Mobilize Duo, the Renault Twizy 2.0 enemy of the Citroën Ami

A clever but expensive quadricycle, the Mobilize Duo shines above all with its autonomy. Our test on the streets of Rome.

In Rome, congestion is an ancient phenomenon. In his Satires written around the year 100 AD, the poet Juvenal – both reactionary and skillful sketcher of his time – was already getting irritated in hexameters in the face of chaotic traffic:

« Traffic jams of carts in the winding streets, cries of mule drivers whose herd is no longer moving forward. As for me, the flow that precedes me delays me and the one that follows me traps my back! »

Here I am in the same places and thinking about the same thing, two millennia later, confronted with a van reversing, a scooter buzzing and jeers in Italian.

To get around this eternal problem, Mobilize – the “new mobility” branch of the Renault Group – is offering something new. Revealed in its final version at the last Paris Motor Showthe Duo intends to reconcile us with driving in the city and hunting in the Friend’s territory.

Like its ancestor, the Renault Twizy, the Mobilize Duo is available in two versions. The first (45 Neo) targets young drivers aged 14 and over or those who have missed/lost/not passed their license by responding to the “light quadricycle” category. The second (80) is aimed at holders of a B or 125 cm³ license (“heavy quadricycle”). Today, we sit behind the wheel of the second. The configuration being almost identical on the 45, we will also draw some conclusions on the “without a license”.

A marmoset template

In the crowd of tourist buses and pilgrims circulating at the gates of the Vatican, the machine is undoubtedly at ease. Sitting in the middle of the vehicle and able to better measure the gaps with the rest of the traffic, we have fun slipping between the larger vehicles, gaining two or three positions at each red light over the surrounding Jeeps and Fiats. It is first of all a question of dimension.

The Duo manages to slip in and park anywhere, notably because it is even narrower than the Ami (9 cm apart). A gap to put into perspective: the Duo has hexagonal mirrors located at the end of long poles where the Citroën machine sticks its bicycle mirrors to its plastic bodywork. To adjust or fold them, you will have to fold the openings.

Nevertheless, we happily engage the Duo in the middle of heavy traffic. Front visibility is very satisfactory, despite the pillars being thickened by the tubular structure (see box). Added to this is a turning circle of a marmoset. Let’s go into a dead end to check it out. The machine pivots in 6.80 m, compared to 7.20 in the Citroën. But, like at the controls of his rival, you will have to play the steering wheel. The gear ratio is high and the steering is a tad harsh when turning the wheels from a standstill. Normal: no power steering here.

At low speeds, pedestrians can observe the unusual silhouette of the Duo. Taller than wide, it is dressed in raw plastic covered with stickers. The elytron doors add to the cool effect (be careful not to get your fingers trapped, that would ruin the effect) while making parking easier. You can park as close as possible to other vehicles without opening the door. Thank you all the same for giving them a little space.

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The openwork windows in their lower part – style Lamborghini Marzal — assist the slots: we can directly see the “corner” of the vehicle already parked. You can also exit from both sides. Be careful not to get your feet caught in the handbrake when leaving the vehicle on the right.

There are many low-cost tips. The front and rear bumpers are identical and covered in camouflage to reduce the visual impact of a scratch. The turn signals are the same on all four corners. The single-blade wiper is sufficient to clean the windshield.

And the sight of the machine intrigues the orderlies in front of the barracks. But there is a big but. And we realize this when changing lanes on busy platforms. Visibility to the rear third is catastrophic. Installed in the middle of the vehicle and in the absence of a central mirror, we have to lean a lot to know what is happening behind us.

The rear window is minimalist and you have to turn around almost 180° in the seat to know what’s going on in your wake. The view is also blocked by the pillars, obstructing the view of blind spots. The Twizy, very (too?) open to the elements, offered much better three-quarter visibility. L’Ami, with its glass roof, shows much more. We can console ourselves by writing that this will encourage young drivers to take a good look around them.

Comfort OK

A rustic but light vehicle, the Mobilize Duo is not particularly careful on potholes. We feel the roughness and scars of the asphalt very well. But the lightly padded driver’s seat provides better comfort than the Ami’s folding seat. The result is more convincing on high frequencies, notably the cobblestones, which are quite admirably absorbed. The presence of real doors helps insulate the passenger compartment. But the ear still picks up the conversations of the Romans or the not entirely legal pipes of the Ducati. The heated windshield comes standard and the heated seat is optional. make yourself cook the ass heats up faster than a wind tunnel.

With the power of a rental kart, is it easy to get into traffic? The answer is yes. A quick throttle boost allows you to quickly clear an intersection. Acceleration slows down beyond 30 km/h, but remains sufficient. On the slopes of the Janiculum – climbing up to 10% – our version 80 of the Mobilize Duo continues to accelerate. The long travel of the accelerator pedal allows you to modulate your speed well in the “30 zones”. The “regeneration” when lifting the foot is not adjustable, but well judged.

The few bends of the hill also allow you to get an idea of ​​the behavior. The roll is almost absent and the grip is correct in curves in the dry. Twizy regulars will be pleased to recognize the running gear developed at the time.

The braking is less reassuring. If the four discs bite effectively, the absence of ABS and the rudimentary grip of the 13-inch Continentals mean that you can slide slightly while pounding. It also smells burnt if you repeat the exercise.

Stopping distances remain very short thanks to the lightweight of the machine. The Duo also takes care of its passive security. Behind the ex-Clio or Captur steering wheel hub hides a 50-liter airbag. It is offered as standard on all versions.

An original interior

The Duo has recovered the configuration of the Twizy. The rear passenger must therefore do some contortions to reach their seat and agree to ride the battery for a few kilometers. The front chair is hollowed out on the sides to accommodate the thighs. On the other hand, our back would have appreciated better padding: the spine is only partially supported if we sit in the back. And be careful not to wrap yourself in the seat belt if you want to leave the vehicle on the left.

Under the legs, there is a single storage net which will only store a small pencil case. For the rest, we will place the luggage on the sides, but in full view of everyone. No safe, unless you opt for the Bento (see below).

In the driver’s seat, you face a rectangular dashboard covered with stickers. According to the in-house designers, the very simple shape is reminiscent of a boombox (also known as a ghetto-blasters) of the beginnings of hip-hop. The pictograms are also cleverly reminiscent of JVC or Sharp radio cassettes with the triangle “play” for forward gear, “rewind” for reverse gear… You will have to press the brake to engage the gears. Basic, simple, but effective.

Just like the instrument cluster with its 7 segment displaysexplicitly showing the essentials, from battery charge status to real-time speed. On the sides, the plastics mounted in the Tangier (Morocco) factory are of better quality than the competition and the adjustments are more rigorous. A smartphone holder and a USB-C port find their place to the right of the steering wheel. The sound system is provided by a transducer and not a complete speaker (€200 option).

No originality in terms of ergonomics, but it’s rather good news. A nozzle on the floor allows you to clean the passenger compartment with plenty of water.

A Mobilize Duo with convincing autonomy

And what does the meter say anyway? The Duo is announced with a range of 161 km according to the generous WMTC motorcycle cycle used for quadricycles. In reality, Mobilize mainly promises a real “100 terminals” in all circumstances.

At the end of our urban but hilly test, we calculated a range of 122 kilometers, or consumption equivalent to 8 kWh/100 kilometers. The range may be seriously reduced if you venture out of built-up areas for long periods at the maximum speed of 80 km/h or if you drive in freezing weather.

On the charging side, the machine has a domestic socket and a Type 2 adapter (€200 option) placed at the front. In the second case, the charging power, capped at 2 kW, does not gain much. This will essentially involve plugging into more public outlets.

The times spent with wire are logically longer than on an Ami with smaller batteries. It takes 5 hours 20 minutes to recharge from 0 to 100% and one hour of plugging in provides an additional 25 kilometers.

Also readComparison – Citroën Ami vs Fiat Topolino: sister quarrel without a license

High prices

The prices still remain steep. The Mobilize Duo 45 Neo intended for young people or those who do not have a B license is priced from €9,990 excluding bonus, with no options.

A three-year rental package is offered from €29 per month after a first rent of just over €2,000. Mobilize also intends to offer short-term loans to those who have lost their pink paper. All things being equal, the Citroën Ami and Fiat Topolino are less expensive, but will go significantly less far.

Our Mobilize Duo 80 starts at €12,500, excluding bonus currently set at €900. This is obviously expensive. A three- or four-year-old Dacia Spring or Smart For Two – two more versatile vehicles – can be found on the second-hand market at similar prices.

No matter how much we searched, we found no complaint from Juvenal about the price of vehicles in ancient Rome.