Is this quadricycle familiar to you? This is normal, since you are looking at the descendant of the Renault Twizy. Presented for the first time at the Paris Motor Show in 2022, it took two years for the Mobilize Duo to resurface, again at the Paris show in October. For the record, Mobilize is the new Renault group brand dedicated to new mobility. This new 100% electric machine is a direct competitor to the recently restyled Citröen Ami. The Duo is therefore accessible to young people without a license – or rather with an “AM” license – from 14 years old, but also in a version with a licensewhich is not the case for the small herringbone chip.
Always the same recipe
In terms of looks, the Mobilize Duo takes line for line the somewhat science-fiction silhouette of its ancestor, with the impression of having a capsule placed on four wheels. We still find the famous elytra doors, except that this time, once closed, they allow you to have a completely closed and airtight cabin.. A nice step forward compared to the Twizy which made do with plastic sheeting as glazing. If the silhouette is similar, the design is completely new. According to Mobilize, less than 10% of parts were taken from its ancestor. The Duo will be produced in the Renault plant in Tangier, Morocco, from 40% recycled materials.
The principle is always the same where the driver and his passenger are installed in tandem as on a two-wheeler. It's not very practical for talking to each other, however, for loading it is rather useful, because you can load on either side of the front seat… Provided that there is no passenger in the back, in which case the latter, being cramped, will have to place their feet on the luggage. Mobilize thus announces a volume of 90 dm3. On the Citroën Ami, you have to make do with 63 dm3. All this in a similar size of 2.43 m long, 1.30 m wide and 1.42 m high.
A raw atmosphere
The atmosphere on board where hard plastics are legion is logically summary, while the soundproofing is, unsurprisingly, just OK. We may also regret the fact that Mobilize did not dress up the interior of the Duo a little more to hide the tubular structure. Once installed behind the wheel, we find in front of us a large rectangular radio-cassette-style tablet from the 1980s, equipped with large square buttons and small pictograms, brightening up the interior of the quadricycle a little. On the left, the car's controls with, among other things, the “play” symbol designating the button that engages forward gear, and on the right a holder for putting your smartphone, as well as a USB-C socket for recharging it. At the center, the digital instrumentation brings together essential information, apart from consumption.
As in the Citroën Ami, no speakers. On the Duo, it is the dashboard which takes over the role, playing the sound through vibrations. However, To enjoy its best playlists, you must check the Bluetooth option… billed at €200. At this price, portable speakers do better. You still have to be able to put it down. If the Ami offers a dedicated space, this is not the case on board the Mobilize Duo, which is also cruelly lacking in “real” storage. Only a meager net at the foot of the passenger seat serves as a storage compartment. In terms of equipment, the Duo can still boast of offering a driver's airbag as standard, which is not the case for the small Citroën. Enough to be more reassuring for parents. The quadricycle also comes with a heated windshield, ideal against fogging.
Lively and enduring
If the look is completely identical between the two versions, what will change is of course the electrical mechanics. On the version which requires a simple “AM” license to be driven, the Duo 45 accessible from 14 years old, remember, you need to count on 8 hp (5.6 kW) and a maximum speed limited to 45 km/ h. This is the standard imposed on all carts of this type. As for the licensed variants, the Duo 80, the power increases to around 10 hp (7.4 kW) and the speed is, as its name suggests, limited to 80 km/h. It was with this latest version that we were literally put to the test in the tumultuous streets of downtown Rome. It is good to emphasize this from the outset, the 2 small equines of difference between the two models have absolutely no impact on the responsiveness of the machine, in which we rather take pleasure in sneaking around while enjoying good responsiveness to the pedal.
We particularly appreciate its formidable turning diameter of 6.8 m (7.2 m on the Ami) allowing easy maneuvering. In this regard, the steering is quite precise and light. Draw between the two French quadricycles in terms of braking, which requires a certain pressure to be effective (the very timid regenerative braking does not allow you to slow down enormously), while the suspensions are not shown to be the most forgiving on our terrain combining cobblestones. and potholes. The Duo nonetheless remains correctly maintained. The area where the descendant of the Twizy fails is the rearview. Quite complicated with thin mirrors and a small bezel, it is weighed down by the large pillars of the quadricycle, creating a significant blind spot.
Where the Mobilize Duo is strong, and better than the Citroën Ami, is in the area of autonomy with 161 km in theory compared to “only” 75 km for the Ami. This is explained by the fact that the descendant of the Twizy has a battery almost twice as large: 10.3 kWh instead of 5.4 kWh on the small herringbone chip. As mentioned above, no indication of consumption is given on the screen. According to our estimates, the actual range would be more between 120 and 140 km. Regarding recharging, allow 3h50 to go from 20 to 80% on a domestic socket. A cable with a Type 2 plug, to connect to the charging terminals at a power of 2 kW, is also available as an option for €200. In this case, the waiting time drops to 3 hours 25 minutes.
€2,000 more than a Friend
There remains the question of the price of this Mobilize Duo and it is not cheap. The Duo 45 Neo thus asks for €9,990, excluding CO2 bonus of €900 in 2024 (uncertain for 2025). This is €2,000 more than the Citroën Ami, which retails from €7,990. A nice difference, it is true, but which could be justified by more generous autonomy and more complete equipment. However, when we see the success that the Friend has had, its more modest equipment and its more restricted range of action have not prevented it from selling like hot cakes. Its original design will also count in the balance. For the drivable model with the Duo 80 license there are 2 versions, Pro and Evo, sold respectively at €11,600 and €12,500. In the catalog of options, we find air conditioning at €1,000 as well as reversing sensors at €300. Finally, on the licensed model, the driver's seat is heated as standard. Equipment which requires an additional €300 for the license-free model.
