The Citroën Ami already has a new rival. is the new Mobilize Duo, a kind of evolved Renault Twizy that condenses everything that this Groupe Renault brand, focused on new mobility, aspires to offer. A risky bet that touches a multitude of clubs.
When we see this new Mobilize Duo it is impossible not to automatically associate it with an evolution of the Renault Twizy, a peculiar vehicle that already has a decade behind it but that the French firm keep selling from 12,105 euros to which, in addition, aid from the Moves III Plan could be deducted.
Without a doubt, the Renault Twizy was a car ahead of its time. An artifact that was not a car but not a motorcycle either and that was a strong commitment to what was to come: restrictions on the combustion car and greater flexibility in the face of increasingly smaller spaces. To understand what this Mobilize Duo is, it is first necessary to understand where we are and where we come from.
Mobilize, Renault’s commitment to mobility
Before getting into the matter, we must take a little look at what is that of Mobilize. This brand is a new leg in Renault’s strategy for electric and urban mobility. The objective is that it is transversal to the vehicle and that the car is not the epicenter on which the rest rotates.
During the presentation of the Mobilize Limo, some details of what the Renault Group intends to achieve with this signature were already explained. Its business strategy will be based on the offer of all types of vehicles that we can access through shared rental or subscription services but, in principle, the idea of being able to acquire any of its devices is ruled out.
Whether they are electric scooters, this new Mobilize Duo or the Mobilize Limo with which Cabify employees will work, the Renault Group understands that it is essential for them to have devices that can recondition themselves after the time of rental and put back on the market, without ever losing possession of them.
Mobilize will therefore be an electric and urban mobility service, rather than just another brand under which to sell its products. This is dedicated to both private and professional clients and everything indicates that it will be the firm itself that will put its cars on the streets in order to offer a car-sharing service, where this Mobilize Duo fits perfectly.
A future advanced by the Renault Twizy
The Renault Twizy was a revolution a decade ago. A really narrow four-wheeled vehicle that reduced its costs to the bare minimum (it lacked windows, for example) but that offered an electric alternative that was safer than a motorcycle for those who needed to move around an urban environment on a daily basis.
Although the first reaction was generally strange, already in 2015 there were 15,000 units rolling around the world. One of its great seams has always been shared rental, promoted by the European directive that allowed (in some countries) over 14 years old use this lightweight quad.
a decade later, we find that cars do not stop increasing their prices, cheap electric cars are non-existent, Spanish cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants must have low-emission zones and European institutions are almost exclusively committed to electric vehicles. It is the future promised by the Renault Twizy.
The Renault artifact, in fact, continues to be sold. As a competition, only the Citroën Ami overshadows it. An electric moped based on cost reduction and strongly committed to being an alternative to motorcycles for those looking for urban car sharing and for the elderly who need a simple vehicle to get around their immediate environment. Something like the golf caddies that are so successful.
Mobilize Duo a car of its time
If we said that the Renault Twizy was a car ahead of its time, we can say that this new Mobilize Duo is a vehicle of its timewhich was born with all the edges of the new mobility clear, with versions for adults and children and a subscription system.
This Mobilize Duo reinterprets the Twizy. It offers a more robust image because, basically, the interior is now completely closed. This is achieved by guillotine doors that, when opened, also raise part of the roof. With both of them open, there is hardly a thin central area left on the head. In total, it measures 2.43 meters long, 1.30 meters wide and 1.46 meters high.
The layout is the same as in the Renault Twizy. Two seats in tandem to be as narrow as possible. The brand ensures that, in parallel, two of these vehicles can add a traditional car. Later, in 2024, we will see a version for professionals in which the rear seat is eliminated and a large trunk (700 liters) is offered, to make the Mobilize Duo a car designed for delivery. A strategy similar to the one that Citroën offers with the Cargo version of its Ami.
Inside, the interior has been significantly updated, although you opt for the simplicity to limit costs. The dashboard is a flat area (like a large piece of Lego) with digital screens that offer the basic information, while the mobile phone (for which a support is already included) will act as the infotainment system and navigator. Bluetooth compatibility will be added and it will have a USB-C socket for recharging. Also with connectivity to the cloud to be able to control company fleets.
As for the technical capabilities, it will offer up to 140 kilometers of autonomy but the most interesting thing is in its conception. It can be offered as a light quadricycle with a maximum speed of 45 km/h and available for those over 16 years of age or a more powerful version that reaches 90 km/h and for which a B driving license is required.
As we said, this Mobilize Duo cannot be purchased, it will only be available under a subscription service of at least three months. At the moment, the brand has not made public what its prices will be.
