Most auto enthusiasts are well aware of the massive electric vehicle (EV) movement that is sweeping the globe. While consumers have long had the option to purchase an electric car, never before have there been so many exciting choices. We have the Tesla Model S, the Porsche Taycan, the Mustang Mach-E, the Audi E-Tron, and plenty of other options to choose from. We could talk all day about any one of these stupendous modern marvels and how they are driving us (no pun intended) towards a faster and cleaner future. But today, our focus is on the Renault Twizy.

Renault is an icon when it comes to providing the masses with small electric cars; therefore, it makes sense that they would offer a vehicle like that of the Twizy. The vehicle in question is a small, eccentric, two-seater, electric quadricycle that has become extensively popular on the European continent. It was designed with cheapness, environmental sustainability, and ease of operation in mind.

For these reasons, its natural habitat is usually the likes of big cities and large town centers; basically, any place that does not host high-speed limits. While the Twizy might not be for everyone (or most of us in general), it is still an interesting piece of hardware that deserves a look over.

Let's delve into what makes this quirky little French car tick.

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Who's Buying And Using These Things?

Parked Twizy
Via: The Independent

The Renault Twizy can be bought for £11,995, which is roughly $16,643. Admittedly, this is not what most people would call a low price for a vehicle in which the doors are optional extras (we'll get to that later).

Additionally, the Twizy is not very good looking, nor is it luxurious in any way, shape, or form. All in all, it is nothing that most people are going to want to see in their driveway every day. In fact, to some people, a reality of that nature may equate to torture; so who on Earth even wants one of these things?

The short answer is tourists and people who live in large, crowded, and overpopulated cities. While no one will look at a Twizy and think, "that looks like it will protect me in the event of a crash", they may consider it to be a much safer option than the typical moped rental.

As most Europeans probably know, scooters tend to supply tourists and city dwellers with a nice and cheap way to get around their large and busy cities. When you are driving something like a Vespa however, you are quite vulnerable to being struck by another motorist (especially if you're a tourist in an unfamiliar area). A Twizy somewhat remedies this by giving the driver a little more protection while still providing most of the benefits associated with driving and parking a moped.

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Battery, Equipment, And Safety Of The Renault Twizy

Inside of the Twizy
Via: Driving Electric

If you are somehow still interested in buying one of these after seeing the price, it is probably because you expect the Renault to come with some spectacular figures, features, or something else; this is not the case.

The little French car sports a 6.1 kWh lithium-ion battery which produces an abysmal 17 horsepower. This allows the Twizy to achieve a top speed of about 50 miles per hour. If you avoid pushing the pedal too hard and have fully charged the battery, you should be able to net about 62 miles of range.

The only things you will find under the "safety" tab in the owner's manual is the presence of seat belts and a lockable glove-box.

This glove-box and a dismal 11 liters worth of boot (trunk) room are the only storage spaces you will find in the Twizy. As for driver's aids, you'll only find a heated windshield. Now, let's look at all of the optional extras that you can tack onto your Renault Twizy.

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Renault Twizy Optional Extras

Open doors
Via: The New York Times

We start with doors; yes, you have to pay extra to have doors attached to your car. Specifically, you'll have to pay around $755 to have some metal between you and another vehicle in the event of an accident. While this sounds ridiculous (and it is), at least the doors are scissor doors. So, you'll be able to pretend that you're driving around in a really ugly Lambo.

After the door decision has been figured out, you can then move on to choosing what color you would like for those doors (and the rest of the body). Renault's current offerings are Snow White and Diamond black, however, if you want to pay an additional $350, you can opt for Lagoon Blue or Flame Orange. You may also add a clear UV-resistant roof to your Twizy and a set of alloy rims. Again, both of these options will cost you extra money.

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Conclusion On The Renault Twizy

Driving the Twizy
Via: Green Car Reports

To be completely honest, the Twizy probably isn't going to be your strongest choice when it comes to spending more than $16,000. Even here in America (where the ability to get a cheap car has dwindled), you could get probably get a much better new car for a couple of grand cheaper. As mentioned before, it was designed to be a low-cost and easy mode of zero-emission transport for Europeans. The problem, however, is it is not really a cheap mode of transportation. Additionally, most of Europe's public transit is so good it begs the question, why wouldn't you use that instead?

Despite all of this negativity, the Twizy is an interesting production car. It has been pretty popular in Europe and is still being sold today. Who knows, maybe Renault is on to something after all.

NEXT: Looking Back At The Renault 5 Turbo