV has emerged as a new sub-brand in 2022. Now, following its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show last month, the Mobilize Duo electric microcar and Bento e-van have taken their place at the show. At EICMA in Milan.

Twizy, technically an electric quadricycle that can be ridden with or without a full car license in certain jurisdictions appeared on the world stage for the first time At the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. It was introduced as one of four ZE vehicles, which included the Zoe and the electric Kangoo van, which later became Europe’s favorite small EV.

The driver sat in the front and the passenger sat in the back. Neither door had a window, although it was protected from the weather by a windshield and roof. And it came in two versions, one with a top speed of 45 km/h (28 mph) and the other with a top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). In both cases the battery was not included in the purchase price but was leased from Renault.

It was interesting, a lot of fun (based on my two or three test drives), and relatively inexpensive. In 2022, Renault announced the end of the Twizy era, but also the rebirth of the Twizy era. Activate Duo. The rear-wheel-drive micro quad recently went into production in Paris and was available for order in mid-October. The curtains have also been pulled back with a modern reworking of the Twizy Cargo, an electric micro-van called the Bento.

Groupe Renault/Razorfish

“Answering the challenges of mobility in and around cities, Duo and Bento reflect Mobilize’s vision: to provide retail and commercial customers with mobility solutions that are safer, simpler, more environmentally friendly and closely aligned with the key issues facing cities today,” the official statement last month said. said Mobilize CEO Gianluca De Ficchy at the launch.

The basic features of Duo and Bento are almost the same. A 48 V engine from the Renault Austral hybrid powers the driver. The two-seat Duo has a lower-speed version that can be driven with or without a license in some areas, and another version that requires a Class B licence.

The Bento is only available in a powertrain version with a top speed of 80 km/h; This means that those who want to sit in the driver’s seat will need a full licence.

Loz Blain / New Atlas

Each model comes with a 10.3 kWh NMC battery; This means a range of 161 km (100 miles) per charge for the Duo and 149 km (92.5 miles) for the Bento. They’re compact, too, with the retail-focused Duo measuring 2.43 m (~8 ft) long and 1.3 m (4.3 ft) wide; while the business-oriented Bento’s 649-litre double-door cargo box expands the minivan by up to 2.54 m (8.33 ft).

Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of both versions is something we see a lot in concepts but rarely in production models: the beautiful gullwing doors. For the Duo, these allow driver and passenger access, while the Bento sacrifices the back seat for the cargo box. In either case, opening doors upwards rather than outwards will make it easier to get in and out of tight spaces.

Elsewhere there’s optimized suspension “for exceptional ride comfort”. Unusually for the quad bike segment, Mobilize vehicles come with a driver’s airbag as standard, as well as a heated driver’s seat and air conditioning. The Duo features a BoomBox control panel that can be fed music via a Bluetooth-connected smartphone, and both vehicles’ built-in connectivity enables integration into fleet management tools.

Loz Blain / New Atlas

Keyless entry is possible via a companion app that can also be used to create up to six digital keys. Both models are produced using 40% recycled materials and can be recycled 95% at the end of their life.

At home in France, the Duo’s starting price is €9,090 (including eco-bonus deduction). This works out to around US$9,900, but we have no information on availability outside of Europe. The Bento is reportedly the only electric quadricycle certified as a commercial vehicle and starts at €10k after eco-bonus deduction.

if you are inside Milan this weekStop by the Mobilize stand for a closer look.

Source: Take Action