Renault Twizy Cargo

Renault has turned its tiny Twizy electric urban runaround into a tiny, one-seater commercial vehicle. Instead of the tandem two-seater layout, the rear seat space has been swapped for a 180-litre boot, accessed by a lockable rear door.

The Twizy Cargo can accept loads of up to 75kg, and Renault reckons it’s “the perfect solution for companies offering callout or support services, like IT support, with the boot easily taking a set of tools securely and safely. Or, even a stack of large takeaway pizzas.”

What’s more, the Twizy can be parked end-on into a space, and the driver can get out easily on either side.

The firm also points out that the Twizy Cargo is £650 cheaper than the two-seater Twizy. As it’s classed as a car-derived van, the VAT can be reclaimed, taking the price to £6,241 (or £7,795 with VAT included) when it goes on sale in July.

Buyers can also reclaim the VAT on the cost of the rental of the batteries, which starts at £36 per month plus VAT, plus the Twizy Cargo is exempt from the London Congestion Charge.

Like the two-seater Twizy, the Cargo has a 17bhp motor that helps the 474kg vehicle to a top speed of 56mph. It has a real-world range of around 50 miles and takes three and a half hours to charge from a normal household plug socket, with Renault claiming that a full charge costs around £1 in electricity.

The Twizy Cargo is designed to appeal to companies wishing to show off their green credentials. As such, Renault is also launching a 'Design Your Own Twizy' scheme.

This gives buyers a choice of over 40 colours and 30 pre-designed wraps to make sure their Twizy stands out, and Renault has even made a configurator, at www.renault.co.uk/dyot, where you can try out different designs. Prices start at £250 for just the doors, £395 for the doors and frames, and £795 for the whole vehicle.