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FINAL REPORT Has this EV won us over with its agile, quirky charms, or did its limitations grow irksome over 18 months of use?
Let's face it: practicality is not an attribute you'd ever ascribe to the Renault Twizy. Its cabin is notably basic and struggles to accommodate more than one adult. It doesn't have a heater, or door locks, or a usable boot, or even doors and side windows in its standard form. Its ride is harsh and its range extremely limited, even by EV standards. So why is it that, over the past 18 months, I've found the Twizy to be such an enjoyable, fascinating and useful car to have around? And why do I very much not want to lose it?
The answer is that, for all its flaws, theTwizy is an utterly charming way of zipping around a large, congested city like London and in some ways is better adapted to the role than anything else with four wheels. It is also an incredibly brave initial attempt at revolutionising urban transport, helping to convince me that compact, lightweight, emissionsfree EVs are the way forward for anyone who lives and commutes in a big city.
Even though it takes up about as much road space as a mislaid postage stamp, the Twizy has proved to be one of the most attention-grabbing cars that we've ever run. Wherever it went, it drew a crowd and cries of delight. I can't tell you how many amiable chats I've had with complete strangers because of the Twizy. Initial paranoia at the prospect of leaving the unsecured Twizy parked on the street, potentially vulnerable to tampering or being used asa repository for half-eaten kebabs, soon faded when I realised that the Twizy just isn't the sort of car that anyone wants to mess with.
With its central driving position and open-sided cabin, the Twizy is also unique to drive, and much more fun than you might expect of something with just 17bhp at its disposal. There's a sense of freedom about anyjourney in it that is akin to riding a motorbike. And because its performance is only modest (albeit perfectly adequate for the job), I often found myself driving it with complete abandon -...