Mobilize Duo
The young Mobilize brand, owned by the French Renault Group, is preparing the new Duo EV to the market. It is not intended for retail sales, but for carsharing and commercial use.
Launched early 2021, the Mobilize brand focuses on alternative forms of car ownership – subscriptions, carsharing, cabs and leasing. The first Mobilize model was the Chinese-built Limo mid-size electric sedan, to be followed by the small urban electric car Duo.
The Duo previously existed only as concept, but now Mobilize has shown its electric babies in production bodies: the Duo will hit the market at the end of 2023. It will be certified as a quad bike, in France this type of vehicle can be driven from the age of 14 years (you need a moped license category AM), in Germany – from 15 years, but the maximum speed will be limited to 45 km/h. For adult drivers with a Category B license, the speed limit is raised to 80 km/h.
In fact, Mobilize Duo is a direct competitor to Citroen Ami and Opel Rocks-e quad bikes of Stellantis, but Mobilize positions its cars as more practical (three seats instead of two) and safer (there is an airbag in handlebar).
Overall length of the Mobilize Duo is 2.43 meters, width – 1.30 meters, height – 1.46 meters. This car can be parked perpendicular to the standard parking slot. The range on a single charge is 140 km according to the testing cycle WMTC. The body consists of 50% recycled materials, 95% of its components are recyclable.
The basis of the body is a tubular frame, on which unpainted and dyed in mass plastic panels are hinged. The front and rear bumpers are made exactly the same for cheaper production and have a coarse plastic grain on which scratches will be almost imperceptible.
Mobilize Duo has guillotine-type doors like supercars, this kinematics will make boarding and loading in tight spaces easier. The 1+2 seating arrangement with the driver in the center is also borrowed from the supercars and allows not to make different versions for left- and right-hand traffic countries. Rear seats are designed for up to 180 cm tall passengers.
Simple square dashboard with big buttons and audio system’s loudspeaker in the right bottom corner is deliberately made in the spirit of portable cassette recorders of the late 80’s – early 90’s. There is no own multimedia system and navigation, their role will be performed by the driver’s smartphone.
