I was driving a TWIZY for 4 years. The "Car" itself is a good idea and fun to drive it around town. However.. its not considered to replace a CAR.. it is more like replacing a Scooter with something you wont get wet in. It can be driven in winter time with a jacket and gloves and it is a blast. It is swift and more than enough for the city-traffic. There is one reason I sold it after 4 years.. Thats the breaks !!!!!.. Don't get me wrong.. THEY DO their job - quite good in fact.. but the WEAR and TEAR is so extensive that i spent almost 4 000 Swiss Franks in 4 Years just on Brake parts and service costs. The discs were undersized after just 5000 km. The pads melt like butter and the Brake-Calipers did rot in no time. So all the expenses for the brakes did eliminate the advantages of the vehicle itself. What a pitty.. with just a little more quality in the brake system, the TWIZY would have been a blast.. So everyone considering to buy one.. think about the brake-issue !!!! Greetings from Switzerland
3/18/22...Reminds me of the old TV series cartoon THE JETSONS where dad/hubby George drove a flying "car". Only room for 2 ppl...neither of which should be "oversized" + prob needs a "shoehorn" to get in AND definitely a Fire Dept " JAWS OF LIFE" to get out! NO room for packages/items. NO windows so def limited when bad weather. NO safety for driver + passenger b/c NO "protection" from larger vehicles/any wrecks/the hard road. Looks like FUN but too expensive for most ppl especially in this post C-19 world economy. Lots of interesting info + the moditerator Rory seems absolutely delighted with this "test drive"!
Thankx for your advice. I hope they will fix that brake problem. Buying a electric car will be now more interesting, with prices for oil going sky high up and sponsoring dictators for bloody wars.
We bought one back in 2018 and it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. Live near the Italian riviera so yes perfect for this climate, but great for your local errands in places with very little space. Park it everywhere, very cheap to run. Put two dogs in there, no problem. I did buy the Renault windows for the winter, they are a €500 optional. The parrot that was mentioned also does Bluetooth audio streaming so there’s music also. I did up the power to 100nm and it’s quite a blast to drive now. Great fun going sideways on wet roundabouts. The battery price has become ridiculous nowadays though… Such a shame, as I’m convinced that with small mods and a reviewed pricing strategy they could still sell many more nowadays.
I'd love to see a more mass market more updated twizzy 2 - a bit more range ,a bit more poke , decent doors and windows , and a bigger back seat/ or boot ..
Over ten grand? Noooo! 😁 Your specs make sense, but I wouldn't pay a penny over £2,500. I bet the Chinese could do it. No frills, no gadgets, no options, no cameras, no mod-cons like heating or air-conditioning or parking sensors or electrically-powered adjustable cobblers, and certainly no fun - fun's not important. What's important is cheap, basic transport for plebs. Unfortunately, too many wealthy western EV fanatics have been brainwashed into thinking that £20,000 - £30,000 is a bargain, so manufacturers laugh and laugh and gleefully set the EV bar higher and higher. Mmm, look at all those reassuringly expensive luxury vehicles... EVs have been around long enough for £10,000 to get you a brand new shiny 4-wheel, 5-door, 5-seater family hatchback, not some dinky little Twatty quad-cycle runabout. Is anyone making one? No. And what hope is there for sensibly priced little cars when people are prepared to pay £1,500 for a ruddy mobile phone? Aaargh! 🤪
@@EleanorPeterson Look up the Wuling Mini EV, it's got 4 seats, AC, electric windows, a stereo, ABS, tire pressure monitoring and rear parking sensors as standard. 4100 USD for the base model.
I bought a used cargo version (1 seat but with a ‘large’ locking boot) back in Feb. It’ll do 60mph, 65 downhill and easily 40 miles on a charge. It’s an absolute riot, damn good fun in the New Forest and EVERYONE points/smiles/laughs/looks confused. Highly recommended.
When I was a teenager, milk was delivered fresh every morning from a 3 wheeled, 2 seated "milk float' as they called it. It was stacked with milk trays full of milk and was very heavy. It didn't travel very fast, but the charge lasted from around 5am until around 2 to 3 pm. Working all the time. That was in the 50's to 60's. Have they forgotten that technology?
@@stevem5710 Not only the ton in battery weight, but the couple of ton in glass pint bottles full of milk. Sacks of potatoes and other stuff. Imagine them empty carrying 4/5 people and luggage only. A cute design and comfortable setup. What cheap local transportation. And in the 1950's. Innovation was the lacking property.
I saw quite a few of these in Rome. Seems like the ideal city to be using it, I’m sure in many of the back alley ways and narrow old streets, this is the only 4 wheel vehicle that would be usable.
Yes. I just bought a 2015 Audi A6 allroad V6 3.0 diesel, ULEZ compliant, excellent all round build quality, costs £100 to fill and I get 52 mpg, 800 miles. Much smaller carbon footprint than any EV. 12 grand.
Its a pimped up Sinclair C5! I can visualise the late Sir Clive, waving his fist at this and screaming " I did it first, you B****ards. And you bloody laughed at me."
13.000 pounds (15.135 €) for this "car" with under 30 miles range is way too much. It's not even worth the half. No wonder you almost never see it on the roads here.
Under 30 miles range!? My friend just ordered a 750w electric bike for 109 dollars (limited time stock clearance price) it does 28mph for 30 miles lol without using pedal assist, which would increase the range
@@stephen300o6 a leaf isn't only cheaper though, it's better in every way. can actually go distances and such. has windows. there is no practical reason to get a twizzy lol
For about three years it has been possible to get the Twizy with a type-2 plug (Mennekes). I have one. But the cable and electonics limit charging to the same 2kW as with the home plug. It is worth mentioning that there is a version without a second seat and with a "large" storage space instead. With that version wind never is a problem. I have never sat in the back seat but I have been told that it is quite windy there. Worse than the price is actually the quality you get for that amount of money. Especially considering that the components of an electric engine should be much more durable than those of a combustion engine. And even more if you consider that with this engine and charging "power" the electric strain is a joke compared to a real electric car. Except for the size and the gull-wing doors everything about this vehicle is just terrible. But that's what you get if there is no competition... Seat has shown a very similar vehicle (Minimo) two years ago. And these losers have not even managed to confirm yet that (and when) they will really build it.
I went on a 400 mile road trip with one in the middle of autumn in the UK and it was amazing. Even with the optional doors attached I had to wear motorcycling gear to avoid hypothermia. It drives like a bumper car, the "boot" is more like a grotty maintenance hatch, the seats are about as comfortable as school chairs, and the plastics are the same you'd find on Aldi's cordless drill cases. For each hour driving I'd spend 3.5 hours charging. I love it and wish I had one, but I'd never spend actual car money on one!
Sounds like a bullshit deal. Pay for what? You can literally get a used car and gas for 5 years, it will be safer and you're still cheaper than buying this shit. Some products are just bad. This is one.
@@DidesCharlie haha you're very sensitive my friend, you should try children channels or church music, no swearing there. Also why the name calling, I didn't call you names. Would you call people names to their face, sensitive boy? Maybe you should practice it and see if it's for you.
Soo many youngsters in my city own one. I live in Italy and the parking spaces at my school are full of these! I bought one used a couple of years ago and now I’m selling it since I turned 18 and got my real driving license. So fun but it makes you hate bumps and rain.
We put photovoltaics on our roof and bought a used Twizy. Which brought our short distance transportation cost to nearly Zero. Driving has never been so cheap. Thinking of getting one more, as 2 more kids are getting their drivers licences and need to drive to football training, visit friends etc. And, on top of it driving Twizys FUN!
I went with the Move Vigorous Inner City II. (Just like this you can drive it without a lisence and park and drive it everywhere) for less then 3k slightly used. For cities like this (Amsterdam) its THE way top move next to the bike (but Dutch rain, makes me prefer this) As you can get up to 115km (71Mph) with it, you can even use it for trips further along. The Move is a trike, but it has a full closed body, parking camera, electric windows, airco, two seats and more. When you use it without drivers licence, you do need the 45kph (28mph) max model.
Wow, this brought back some memories. My company bought one when it came out i think, and nobody wanted to be seen dead in it. The local carpark was offering free parking and charging back then for electric cars. So I said give it to me i will drive it and had the thing for 6 months Honestly loved every moment of driving it. So much fun, and nipping through traffic was just crazy. Would i buy one hell no.Its silly money, but it was basically free to travel to work for those six months.
I have one - it's the BEST urban summer vehicle - LOVE it! For £250 you can get a PowerBox which plugs into the ODB port and increases the torque from 55Nm to 100Nm and top speed increases to 65 MPH. Everyone who sees it wants to talk to you about it. It's a real 'happy car' - if you drive one or see one, you'll smile! :-)
At last someone with a bit of humour......it's horses for courses not brute horse power at all cost.......in the States they have the Invader, a sort of quad scooter, but you have to stand up while you do it.
@@gangleweed Too true. The argument of "Why buy a Twizy when for that money you could buy an [insert car name]" makes no sense either, as there is no real alternative. You either buy one or you don't - you don't buy a Twizy 'instead' of something else. Another fringe bonus is people ALWAYS let you out at junctions, as they're so keen to see what it is :-)
Unfortunately that is illegal (these vehicles have a legal limit of 90 km/h) and stresses the battery and electronics which are unfortunately shit quality. Wanna buy a new battery at those prices?
I have one. There are windows available which are excellent, a type 2 adapter is easily available to use public chargers and it is well capable of up to 60 miles on a charge. Other than that, nice review.
Renault talked about the EZ-1 Prototyp at the beginning of this year, that looks like a Twizy successor. Even though it's unclear if it will be available for private person or is only for car sharing companies.
Sod driving it in the winter though. How to defrost the windscreen and it doesn't even have side windows! If they had side windows and maybe put any motor electrical heat into the cabin and also heated windscreen which you could then turn off to increase range it would be okay. Also make it chargeable off out and about chargers.
I think it makes sense as a city rental for tourists. In NYC I can see how something like this might be useful in terms of parking... but overall the smaller cars are less safe. There is no crumple zone. Even 20 mph crash is sure to get you injured.... so safety looks bad
With somewhat sealing doors, the ability to charge at public spots and significantly lower price, I'd totally get one of those. Perfect for shopping and commuting or visiting friends. As it is you might as well get an e-Bike with a solid basket. I want one of those companies who make those cheap but actually nice electric scooters to make a Twizy knock-off. Same layout, fabric zip-up doors and windows and detachable batteries so you can actually charge them if you don't have a garage.
I used to design and build e bikes.. scooter and motorcycle style, not mountain bike style.. we stopped making the batteries removable cuz they are heavy as hell, if you want range. People keep dropping them or hurting themselves lifting em.. oh and never never ever NEVER charge lithium batteries that size inside your garage or house.. no lithium battery larger then a cordless drill should be charged inside. Look up car charge gone wrong, you will see why. All it takes is a pin hole
@@larryscarr3897 Hmm, I'm quite familiar with lip fires from large model aircraft and yeah, I wouldn't wanna charge the bigger ones indoors. There's electric scooters (vespa style) that have a removable battery which works well and you just pull the battery out and plug it in any outlet so you don't need that much range. But yeah, I wouldn't wanna drop it and it doesn't scale up to even tiny cars like that. A replaceable battery where you can swap it out every couple of years with basic tools and a car jack, would be good enough.
Man, I wish the central US was kinder to vehicles like this. I could see myself taking little shopping trips to the city in one of these if only it could keep up with highway traffic.
With all the urban congestion, the concept of the Twizy is more relevant than ever. Imagine every car on the road with only one or two occupants replaced by something like this, it would free up so much space. Unfortunately, the execution is obsolete with its price to performance ratio. It should cost half as much and have double the range. It’s also a bit too wide to have two of them share one lane (back to the congestion mitigation argument).
You're thinking of actual microcars. This isn't a microcar, it's a road quadbike with a roof which i suppose is meant to be a recreational vehicle. It would be worth considering as a city car if it had: - Weatherproof windows, so you can use it when it's raining without getting wet. - The ability to leave it parked somewhere without someone very easily stealing the objects inside, or even stealing the whole vehicle. This means windows and an alarm. - The ability to charge your phone (i'm not sure if it already has this).
@@leandrog2785 Actually I wasn’t thinking in terms of category (car vs. quad); I was thinking space-efficient transportation in general. Your wish list is sensible, and some people actually do add windows to their Twizy. Many people are already commuting in motorbikes/scooters, and the Twizy is a bit better in terms of weather, collision, and theft protection, but could be improved on for the aspects in my original comment. Hopefully vehicles like the Nimbus would be mass produced. The Carver fits the bill too but they’re available in such limited regions.
proof that you don't need a lot of power to have loads of fun driving. i drove one in spain and i just drove for the fun of driving, and i hardly ever do that with any other, or most cars. i just drove it around madrid to see the city, but i was having a blast in this thing, and even got it into the old city's very tiny narrow streets, and had a blast with it. i wish they sold these in the US, i would buy one to have in New York City, where i live.
3 года назад+4
i used to have one when i lived in the city, its super fun to drive! can allso chip it and it allmost tripples the acceleration, and you can go 70 mph. i used both summer and winter, with no windows. on the coldest day it was minus 26. but have so little range on it then. allso its spins really easy when snowy :D
I loved this car when it came out if it had a closed cabin and heating it would be a good option to consider with the weather conditions here in Norway.
If the twizzy were integrated, like the London hire a bike scheme, so no one owned them individually but just plugged ones smartphone in and drive off to another docking station at one's destination because it's easier than doing the same journey by public transport, always battery charged, always optimally in use, no need to listen to a bored taxi driver. A great little city run around. Great video review.
A pity it doesn't have pedal assist for greater range. Would love to have a go in one - not so sure about ownership though. On the other hand if I win one.
I'd have thought the selling point over a bicycle or scooter (or whatever) would have been it's safer and offers at least some element of protection from the elements. It's almost like the natural progression from the BMW C1, something to run around town in and out of traffic and perhaps even inside Tesco.
So a whole Sandero is much cheaper than this. Being from SA, probably this inspired the Renault Kwid. And it would be more cheaper than this if it was offered in the UK.
@@angrymuffinsb probably won't, but the Twizy is available and does not seem to have passed any safety regulations. But I guess because of it's classification "Quadrocycle" makes it acceptable and not allowed on highways. Just like the Bajaj Qute
@@henrysithole3623 yes, you’re exactly right. Call it a quadracycle and it can be a death trap. Which is ridiculous really, because you can still be hit by a lorry doing 56
And the new sandero is based on new clio platform..and you dont get wet and there is somewhere to put your shopping and your not cold either..me thinks this is just a toy for business men.
The two tone horn is I think what they call a town & country horn. So you've got a standard quiet one for the posh suburbs and then an obnoxious one for country roads
I think part of the issue with the twizzy is it's kind of like made so you don't get rained on but at the same token it has no windows so you'll get rained on it's like trying to be a miniature electric car and a bike kind of failing at both. Making very few people would want it. As for something if you wanted to take out for maybe like a spring or fall stroll it's probably great kind of like a go-kart that feels more like a regular car but I've seen go karts that are even better
You would be surprised. If there is just normal rain without a storm then it just gets wet inside when it's parking for a long time (so keep a towel in it). When driving (even within a city) it is very difficult for rain drops to hit the (from their perspective) small gap which is the "window". The wettest you get without a storm blowing the rain inside is apocalyptic rain with huge drops: They hit the top of the doors and "exoplode" there, creating a kind of very wet fog within.
Citroen AMI is in same class as Honda E, the new electric Corsa and VW id3 etc. Much more like what EVs should be. EVs won't become truly mainstream until they are a lot more "normal", and thankfully things are heading that way. The early crop of EVs were a combination of outrageously expensive and had sci-fi interiors (BMW i3 or Tesla), _far_ too large for simply pootling around town (Nissan Leaf - larger than the Astra), or were gimmicky crap like the Twizy. We need more "normal" electric cars that normal people would buy, not expensive tech demos with useless range. That is how you drive uptake - the now-discontinued Golf E cost more than the Golf GTi petrol.
"Is it too weird to succeed?" asks Rory... No, it's got no freaking windows, which means buyers will get soaked in most countries. Oh, and it's way overpriced.
@@wojciechmuras553 If they're tying to sell it in western Europe, windows need to be part of the standard package. Nobody in his right mind is going to buy a windowless car in Western Europe: half the year it's wet here and for a few weeks your balls are freezing off. I might as well take the bike: at least the effort of moving forward is going to provide some internal heat.
For three times the cost difference from a petrol-only car to a plugin hybrid, I could have the electric range of a plugin hybrid? It does look like fun though.
“It’s the cheapest electric car on the market” but it’s not a car! So it’s not the cheapest car on the market! They should have Twizzy racing though, that could be a thing. The cheapest electric car for sale in the UK is probably the Uniti One electric car, you should review one of these!
I love it. If they added a tiny hydrogen-engine or a tiny 650cc petrol engine, and some lexan windows, it would be a lot more attractive to buy. I live in America where it doesn't make a lot of sense, but I really really wish there were more one seater cars available for people without families.
No windows its cold in winter .Its a quad bike (techically so in the UK you need a car lience . they cost a fortune 6 grand you can buy a 4 seat car for that , but i love one .
"Every month auto trader are giving away an electric car, last month it was a a Tesla model 3 this month its a Twizzy" This is fantastic, it makes me like the channel more, despite the difference.
When I 1st saw it I thought well a cheap vehicle for around town. A bit naked, but add a few more things and OK. Then I hear no doors, windows or engine basically, if you have no power pack, you have no engine. Then I heard the price and the no windows, they have gone crazy. You have to be nuts to put out 20K U.S. for this. I was thinking 8K with a power pack, at the most.
I'm not so sure it is. I've seen top end mobility scooters and they have more features and comfort! Albeit a delberately much more limited top speed. Some even beat it on range.
I've seen Twizys in places like Lanzarote where they're used as restaurant delivery vehicles. It's probably the idea use - short distances, hot climate, cheap operation. Even a short range of the Twizy is sufficient to deliver all the food ordered on a single charge. I'm not sure I'd want to use one anywhere wet, or anywhere that people would be inclined to steal or vandalize it.
It's shocking they haven't come up with a bit more range and a fully enclosed cockpit since this was released. Also being easily beaten by (assisted) leg power at the lights, while getting rained on... The negatives just add on. Aside from as an alternative to a golf buggy it needs to be more AMi and less Twizy
Mount yourself a little rack on the back for a small inverter generator and you could drive all day in the city. Out on the open road you would still have to take breaks though.
Even on the second hand market £13k would get you something really lovely. I got a range topping Skoda Fabia for £10k, many options fitted, 4 years old and 35k miles - bargain. Unless it gets trashed in an accident that car will probably outlive me.
Reminds me of the "Golf Cart" Low Speed Vehicles (LSV) I've seen in a retirement community in Arizona we went through a few years back. Some of them were all dolled up to look like racing vehicles or fire trucks. They have enough safety features to be on public roads, but not enough speed to go on freeways/highways.
If I had one it would definitely get a lot of use. Vast majority of my journeys are under 30 miles, not above 50mph and only me or me and one other person, but you couldn’t persuade me to part with £13k for it. Say I used it for 4K miles a year and saved even up to 15p a mile, it would still take 21 years to recoup the cost.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
£13 grand, no wonder they haven't sold loads.
That money gets you an ebike AND a decent car. With windows and range.
And will be boring. Twizy is not a car remember.
@@gavc6442 wrong.
James May: "Good news! The Dacia Sandero"
honestly you can get a car with better practicallity and performance for less
I don't think it was meant to be mass produced. It's quirky - you either want it or you don't
This is at most a 7000 euro vehicle ... what war they thinking?
I was driving a TWIZY for 4 years. The "Car" itself is a good idea and fun to drive it around town. However.. its not considered to replace a CAR.. it is more like replacing a Scooter with something you wont get wet in. It can be driven in winter time with a jacket and gloves and it is a blast. It is swift and more than enough for the city-traffic. There is one reason I sold it after 4 years.. Thats the breaks !!!!!.. Don't get me wrong.. THEY DO their job - quite good in fact.. but the WEAR and TEAR is so extensive that i spent almost 4 000 Swiss Franks in 4 Years just on Brake parts and service costs. The discs were undersized after just 5000 km. The pads melt like butter and the Brake-Calipers did rot in no time. So all the expenses for the brakes did eliminate the advantages of the vehicle itself.
What a pitty.. with just a little more quality in the brake system, the TWIZY would have been a blast.. So everyone considering to buy one.. think about the brake-issue !!!! Greetings from Switzerland
Thank you so much.... 👍🏻🙂
It's probably cheaper and better to replace the wheels altogether with more adequate equipment.
3/18/22...Reminds me of the old TV series cartoon THE JETSONS where dad/hubby George drove a flying "car".
Only room for 2 ppl...neither of which should be "oversized" + prob needs a "shoehorn" to get in AND definitely a Fire Dept " JAWS OF LIFE" to get out!
NO room for packages/items.
NO windows so def limited when bad weather.
NO safety for driver + passenger b/c NO "protection" from larger vehicles/any wrecks/the hard road.
Looks like FUN but too expensive for most ppl especially in this post C-19 world economy.
Lots of interesting info + the moditerator Rory seems absolutely delighted with this "test drive"!
Thankx for your advice. I hope they will fix that brake problem. Buying a electric car will be now more interesting, with prices for oil going sky high up and sponsoring dictators for bloody wars.
Well, its french. That explains everything wrong.
We bought one back in 2018 and it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. Live near the Italian riviera so yes perfect for this climate, but great for your local errands in places with very little space. Park it everywhere, very cheap to run. Put two dogs in there, no problem. I did buy the Renault windows for the winter, they are a €500 optional. The parrot that was mentioned also does Bluetooth audio streaming so there’s music also. I did up the power to 100nm and it’s quite a blast to drive now. Great fun going sideways on wet roundabouts. The battery price has become ridiculous nowadays though… Such a shame, as I’m convinced that with small mods and a reviewed pricing strategy they could still sell many more nowadays.
2 dogs or did you mean frogs? 🐸
So 4 dogs altogether?
Those dogs must be as little as a palm of a hand!
Nice
So how did you boost the torque ?
I'd love to see a more mass market more updated twizzy 2 - a bit more range ,a bit more poke , decent doors and windows , and a bigger back seat/ or boot ..
A golf cart on steroids, I'm here for it.
2 seater ,70 mph top speed, 150 mile range, 20 min quick charge, 10.8k £
That's what needs to be produced.
Over ten grand? Noooo! 😁 Your specs make sense, but I wouldn't pay a penny over £2,500.
I bet the Chinese could do it. No frills, no gadgets, no options, no cameras, no mod-cons like heating or air-conditioning or parking sensors or electrically-powered adjustable cobblers, and certainly no fun - fun's not important. What's important is cheap, basic transport for plebs.
Unfortunately, too many wealthy western EV fanatics have been brainwashed into thinking that £20,000 - £30,000 is a bargain, so manufacturers laugh and laugh and gleefully set the EV bar higher and higher. Mmm, look at all those reassuringly expensive luxury vehicles...
EVs have been around long enough for £10,000 to get you a brand new shiny 4-wheel, 5-door, 5-seater family hatchback, not some dinky little Twatty quad-cycle runabout.
Is anyone making one? No.
And what hope is there for sensibly priced little cars when people are prepared to pay £1,500 for a ruddy mobile phone? Aaargh! 🤪
@@EleanorPeterson Look up the Wuling Mini EV, it's got 4 seats, AC, electric windows, a stereo, ABS, tire pressure monitoring and rear parking sensors as standard.
4100 USD for the base model.
@@kristoffer3000 none of those cheap china ev s are legal in canada or us.
@@dankennedy6925 They're also not made for those markets so... yeah.
Only Rory can make a review of "Renault Twizy" so engaging.
😭😭😭totally agree
🤣
so true haha
@@sethl8905 you gotta be trolling? Rory is obviously taking the piss
The staredown and subsequent drag race with the e bike was hilarious 😅
I bought a used cargo version (1 seat but with a ‘large’ locking boot) back in Feb. It’ll do 60mph, 65 downhill and easily 40 miles on a charge. It’s an absolute riot, damn good fun in the New Forest and EVERYONE points/smiles/laughs/looks confused. Highly recommended.
Renault should make a twizzy rs🤔
maybe , for the performance they can!
Twizzy trophy r with DOUBLE HP(10)
Call it the alpine
They have the Renault Twizy RS F1. It looks aggressive
they put it an f1 engine in one
When I was a teenager, milk was delivered fresh every morning from a 3 wheeled, 2 seated "milk float' as they called it.
It was stacked with milk trays full of milk and was very heavy.
It didn't travel very fast, but the charge lasted from around 5am until around 2 to 3 pm. Working all the time.
That was in the 50's to 60's. Have they forgotten that technology?
There used to be a factory on the Team Valley Trading Estate in Gateshead where those things were made back in the 70's
Those old floats had a ton of lead acid batteries in them. They used to struggle with the hills around here.
@@stevem5710 Not only the ton in battery weight, but the couple of ton in glass pint bottles full of milk. Sacks of potatoes and other stuff.
Imagine them empty carrying 4/5 people and luggage only. A cute design and comfortable setup. What cheap local transportation.
And in the 1950's.
Innovation was the lacking property.
I saw quite a few of these in Rome. Seems like the ideal city to be using it, I’m sure in many of the back alley ways and narrow old streets, this is the only 4 wheel vehicle that would be usable.
£12,695 is a crazy price lol Think of the cars you can get for 12K lol
A couple of V8 Jags and still have change.
Dacia Sandero with about 4k left, which you could be used to buy a good electric motorcycle to fit the purpose of this quad bike
At least if you get hit, you can save money on a coffin
Yes. I just bought a 2015 Audi A6 allroad V6 3.0 diesel, ULEZ compliant, excellent all round build quality, costs £100 to fill and I get 52 mpg, 800 miles. Much smaller carbon footprint than any EV. 12 grand.
Its a pimped up Sinclair C5! I can visualise the late Sir Clive, waving his fist at this and screaming " I did it first, you B****ards. And you bloody laughed at me."
13.000 pounds (15.135 €) for this "car" with under 30 miles range is way too much. It's not even worth the half. No wonder you almost never see it on the roads here.
¿there in bolivian highflats?
For this money you can get a decent Mercedes C Klass full option second hand!
Under 30 miles range!? My friend just ordered a 750w electric bike for 109 dollars (limited time stock clearance price) it does 28mph for 30 miles lol without using pedal assist, which would increase the range
@@stu1987eng yeap, twizy is two expensive and doesn't lean
@@stu1987eng LOL excellent bargain 👌
The price rather rules it out. Just get a used leaf, they start at around 5 grand these days. For 14 grand you’d get a really good one.
Get a used one of these.
"Good news! The Dacia Sandero" - James May
There are always cheaper cars. Personal choice is a thing you know.
@@stephen300o6 a leaf isn't only cheaper though, it's better in every way. can actually go distances and such. has windows. there is no practical reason to get a twizzy lol
@@bremCZ They ain't much cheaper.
I got to drive one for free as part of the deal with the hotel room on a small island. It was a lot of fun to drive.
For about three years it has been possible to get the Twizy with a type-2 plug (Mennekes). I have one. But the cable and electonics limit charging to the same 2kW as with the home plug.
It is worth mentioning that there is a version without a second seat and with a "large" storage space instead. With that version wind never is a problem. I have never sat in the back seat but I have been told that it is quite windy there.
Worse than the price is actually the quality you get for that amount of money. Especially considering that the components of an electric engine should be much more durable than those of a combustion engine. And even more if you consider that with this engine and charging "power" the electric strain is a joke compared to a real electric car. Except for the size and the gull-wing doors everything about this vehicle is just terrible. But that's what you get if there is no competition... Seat has shown a very similar vehicle (Minimo) two years ago. And these losers have not even managed to confirm yet that (and when) they will really build it.
I went on a 400 mile road trip with one in the middle of autumn in the UK and it was amazing. Even with the optional doors attached I had to wear motorcycling gear to avoid hypothermia. It drives like a bumper car, the "boot" is more like a grotty maintenance hatch, the seats are about as comfortable as school chairs, and the plastics are the same you'd find on Aldi's cordless drill cases. For each hour driving I'd spend 3.5 hours charging. I love it and wish I had one, but I'd never spend actual car money on one!
Sounds like a bullshit deal. Pay for what? You can literally get a used car and gas for 5 years, it will be safer and you're still cheaper than buying this shit.
Some products are just bad. This is one.
@@tgb-vf4es Why the swearing? Calm down, nutter.
@@DidesCharlie haha you're very sensitive my friend, you should try children channels or church music, no swearing there.
Also why the name calling, I didn't call you names. Would you call people names to their face, sensitive boy? Maybe you should practice it and see if it's for you.
@@tgb-vf4es how much cost now used ?
@@tgb-vf4es this is more fun on roundabouts
“EXACTLY like a McLaren”
Rory, you're an artist
I got one, you get a TON of attention in one!!!
Guru Larry in a Twizy, that's something I'd like to see! But... hello you!
like disabled ppl car? in Mr Bean? (with due respect)
@@GlobalBizTelevision No
I was really looking at buying one but the fact you're gonna be wet in the rain was a bit too much for me.
But who wants attention?
1:08 "doesn't come with doors as standard." It makes me smile this car. 😀👍👍
Soo many youngsters in my city own one. I live in Italy and the parking spaces at my school are full of these! I bought one used a couple of years ago and now I’m selling it since I turned 18 and got my real driving license. So fun but it makes you hate bumps and rain.
I cycled past you filming this just outside Great Barford this week. A lovely rural setting for your city-car test!
Really? I'm from st neots and thought it looked local!
Him: "Oh, I'm overtaking a lorry!"
Me: "That's a fucking Tractor mate."
Typical City Boy He hasnt a Clue
@@MOSSFEEN I think you'll find I live in the country. And I own a tractor.
@@AutoTraderTV And you dont know the Difference
@@AutoTraderTV Lol review your tractor next!
@@Sidowse though, he owns a tractor, he surely would've seen the rear massive wheel.
The amount of work he puts into his videos is just amazing. Keep up the good work bro. Hope to see 1M subs soon.
It's a whole team - Auto Trader is a long-established brand in the UK
We put photovoltaics on our roof and bought a used Twizy. Which brought our short distance transportation cost to nearly Zero. Driving has never been so cheap. Thinking of getting one more, as 2 more kids are getting their drivers licences and need to drive to football training, visit friends etc. And, on top of it driving Twizys FUN!
Surprisingly I actually saw one in Cheshire a couple of years back
The only reason I'd get this is to move around my Manor
Yes
Is 4K the price? Nah, must be the resolution.
Over £11,000 if you buy the battery
@@leehenry5764 with doors but no windows £13,000.
@@zancrus9629 Citroen ami🥰
@@-syahmi6924 that actually has to remain below 50km/h while it regularly take short rural routs of 20km...at 70+km/h
@@fionafiona1146 yes, I mean people will not use this car as main car. But it's fun to drive it
I tell ya, I just love Rory. I could hang with that guy all day listening to him talk cars. And as an American - the accent... British perfection.
I went with the Move Vigorous Inner City II. (Just like this you can drive it without a lisence and park and drive it everywhere) for less then 3k slightly used.
For cities like this (Amsterdam) its THE way top move next to the bike (but Dutch rain, makes me prefer this) As you can get up to 115km (71Mph) with it, you can even use it for trips further along.
The Move is a trike, but it has a full closed body, parking camera, electric windows, airco, two seats and more.
When you use it without drivers licence, you do need the 45kph (28mph) max model.
Wow, this brought back some memories. My company bought one when it came out i think, and nobody wanted to be seen dead in it. The local carpark was offering free parking and charging back then for electric cars. So I said give it to me i will drive it and had the thing for 6 months Honestly loved every moment of driving it. So much fun, and nipping through traffic was just crazy. Would i buy one hell no.Its silly money, but it was basically free to travel to work for those six months.
I have one - it's the BEST urban summer vehicle - LOVE it! For £250 you can get a PowerBox which plugs into the ODB port and increases the torque from 55Nm to 100Nm and top speed increases to 65 MPH. Everyone who sees it wants to talk to you about it. It's a real 'happy car' - if you drive one or see one, you'll smile! :-)
100% true
At last someone with a bit of humour......it's horses for courses not brute horse power at all cost.......in the States they have the Invader, a sort of quad scooter, but you have to stand up while you do it.
@@gangleweed Too true. The argument of "Why buy a Twizy when for that money you could buy an [insert car name]" makes no sense either, as there is no real alternative. You either buy one or you don't - you don't buy a Twizy 'instead' of something else. Another fringe bonus is people ALWAYS let you out at junctions, as they're so keen to see what it is :-)
@@iandavidson99 If you have to ask the price you can't afford it anyway so why bother......you buy one because you want it not need it.
Unfortunately that is illegal (these vehicles have a legal limit of 90 km/h) and stresses the battery and electronics which are unfortunately shit quality. Wanna buy a new battery at those prices?
I have one. There are windows available which are excellent, a type 2 adapter is easily available to use public chargers and it is well capable of up to 60 miles on a charge. Other than that, nice review.
Twizy really good but it needs to be technically updated.
BMW and Renault should work together on this...return of the bubble car but electric...
Renault talked about the EZ-1 Prototyp at the beginning of this year, that looks like a Twizy successor. Even though it's unclear if it will be available for private person or is only for car sharing companies.
lexus ⁸7 ñoph 100 mk9lecrangé
Sod driving it in the winter though. How to defrost the windscreen and it doesn't even have side windows! If they had side windows and maybe put any motor electrical heat into the cabin and also heated windscreen which you could then turn off to increase range it would be okay. Also make it chargeable off out and about chargers.
I think it makes sense as a city rental for tourists. In NYC I can see how something like this might be useful in terms of parking... but overall the smaller cars are less safe. There is no crumple zone. Even 20 mph crash is sure to get you injured.... so safety looks bad
Imagine someone who drives a Twizy drive a normal car after years and just floor the pedal
🤣
Electronic cars are for labour voters
By now I can confirm that I'll watch anything Rory reviews 😀
❤️
With somewhat sealing doors, the ability to charge at public spots and significantly lower price, I'd totally get one of those. Perfect for shopping and commuting or visiting friends. As it is you might as well get an e-Bike with a solid basket. I want one of those companies who make those cheap but actually nice electric scooters to make a Twizy knock-off. Same layout, fabric zip-up doors and windows and detachable batteries so you can actually charge them if you don't have a garage.
I used to design and build e bikes.. scooter and motorcycle style, not mountain bike style.. we stopped making the batteries removable cuz they are heavy as hell, if you want range. People keep dropping them or hurting themselves lifting em.. oh and never never ever NEVER charge lithium batteries that size inside your garage or house.. no lithium battery larger then a cordless drill should be charged inside. Look up car charge gone wrong, you will see why. All it takes is a pin hole
@@larryscarr3897 Hmm, I'm quite familiar with lip fires from large model aircraft and yeah, I wouldn't wanna charge the bigger ones indoors. There's electric scooters (vespa style) that have a removable battery which works well and you just pull the battery out and plug it in any outlet so you don't need that much range. But yeah, I wouldn't wanna drop it and it doesn't scale up to even tiny cars like that.
A replaceable battery where you can swap it out every couple of years with basic tools and a car jack, would be good enough.
Man, I wish the central US was kinder to vehicles like this. I could see myself taking little shopping trips to the city in one of these if only it could keep up with highway traffic.
1:15 I think this the first time he mentioned a car has a windscreen and a wiper on a review video.
It should have been updated 2 years ago…it would be a no brainer…and my dog would love to sit in the back!
With all the urban congestion, the concept of the Twizy is more relevant than ever. Imagine every car on the road with only one or two occupants replaced by something like this, it would free up so much space. Unfortunately, the execution is obsolete with its price to performance ratio. It should cost half as much and have double the range. It’s also a bit too wide to have two of them share one lane (back to the congestion mitigation argument).
You're thinking of actual microcars. This isn't a microcar, it's a road quadbike with a roof which i suppose is meant to be a recreational vehicle. It would be worth considering as a city car if it had:
- Weatherproof windows, so you can use it when it's raining without getting wet.
- The ability to leave it parked somewhere without someone very easily stealing the objects inside, or even stealing the whole vehicle. This means windows and an alarm.
- The ability to charge your phone (i'm not sure if it already has this).
@@leandrog2785 Actually I wasn’t thinking in terms of category (car vs. quad); I was thinking space-efficient transportation in general. Your wish list is sensible, and some people actually do add windows to their Twizy. Many people are already commuting in motorbikes/scooters, and the Twizy is a bit better in terms of weather, collision, and theft protection, but could be improved on for the aspects in my original comment. Hopefully vehicles like the Nimbus would be mass produced. The Carver fits the bill too but they’re available in such limited regions.
If I parked that in my local shop's carpark, I would come out to find kids playing in it!
Coins jammed in the socket.
probably yeah.. windows are wide open. kids can climb. i mean, why even bother to put a door?
@@michaeljakeusman I think @Barn Star hinted at the car looking like those coin operated rocking cars commonly found outside shops.
@@TikeMyson69 Savage 🤣
Side windows….It can’t be difficult engineering to knock up some fixed plexi side screens…or even an openable hatch window.
proof that you don't need a lot of power to have loads of fun driving. i drove one in spain and i just drove for the fun of driving, and i hardly ever do that with any other, or most cars. i just drove it around madrid to see the city, but i was having a blast in this thing, and even got it into the old city's very tiny narrow streets, and had a blast with it. i wish they sold these in the US, i would buy one to have in New York City, where i live.
i used to have one when i lived in the city, its super fun to drive! can allso chip it and it allmost tripples the acceleration, and you can go 70 mph. i used both summer and winter, with no windows. on the coldest day it was minus 26. but have so little range on it then. allso its spins really easy when snowy :D
Me too 😃
Only Rory could make the twizy sound good, but it needs updating for sure.
Renault EZ 1
yes it dísé
I loved this car when it came out if it had a closed cabin and heating it would be a good option to consider with the weather conditions here in Norway.
If the twizzy were integrated, like the London hire a bike scheme, so no one owned them individually but just plugged ones smartphone in and drive off to another docking station at one's destination because it's easier than doing the same journey by public transport, always battery charged, always optimally in use, no need to listen to a bored taxi driver. A great little city run around. Great video review.
I rented one on Bora Bora - barely enough range to go around the island once.
A pity it doesn't have pedal assist for greater range. Would love to have a go in one - not so sure about ownership though. On the other hand if I win one.
Open the doors and flintstone it if you're running low on juice
I'd have thought the selling point over a bicycle or scooter (or whatever) would have been it's safer and offers at least some element of protection from the elements. It's almost like the natural progression from the BMW C1, something to run around town in and out of traffic and perhaps even inside Tesco.
So a whole Sandero is much cheaper than this.
Being from SA, probably this inspired the Renault Kwid. And it would be more cheaper than this if it was offered in the UK.
The Kwid would never pass safety regulations here in the U.K.
@@angrymuffinsb probably won't, but the Twizy is available and does not seem to have passed any safety regulations. But I guess because of it's classification "Quadrocycle" makes it acceptable and not allowed on highways. Just like the Bajaj Qute
@@henrysithole3623 yes, you’re exactly right. Call it a quadracycle and it can be a death trap. Which is ridiculous really, because you can still be hit by a lorry doing 56
And the new sandero is based on new clio platform..and you dont get wet and there is somewhere to put your shopping and your not cold either..me thinks this is just a toy for business men.
@@darthgardner No self respecting businessman would drive this. Vegan ones perhaps
The two tone horn is I think what they call a town & country horn. So you've got a standard quiet one for the posh suburbs and then an obnoxious one for country roads
I think part of the issue with the twizzy is it's kind of like made so you don't get rained on but at the same token it has no windows so you'll get rained on it's like trying to be a miniature electric car and a bike kind of failing at both. Making very few people would want it. As for something if you wanted to take out for maybe like a spring or fall stroll it's probably great kind of like a go-kart that feels more like a regular car but I've seen go karts that are even better
This or a second hand i3 for the same amount? I3 any day
Good review as always Rory!
or a second hand Twizy even better
Some people would want to tow a caravan for the family with one and tour the UK......morons.
I'd definitely have one of these if I lived in a city. I don't need a radio, my phone does that.
I would love to have one if it had proper windows
Value of this thing is 4k... Max. It's a fun alternative "around the town" option that's being priced as a weekender.
It seems like a bike the keeps you a bit drier and warmer in bad weather. At least you not getting rain and wind directly in your eyes.
I would have liked to see this review done when it’s raining 😁
You would be surprised. If there is just normal rain without a storm then it just gets wet inside when it's parking for a long time (so keep a towel in it). When driving (even within a city) it is very difficult for rain drops to hit the (from their perspective) small gap which is the "window". The wettest you get without a storm blowing the rain inside is apocalyptic rain with huge drops: They hit the top of the doors and "exoplode" there, creating a kind of very wet fog within.
Citroen AMI seems more affordable .
checking
Like it, but its name sounds like one of those vibrating sex toys
Ami is on another level, a legit city car.
Maybe but the Twizy looks way better
Citroen AMI is in same class as Honda E, the new electric Corsa and VW id3 etc. Much more like what EVs should be.
EVs won't become truly mainstream until they are a lot more "normal", and thankfully things are heading that way. The early crop of EVs were a combination of outrageously expensive and had sci-fi interiors (BMW i3 or Tesla), _far_ too large for simply pootling around town (Nissan Leaf - larger than the Astra), or were gimmicky crap like the Twizy.
We need more "normal" electric cars that normal people would buy, not expensive tech demos with useless range. That is how you drive uptake - the now-discontinued Golf E cost more than the Golf GTi petrol.
"Is it too weird to succeed?" asks Rory... No, it's got no freaking windows, which means buyers will get soaked in most countries. Oh, and it's way overpriced.
Windows are an optional extra! Not sure why it wasn't mentioned here, but you can absolutely get windows for it.
@@wojciechmuras553 If they're tying to sell it in western Europe, windows need to be part of the standard package.
Nobody in his right mind is going to buy a windowless car in Western Europe: half the year it's wet here and for a few weeks your balls are freezing off.
I might as well take the bike: at least the effort of moving forward is going to provide some internal heat.
For three times the cost difference from a petrol-only car to a plugin hybrid, I could have the electric range of a plugin hybrid? It does look like fun though.
My last workplace had one, I still miss to drive it 3 years later.
“It’s the cheapest electric car on the market” but it’s not a car! So it’s not the cheapest car on the market! They should have Twizzy racing though, that could be a thing. The cheapest electric car for sale in the UK is probably the Uniti One electric car, you should review one of these!
Thanks Rory, very interesting! I think you caught the essence of the Twizy - it's a fun car, for local journeys. I'd love one!!
I love it. If they added a tiny hydrogen-engine or a tiny 650cc petrol engine, and some lexan windows, it would be a lot more attractive to buy. I live in America where it doesn't make a lot of sense, but I really really wish there were more one seater cars available for people without families.
No windows its cold in winter .Its a quad bike (techically so in the UK you need a car lience . they cost a fortune 6 grand you can buy a 4 seat car for that , but i love one .
Chilli?
Try driving a open paxster in the arctic year round, as we lettercariers in Tromsø does.
Most iconic small EV ever!
most iç8ñ⁸ç ckßic çàr év farri 3p8 gt éktric 1665 mph plúß
Honestly I much rather drive a golf cart in city
úrs for price g8kf çart 1⁰5 miíe tabge 215 mioe tabgé
That should be a project for the (now defunct) show "Pimp My Ride"… 😁
Pimp My Ride is so defunct that even the copyright has expired and MTV stake no claim to it.
@@mxbx307 🤣
That's like $18000 usd u can get a really good used car like audi, lexus and get all the sport and luxury
"Every month auto trader are giving away an electric car, last month it was a a Tesla model 3 this month its a Twizzy"
This is fantastic, it makes me like the channel more, despite the difference.
Perfect Rory
You wont stay dry when it rains? What a great product!
I'm going to enter, wish me luck lads didn't win the Tesla but I have high hopes for this one.
I saw one of these going up the road today, and I live in a remote part of the UK, so i'd say its pretty relevant still
When I 1st saw it I thought well a cheap vehicle for around town. A bit naked, but add a few more things and OK. Then I hear no doors, windows or engine basically, if you have no power pack, you have no engine. Then I heard the price and the no windows, they have gone crazy. You have to be nuts to put out 20K U.S. for this. I was thinking 8K with a power pack, at the most.
4 wheeled bicycles. Meanwhile: motorcycles and ATVs exist
Those horrible noisy things?
The Renault Twizy is the Rolls Royce of mobility scooters✌️
I'm not so sure it is. I've seen top end mobility scooters and they have more features and comfort! Albeit a delberately much more limited top speed. Some even beat it on range.
Flipping gorgeous car.
I've seen Twizys in places like Lanzarote where they're used as restaurant delivery vehicles. It's probably the idea use - short distances, hot climate, cheap operation. Even a short range of the Twizy is sufficient to deliver all the food ordered on a single charge. I'm not sure I'd want to use one anywhere wet, or anywhere that people would be inclined to steal or vandalize it.
In Spain they have these for car sharing like the electric scooters
I've seen this in real life. I don't know why someone would even buy this, unless you live in an Italian town with tiny streets.
In india, we have luxury car owners who also owe a tata nano or a maruti800.. 😅 they says its for a break from luxury and for fun and versatility
Love mine, great for local town driving! Safer than a bike and always makes me smile!
@@davidwynn-davies252 Good for you! As i said it's only good for small towns!
OMG i forgot tht car even existed 😅✋
It's shocking they haven't come up with a bit more range and a fully enclosed cockpit since this was released. Also being easily beaten by (assisted) leg power at the lights, while getting rained on... The negatives just add on. Aside from as an alternative to a golf buggy it needs to be more AMi and less Twizy
Mount yourself a little rack on the back for a small inverter generator and you could drive all day in the city. Out on the open road you would still have to take breaks though.
Depending on one stream of income had never made any millionaire and earning check doesn't put you in Forbes
Interesting most people don't understand the market moves and tend to be mislead in facts like this and depend on money in the bank.very bad Idea
@Barbara Deal My money's in the bank and nobody better think of touching it.....
13 Grand? I can get an actual car with that.
Even on the second hand market £13k would get you something really lovely.
I got a range topping Skoda Fabia for £10k, many options fitted, 4 years old and 35k miles - bargain. Unless it gets trashed in an accident that car will probably outlive me.
I bought a used SUV for less of the money, with low mileage and only a few years old. That little toy car fits in the trunk lol.
gm geo under ¹0000
Did someone not tell Rory he's on the internet 🤦♂️
I noticed, still thinks he's "in real life" apparently
Amazing car i wish i had one electric car then thats the one.. Saving money for this car. Hope dream comes true,,.. Cheers great video...
Reminds me of the "Golf Cart" Low Speed Vehicles (LSV) I've seen in a retirement community in Arizona we went through a few years back. Some of them were all dolled up to look like racing vehicles or fire trucks. They have enough safety features to be on public roads, but not enough speed to go on freeways/highways.
Well its still ugly in 2021.
Great job rory!
I actually think it looks great! But I can see why you say it's ugly... it's very unique indeed
BREAKING NEWS: truck drive goes to jail after hitting a EV car, says he thought he ran over a bug
I saw one in a Sainsbury's car park in beckton, London a few years ago.
i'd love to own one of these they look so goofy i love it
If I had one it would definitely get a lot of use. Vast majority of my journeys are under 30 miles, not above 50mph and only me or me and one other person, but you couldn’t persuade me to part with £13k for it. Say I used it for 4K miles a year and saved even up to 15p a mile, it would still take 21 years to recoup the cost.
buy oñé
@@sharonbraselton4302 For £13k? Not a chance!
I live in Key West, Florida.
Wish we could get them here.
So much more fun than all the golf carts here.