New Mobilize Duo 2024 review: is Renault Twizy 2.0 a triumph?

Verdict

The Mobilize Duo is undoubtedly the most complete quadricycle on sale right now. Comparatively well equipped, comfortable and with an impressive range, the Duo manages to justify its price premium over rivals. The only issue for private buyers? Renault Group’s own Dacia Spring shouldn’t cost you all that much more – especially on finance deals – and that’s a proper car with an even longer range and much greater practicality and usability.

Twelve years ago, Renault introduced the Twizy quadricycle to a world that was only just warming itself to the idea of electric cars, let alone spending over the odds for a wacky-looking quadricycle that cost almost as much as a small petrol car.

A lot has changed since then, and Renault thinks it might be worth a second shot at building a small, electric runabout – especially given the recent success of the Citroen Ami in central Europe, showing that there may now be a market for this type of vehicle.

So here it is: the Mobilize Duo – the first UK model from the French giant’s new ‘mobility-oriented’ brand. Yet despite a gap of more than a decade between the Twizy and the Duo, the two cars look remarkably similar. The Twizy’s eggtimer shape has barely evolved for the Duo, with the new car foregoing paint for bare plastic panels that are cheap to make and replace. 

Mobilize hasn’t completely penny-pinched, though, because unlike the Twizy – for which doors were an optional extra – all Duo models get Lamborghini-style scissor arrangements as standard. These not only look dramatic, but also aid entry and exit in tight parking spaces. This, alongside the Duo’s 2.43-metre length and turning circle of 6.8 metres – two metres tighter than that of a London Taxi – makes it ideal for city driving.

Inside, the Duo’s somewhat cramped tandem seating has more than a whiff of Twizy. Top models get some creature comforts, such as a heated driver’s seat, air-conditioning, a built-in Bluetooth speaker and even an airbag mounted within the steering wheel. A simple alarm clock radio-style digital display provides all the necessary information, plus there’s a built-in mobile phone cradle with an accompanying USB-C port for you to mount and charge your personal device.

By no means does it feel luxurious, however, with the customisable eighties-inspired ‘boombox’ dashboard the only splash of colour among a sea of exposed metal and cheap black plastic – the benefit of the latter being that the Duo’s cabin can be easily hosed down, thanks to a plughole and drain in the footwell.

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Mobilize says the Duo only shares about 10 per cent of its parts with the Twizy. The new model sits on an all-new platform and is powered by a 10.4 kWh battery pack – a module taken from the larger Renault 5’s battery. This provides a range of around 100 miles — more than double that of a Citroen Ami. Even with the heated seat on, Mobilize tells us that over 60 miles should be more than possible in the colder months.

Thankfully, the battery is included in the purchase price and you don’t have to lease it, as you could do with the Twizy. It’s just a shame that the Duo is limited to AC charging speeds of a mere 2kW, meaning a full charge will take almost five hours — even with the optional Type 2 connector.

The theme of parts-sharing with other Renault Group models continues, given that the Duo’s 16bhp electric motor is actually pinched from the mild-hybrid powertrain in the Austral SUV. Topping out at 50mph, the Mobilize is quite a bit more capable than the Citroen Ami, which can’t even reach 30mph. That said, the Duo is far from what you’d call ‘fast’; perhaps most telling is that the people at Mobilize refuse to state even a 0-30mph figure, claiming that such a concept is “irrelevant”. 

Regardless, even trundling along at 20mph feels faster than you might expect, no doubt helped by the Duo’s central driving position and McLaren Senna-esque glass doors. Another contributing factor to this sensation of speed is the loud and incessant whine of the electric motor as you’re cruising along. This, along with the air-conditioning, which appears to only have two settings, comparable to either a Category 5 or Category 4 hurricane, struggles to be masked by the aforementioned Bluetooth speaker.

It’s not all bad, though; some quadricycles can be pretty unforgiving over the rough city streets they’re supposedly designed for, their rudimentary suspension rattling you around the cabin. The Duo, on the other hand, feels a little more composed, more akin to sitting on top of a washing machine during a spin cycle – not exactly cosseting, but a mild improvement over rivals nonetheless.

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The Duo’s steering is, like other quadricycles, completely unassisted, making tight turns rather laborious – not ideal for a vehicle designed for darting around on tight city streets. Slowing down also requires more input than you might expect, with the Duo’s stiff brake pedal offering little stopping power unless you really step on it. That’s not to mention the manual handbrake — no hillstart assist here — which is placed so far ahead in the cabin that you have to lean well forward in order to disengage it.

The Mobilize Duo is set to go on sale next spring, with first deliveries expected to arrive in early summer. While official UK prices are yet to be revealed, Mobilize officials say it will cost “no more than £10,000”; a cheaper model (badged the Duo 45) will go on sale in Europe with a less powerful battery and electric motor, allowing it to be driven by 14-year-olds – without the need for a driver’s licence.

While we do expect the Duo be popular in busy cities like London, the lion’s share of sales is likely to go to ride-sharing firms like ZipCar; Mobilize tells us they are “investigating” launching a service of their own in the UK, much like their partnerships already present in Spain, France and Germany.

What will certainly appeal to buyers of all ilks, however, is the Duo’s eight-year, 50,000-mile battery warranty, which is far and beyond what’s offered on other quadricycles. The rest of the vehicle is covered under a separate two-year, unlimited-mileage agreement, with UK buyers able to purchase and service their Duo at Renault dealers across the country.