The Eccentric yet Fun Renault Twizy Spotted in the Philippines

    One of the many unconventional design examples of the electric car, the Renault Twizy. This French microcar was seen parked in front of a garage in Quezon City. Its strange bubble-shaped structure, futuristic looks and general irregularity made it more of a head-turner than a Ferrari F430.


    The Twizy, an electric two-seater, was produced by Renault in Spain from 2012 to 2018, before being transferred to Renault-Samsung, French-South Korean joint automaker. (Yes. Samsung makes cars. But that's a story for another time.)


    During its heyday within the European community, the little car was sold within numerous European countries. Its cute looks, easy maneuverability, quiet electric motor, and cheap price made it the most popular plug-in electric vehicle in 2019, and by the time its production ended in Europe, it had sold over 29,000 units.


    But the Twizy featured here was found to be imported through the grey market. Because of previous rulings within the law, denoting electric vehicles a rank below regular cars, the Twizy was relatively easier to import compared to larger sedans and SUVs, with Twizy dealerships popping up around Metro Manila for a time. Although due to changes in the law, now disclosing electric vehicles as cars, the demand for these little cars has decreased.


    The Renault here was equipped with a 17 brake horsepower electric motor, found at the back. This made it, like most electric scooters, rear-wheel drive. Because of its ultra-light weight, at about 990 lbs or 450 kg, the Twizy was not equipped with power steering. It did however carry a 6.1 kWh lithium-ion battery placed at the front, connected to a three-prong plug of European standard, which means an adaptor was required to charge these electric vehicles.


    Its examples of pecuiliar design was more notable at the back. Its single horizontally-angled tail light made it look quite "alien", where it sat above the shining Renault emblem. These instances in appearance gave rise to its short-lived popularity in the country, where it was almost perfect for the market, due to its small size, practicality for city driving, and alternative to gas or diesel. Its only drawback was the lack of charging stations around the city, making it more than a hassle once its juice had run out.


    Despite it being quite hard to find, purchasing one would cost around ₱700,000. Cheap for a small car, but expensive if you treat it as a moped, or a scooter. However if you were out on the look for an electric quadricycle below one million, safe for the environment, easy to drive around town and park, eager for attention until a traffic jam occurs due to rubbernecking, then a Twizy is just for you.

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