Would Renault's Radical Twizy sell well in the States?

[timmy222]

No its not a concept car, but a car you can buy now in Europe

Renault Twizy.

Specs

Top Speed: 50 mph
Range: 60 miles
Charge: 3.5 hours
Price: 6500 Pounds + 45 pounds a month Battery Rental Charge

Whats not to like. It can fit You and Your skinny girlfriend, 2 bags of shopping and your Iphone
Oh and theres that small problem of not having any side windows, its something to do with being
able to register it as a Quad bike all something. Anyway I still think it ticks a lot of boxes and that I
wish Nissan would try and bring their version to the States. But would they sell here ???????????

[Swapped6n]

saw a truckload of these here in Amsterdam.

I would, in a strange way, have one of these if I had the extra cash for it.

kinda cool!


Ill stick to the fuel guzzling R though haha

[DoktaJoch]

I saw one of these on the street a few weeks ago. It was a demonstrator by our local Renault dealership. I had no clue they even existed as anything more than a concept. I have to say I was pretty surprised.

I would love to take one for a test drive (or should it be ride?) as they look like fun in a very strange way. However in the end I guess Chris Harris is right when he says that the biggest market for these is probably as rentals in the South.

Also one has to keep in mind the not so spectacular success of similar car/bike/whatever vehicles, I am specifically thinking about the sales-flop BMW C1...

[pknopp]

They might be popular as rentals at the beach or something similiar.

[vwlarry]

Why not? Millions of Americans buy a 12 ounce bottle of WATER for a dollar or more. We'll buy anything that's marketed skillfully.

[feels_road]

Would work for my commute (if I take the scenic, non-highway route) - but between EV scooters and regular tiny EVs, it's currently not all that competitive.

[ErikGTI]

I've seen a few of them on the street here in Salzburg. I can't help but laugh everytime I see one, I thought people looked silly driving a Smart.I don't think any sane Americans will buy one, we're too self-conscious for such a dumb looking "car".


Erik

[Turbio!]

Given the flash in the pan nature of Smart sales, I think it'd do well for a model year and then fizzle badly.

[DJMRDARK]

No its not a concept car, but a car you can buy now in Europe

Renault Twizy.

Specs

Top Speed: 50 mph
Range: 60 miles
Charge: 3.5 hours
Price: 6500 Pounds + 45 pounds a month Battery Rental Charge

Whats not to like. It can fit You and Your skinny girlfriend, 2 bags of shopping and your Iphone
Oh and theres that small problem of not having any side windows, its something to do with being
able to register it as a Quad bike all something. Anyway I still think it ticks a lot of boxes and that I
wish Nissan would try and bring their version to the States. But would they sell here ???????????

Most US girlfriends aren't skinny.

Serious note, could work in certain places but no wide acceptance.

[Anony00GT]

Serious note, could work in certain places but no wide acceptance.

This.

It might sell in Manhattan. Maybe LA. Nobody will buy this thing in an area where they actually need a real car. With a top speed of 50mph, it's pretty impractical in the suburbs.

[invisiblewar]

Miami Beach would love this

[Turbio!]

This.

It might sell in Manhattan. Maybe LA. Nobody will buy this thing in an area where they actually need a real car. With a top speed of 50mph, it's pretty impractical in the suburbs.

I could probably do 75% of my driving with this, with the remainder in my 4Runner. But I'm ore willing than most to adopt two cars.

[Anony00GT]

I could probably do 75% of my driving with this, with the remainder in my 4Runner. But I'm ore willing than most to adopt two cars.

Yeah most people don't have the money, space, or desire to own more than one car per driver.

If I had the money I'd have a second car, sure....but a car (bike? quad? WTF is that thing?) that tops out at 50mph isn't gonna cut it in my area.

[Lethbridge_man]

Truthfully, my pickup has about the same acceleration and top speed figures. And I drive it to work every single day without any problems whatsoever. And the Twizy has one more seat than me!

I would buy this car right now, no questions asked. But I tend to like driving things that no one else has, so I'm smack-dab in the middle of their target group! I'd have to do something about the side windows, but if they ever sold it here it would have those already in place I'm sure.

I'm going to be thinking about that video all day now. Damn!

[timmy222]

Yeah most people don't have the money, space, or desire to own more than one car per driver.

If I had the money I'd have a second car, sure....but a car (bike? quad? WTF is that thing?) that tops out at 50mph isn't gonna cut it in my area.

I think it would survive in most U.S Suburbia. Though you might have to take a few back roads and stay off the main highways

Still you would think being Renault they aimed this car for the streets of Paris, which makes me wonder how the drivers will deal with the rain ? Maybe they may make an after market kit to fix this window problem ?

Anyhow looks like the ladies like it. Seriously this Babe in this video at about the 6 minute mark is seriously Hot

[Anony00GT]

Still you would think being Renault they aimed this car for the streets of Paris, which makes me wonder how the drivers will deal with the rain ? Maybe they may make an after market kit to fix this window problem ?

http://www.justforjeeps.com/sotoprewi.html

[Turbio!]

Yeah most people don't have the money, space, or desire to own more than one car per driver.

If I had the money I'd have a second car, sure....but a car (bike? quad? WTF is that thing?) that tops out at 50mph isn't gonna cut it in my area.

Actually, given that the average number of cars per household is 2.28, clearly plenty of people own more than one car per household. Space is not a concern in most of America; most urban areas are not as congested as, say, the core of Manhattan, San Francisco, or Boston. And if done right - such as with an electric vehicle that requires much less maintenance and has lower running costs - it can break even or even be less expensive. Desire is the thing. People seem to be in love with having one vehicle that does every possible thing they need a car to do, and often end up with one over-specified car that does nothing terribly well.

50mph is really an issue. Highways are not a common urban artery in Europe. They are here. I take I-70 or I-25 to get places all the time. An EV sold in the US should be able to hit at least 65.

[AKADriver]

I think it would survive in most U.S Suburbia. Though you might have to take a few back roads and stay off the main highways

All the suburbs I know have no back roads. You're either in the neighborhood or on a road with a speed limit pushing the limits of this car. And you can't drive through the neighborhood, they intentionally design them with limited entry/exit points.

[uncleho]

Actually, given that the average number of cars per household is 2.28, clearly plenty of people own more than one car per household. Space is not a concern in most of America; most urban areas are not as congested as, say, the core of Manhattan, San Francisco, or Boston. And if done right - such as with an electric vehicle that requires much less maintenance and has lower running costs - it can break even or even be less expensive. Desire is the thing. People seem to be in love with having one vehicle that does every possible thing they need a car to do, and often end up with one over-specified car that does nothing terribly well.

50mph is really an issue. Highways are not a common urban artery in Europe. They are here. I take I-70 or I-25 to get places all the time. An EV sold in the US should be able to hit at least 65.

This.

1) No car does everything well. They're all compromises in some facet, therefore, they're all a niche of sorts.
2) If they're all targeted at something, that means they won't please everyone.

If that is the case... then this "car" is no different. Not everybody wants an SUV or midsize sedan or minivan or Miata or bike. This Twizy fits a certain demographic and that is fine. It obviously is targeted at CITY dwellers, but to say it is not capable of suburbia is not true.

I live in suburbia Metro Detroit (Birmingham to be exact) and the same route I take with my bike would be the same route I would take with this Twizy. All... 35mph max speed limit. With it being an EV with a range of ~60miles and a top speed of ~50mph and 3 hour charge... it'd be PERFECT for me. And on top of that... I love its packaging as a TANDEM. That makes it very narrow (unlike the failed Aptera, which was wider than most cars on the road).

This is obviously a commuter car for somebody who isn't car pooling and drives short distance.

The obvious issue is that it is focused towards warmer climates and that is fine. You don't find too many motorcyclists in the Northern climates, either. If it had defog and were sold here, I would buy it in a heartbeat... regardless whether I work for GM or not. This is a great commuter ride for me that would supplement my bike really well.

[50fridge]

I could see it being popular in cities. They would have to add windows though because of rain and snow.

[rbloedow]

I would love to own one - of course tough - it would have to have windows. Maybe a small bump in material quality.

[Smokin Joe]

It lacks windows so that it can qualify as a motorcycle. In the US that's not a big deal. In a lot of places in Europe have tiered licenses, a motorcycle license is easier to get than a car license. We don't have that so the appeal isn't there. They might sell a few but not enough to turn a profit.

[Remedy]

Regulations make it hard to get these sort vehicles accepted. However, the concept of this car seems to be eclipsed by the Smart Fortwo EV, ignoring price.

[windi]

In a lot of places in Europe have tiered licenses, a motorcycle license is easier to get than a car license. We don't have that so the appeal isn't there. They might sell a few but not enough to turn a profit.

Where in Europe are motorcycle licenses easier to get than a car license? And why do more people have car licenses than motorcycle licenses over here then?

[Fortythreepercent]

I'd rather smash my balls flat with a hammer, than to have one of those.

[Iroczgirl]

I'd rather smash my balls flat with a hammer, than to have one of those.

But I bet if they ever come to the US, you will see tons of them in Seattle.

[joe97]

I think it would survive in most U.S Suburbia. Though you might have to take a few back roads and stay off the main highways

Still you would think being Renault they aimed this car for the streets of Paris, which makes me wonder how the drivers will deal with the rain ? Maybe they may make an after market kit to fix this window problem ?

Anyhow looks like the ladies like it. Seriously this Babe in this video at about the 6 minute mark is seriously Hot

"It's really small"

"You don't make enough noise"

[Fortythreepercent]

But I bet if they ever come to the US, you will see tons of them in Seattle.

So true... so very true.

[Mr Miyagi]

6 months until hellaflushed Twizy.

[Wimbledon]

Another thread:

Would a Nissan version of the Renault Twizy sell in North America?

[Roketdriver]

This type of vehicle has been popular for years.

[Fortythreepercent]

Now that, is funny.