Mobilize Duo: Discovering the Power Duo

Designed for car-sharing, the Mobilize Duo, a subsidiary of the Renault Group, is a candidate for the title of ideal small electric city car. Vehicle overview.

Everyone has their little electric car. While the Ami targets high school students, the Birò attracts a chic clientele, the Mobilize Duo has one priority: car-sharing. Because this new brand is a subsidiary of Renault Group specializing in services—whether financial, charging, or mobility. It’s no surprise that it has taken over the project of the successor to the Twizy, the manufacturer’s second series-produced electric car after the Fluence in 2011. We saw the Duo at the Paris Motor Show in mid-October, but we had a longer meeting at the Technocentre in Guyancourt, with Corinne Pakey, Product Performance Lead Mobilize.

New relationship with ownership

The project was born under Renault’s auspices, then was named Mobilize EZ-1 in its initial version in spring 2021. Except for tandem seats, everything is different from the Twizy. It retains very compact dimensions, in line with the preferences of car-sharing users surveyed during Duo’s development. Ultimately, the car measures only 2.43 meters in length, less than a Smart fortwo and 2 cm longer than a Citroën Ami, with a width of 1.30 m.

“We asked ourselves about expectations, primarily from cities, increasingly rejecting private cars outside, promoting decarbonized mobility, low-emission zones (LEZs, Ed), and wanting to gain public space”, explains Corinne Pakey regarding the evolution of urban zones, which impose many constraints such as “access restrictions for certain vehicles, parking difficulty, and cost”. The primary purpose of this Mobilize vehicle is “sharing”, she emphasizes, a “object designed to last, be robust, and easy for the customer to handle”. This guided designers to incorporate easily repairable bumpers, sturdy seats, and accessible connectivity.

An intuitive and inclusive interior for the Mobilize Duo

“The dashboard is intuitive, so that the customer spends minimal time understanding how it works, connected natively via a smartphone that replaces the key”, continues Corinne Pakey. The designers aimed to guide users by writing the steps directly near the buttons, located to the left of what looks like a boombox: “1 we turn on, 2 we move forward, stop or reverse, and in 3 we activate the heated seat or the ventilation.

The tandem arrangement offers an advantage: it is accessible to people with reduced mobility (PRM). A special adaptation will be possible on the Mobilize Duo, with dedicated controls on the steering wheel, transfer handles, and a transfer stool for moving around. These versions will be available for individuals, professionals, and also in car-sharing for operators who wish it. “We also thought about safety, including airbags, which are rare in this category, with butterfly doors to keep a low footprint on the ground and avoid hitting pedestrians or cyclists. We don’t focus solely on the user but on all other city users”.

Recycling as a way of life

Materials are at the heart of the vehicle’s development, with 50% from recycled sources. As demonstrated by the seats, which use a mixture of cork and shoe soles for the cushion and backrest. At the end of the vehicle’s life, Mobilize guarantees that 95% of components will be recyclable. During its lifetime, Renault’s unit for refurbishment—such as at the Refactory in Flins (Yvelines)—will refurbish Duo units every 3 to 4 years through parts replacement. As for the software, Mobilize assures regular remote updates of its vehicles.

“This vehicle, Mobilize will own it throughout its lifetime” to ensure refurbishment and then recycling of its fleet within a circular economy approach. That’s why all these vehicles will be offered for car-sharing. “It will be possible to access it via a car-sharing operator or a subscription from 3 months up to 3 years” in long-term leasing, adds Corinne Pakey.

For individuals, several collections will be available, not limited to orange, changing the interior appearance. The Mobilize Duo will also have different finishes, similar to a traditional car. The reversing radar, not included as standard, will be available on higher-end variants.

Two versions of the Mobilize Duo: 45 km/h and 80 km/h

Similar to the Twizy and other quadricycles, the Mobilize Duo will be offered in two versions:

• L6e: limited to 45 km/h and accessible from 14 years old
• L7e: limited to 80 km/h but with a B1 license

This second version is “important for suburban areas, especially for employees holding a license”, the Duo also targeting professionals and fleet operators. Ultimately, the Mobilize Duo has “the advantages of a quadricycle in terms of footprint and the comforts of a real car, it’s the car of the future for us.

What about charging? You won’t see the Mobilize Duo plugged in, as the prototype doesn’t have a cable yet, but the final version will have a fixed cable, either domestic or Type 2 plug as preferred. With a 10.4 kWh battery, it will take about 6 hours on a 220 V outlet or 3 hours on a fast charger at 3.7 kW to fully recharge. Light and economical, the Duo is expected to offer up to 140 km of range. Some details are still to be finalized, such as the wheels, currently 14 inches, which could influence consumption. First handling in late 2023!

A cousin from Mobilize: the motorized snail

In 2024, the Mobilize Duo will adopt a Bento version. Designed for professionals or personal services, it will feature a rear trunk with a loading volume of 700 liters. This trunk will replace the rear seat but will have doors opening up to 140 degrees (again, to avoid encroaching on the road or sidewalk). Unlike the Duo, the Mobilize Bento will only be available in the 80 km/h version, in the heavy quadricycle category L7.

Photos of the Mobilize Duo report

Also read: Mobilize Solo: Renault Group’s quirky idea