The Renault Twizy EV, a vehicle that makes sense for cruising on the beachfront in Ibiza, and very short pizza delivery duties, is actually backed by a very good concept.
It is very compact, easy to maneuver and park, while emitting no harmful gasses (at least not directly), and carrying two people in tandem. However, it is hampered by its limited range, very harsh suspension, limited practicality and, of course, the cost of leasing the batteries. However, Renault Group partner Nissan now wants to make its own, better version of the Twizy, as AutoNews Europe reports.
The information comes courtesy of Etienne Henry, the Japanese giant’s head of product strategy and planning. He declined to answer questions regarding the similarity between Renault’s Twizy, and the Japanese company’s 2009 Land Glider concept (pictured below), meaning that there may be something to it – if it hadn’t been similar in any way, they would have just said it outright, and not given it a second thought.
Henry said that it “was a very interesting concept with very challenging and meaningful technology,” leaving the door open for as much interpretation as we want to throw in.
If they do intend to make it mirror the concept’s core idea, then that means Nissan’s small city EV will tilt into a corner, thus eliminating the need to make the suspension overly stiff, to ensure stability. The problem of excessively hard springs is one of the main negative points for which the Twizy is criticized. Still, when the road surface is smooth, the French EV can be quite entertaining, and if it’s ever so slightly slippery, the back end will come loose quite easily.
By Andrei Nedelea
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