2023 Renault Twizy, or: Calimero the amusing commuter egg
Discussion
2023 Renault Twizy, 6.1kw, 20hp, 57nm, 2 Seats, 3 Belts, 1 plug, no windows
Tadaaaa!!
Man, only 1 day old and it already got a nickname, because first thing my GF said today was that I look like this in it:
Anyway, that's not important. Important ist that it makes me happy. Yeah ok, Calimero looks happy too in that pic, but that's not the point!
Eh, I start again: Yes I bought my a Twizy, and yes it 's overpriced, and yes it's silly. - But I love it. - I wasn't even so exited and bemused when I bought the S6. - Because this is different. Because from now on this is my daily driver.
Pro:
More pics:
It's so tiny, today on the ferry I got woven in by the boat staff, and ended up like this:
^ I feared I was touching the bumber of the Volvo infront of me by the looks of it! - Nope, there was still plenty of space:
This integrated Audio/Blootooth system I didn't actually order as an optional extra, but as it was in this zero-miles showroom model they got for me inside two weeks instead of me waiting for a few months for my exact example, I paid happily for it, regardless that I haven't really any use for it:
It is so fun to drive that I drove so long today until the battery indicator beeped at my to remind me that even the best fun has to end some time. I did 80km today, with another 6km to spare:
And another anecdote near end of this posting: In Switzerland the Twizy is authorized as a heavy motorbike hence I only need rear plates, but as it also looks a bit like a car: Today on the Lake Constanze ferry on the way to Germany one crew member declaired me as a less-than-4-meter-car, but on the way back to Switzerland I got declaired as a bike by another person. - Make up your mind. - And give me my 7 Euros back.
Btw, my commute is 4x 3km (1.85mi) per day, 4 days per week. The Twizy replaces a bicycle I used by any weather. Problem was recently I got a bit fed up with the daily bicycle commute during rush hour (no shortcuts, I have to use the main roads) and I kept the Audi more and more for it. Which is stupid, as the big 5.2L V10 doesn't even get warm inside 5 mins. - Hence the Twizy. I'm also able to charge it at home and at work.
And boy is it fun!
Tadaaaa!!
Man, only 1 day old and it already got a nickname, because first thing my GF said today was that I look like this in it:
Anyway, that's not important. Important ist that it makes me happy. Yeah ok, Calimero looks happy too in that pic, but that's not the point!
Eh, I start again: Yes I bought my a Twizy, and yes it 's overpriced, and yes it's silly. - But I love it. - I wasn't even so exited and bemused when I bought the S6. - Because this is different. Because from now on this is my daily driver.
Pro:
- Better, faster, cooler, cuter, ...than a bicyle. LOL
- Cheap to run. One charge is 1.50 SFR/EUR, and that gets me over 80km, which is almost 2 weeks of commuting in my case. That's about 4-6 SFR/EUR per month. Hardly worthy to put as a position into the budget, he! Also, road tax is 1/7th of what I pay for the Audi S6 V10.
- Total icebraker. I smile, you smile, everybody smiles. - It's that sort of cute. - The best moments today were the crosswalk stops with cheering and waving schoolkids, and the bemused faces of bystanders when I opened the scissor door after parking.
- It really is total fun to drive. You can easily keep up with traffic and every roundabout is a hoot because you simply don't lift off, instead you aim for the inside kerb and go for it. You also want to race everybody else because you feel you're going so much faster than you actually are.
- Stiff suspension. The springs you see next to the wheels are simply decoration.
- Fix moulded driver seat. Only thing it can do is to slide it back and forth. Mind you the seating position isn't bad and it's padded, but the backrest is a tinsy tic too upright.
- Trucks are suddenly as big as houses and really intimidating. If you sit on a red light and one comes up behind you, its badge alone filling up your side mirrors, and a massive loud wall of diesel rattling away right behind your ears, you feel like a 4 year old who can't find his mom.
More pics:
It's so tiny, today on the ferry I got woven in by the boat staff, and ended up like this:
^ I feared I was touching the bumber of the Volvo infront of me by the looks of it! - Nope, there was still plenty of space:
This integrated Audio/Blootooth system I didn't actually order as an optional extra, but as it was in this zero-miles showroom model they got for me inside two weeks instead of me waiting for a few months for my exact example, I paid happily for it, regardless that I haven't really any use for it:
It is so fun to drive that I drove so long today until the battery indicator beeped at my to remind me that even the best fun has to end some time. I did 80km today, with another 6km to spare:
And another anecdote near end of this posting: In Switzerland the Twizy is authorized as a heavy motorbike hence I only need rear plates, but as it also looks a bit like a car: Today on the Lake Constanze ferry on the way to Germany one crew member declaired me as a less-than-4-meter-car, but on the way back to Switzerland I got declaired as a bike by another person. - Make up your mind. - And give me my 7 Euros back.
Btw, my commute is 4x 3km (1.85mi) per day, 4 days per week. The Twizy replaces a bicycle I used by any weather. Problem was recently I got a bit fed up with the daily bicycle commute during rush hour (no shortcuts, I have to use the main roads) and I kept the Audi more and more for it. Which is stupid, as the big 5.2L V10 doesn't even get warm inside 5 mins. - Hence the Twizy. I'm also able to charge it at home and at work.
And boy is it fun!
^ I odererd the original windows together with the car, but those will take a bit longer until I get them. - Waiting time for the car is 3-6 months after ordering, I just got lucky that Renault Switzerland had a same-spec zero-mile one in a showroom, and that they very kindly released it for me. - I had it inside 10 days after I placed my order.
Edited by lipadier on Friday 21st April 23:57
I followed you here from the 'does your car get you attention' thread!
I have the windows, but don't use them. Mine is an import from Korea with 30km total on it, also has DRL on it (front centre) which is quite unusual.
Same colour as yours! Wish mine had the sunroof, that really changes the feel of them. But definitely the most fun car I can think of just now.
Ref toll roads/tunnels/ferries. Similar issue here depending on who processes you, I emailed Mersey Tunnels for clarification and they said as it has 4 wheels I have to pay the toll. I questioned that as 4 wheel motorcycles (ATVs) don't pay it. They came back a while letter and correctly categorised it as a heavy quadricycle, which means I have to pay the tool. A shame as I have to use the tunnel often to go see my elderly dad in a care home.
I have the public charging adaptor so I can stop at Tesco on the way back from seeing Dad and charge it up while I do my weekly shop, 45minutes gets me about 15miles extra.
Have fun!
I have the windows, but don't use them. Mine is an import from Korea with 30km total on it, also has DRL on it (front centre) which is quite unusual.
Same colour as yours! Wish mine had the sunroof, that really changes the feel of them. But definitely the most fun car I can think of just now.
Ref toll roads/tunnels/ferries. Similar issue here depending on who processes you, I emailed Mersey Tunnels for clarification and they said as it has 4 wheels I have to pay the toll. I questioned that as 4 wheel motorcycles (ATVs) don't pay it. They came back a while letter and correctly categorised it as a heavy quadricycle, which means I have to pay the tool. A shame as I have to use the tunnel often to go see my elderly dad in a care home.
I have the public charging adaptor so I can stop at Tesco on the way back from seeing Dad and charge it up while I do my weekly shop, 45minutes gets me about 15miles extra.
Have fun!
One of these would be perfect for me, 10 mile commute down country lanes and I could shave off 3 miles using this as there's a width restriction my other cars don't fit through. Plus I love less obvious choices but I can't see this being a lot of fun in the winter. How well do the doors seal on these as I no longer enjoy being cold and wet?
Awesome
One of my BILs has one in the Gulf racing colours and it just looks like such a laugh. He messaged me a couple of days ago to say he had had it up to 82mph after he spent 45 minutes tweaking the map. I didn't realise you could do that!
He said it was "remarkably stable" even at that sort of speed. I'd love one, but have no need for such a thing unfortunately.
One of my BILs has one in the Gulf racing colours and it just looks like such a laugh. He messaged me a couple of days ago to say he had had it up to 82mph after he spent 45 minutes tweaking the map. I didn't realise you could do that!
He said it was "remarkably stable" even at that sort of speed. I'd love one, but have no need for such a thing unfortunately.
unpc said:
How well do the doors seal on these as I no longer enjoy being cold and wet?
You're well protected from the airstream itself, but you're still outside, which means you have to dress according to like you would if you took a walk the same way on a windstill day. - The main differences to walking however are that your bum is cosy because you're sitting on a piece of insulating foam, you always have a umbrella over your head, and that you will reach your destination in minutes, and with a big smile on your face. 
Btw, in regards to smiles, what suprised me most so far during the last week is the tacky awesomeness of the scissor doors. It's hard to describe but they just feel so modern and cool. People will stare at you anyway in positive amusement, but it's a joy to see how their faces light up even more when you open the door. - I can't deny it, the positive attention this thing gets is very pleasing to my inner 10yo self.
Edited by lipadier on Friday 28th April 17:18
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