Mobilize, the new brand within Renault Group formed in line with the carmaker’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality in Europe by 2040, recently presented at the Viva Technology 2021 as many as three all-electric mobility solutions for intra-city transport of people and goods. In the words of the company, these vehicles have been ‘tailor-made’ with a strong focus on user experience and services.
Dubbed Bento, Duo, and Hippo, the troika from Renault’s Mobilize division aims to offer a one-of-a-kind user experience but will not be available to private buyers. Here’s what we know on these upcoming models –
Design
Previewed by the Renault EZ-1-Prototype concept, the Duo is the first of the three EVs in the Mobilize line-up. While the Duo looks a fair bit like the mobility concept seen earlier this year, it has been fine-tuned for real-world conditions. Designed and developed based on the core values of circular economy, the Duo will be manufactured using as much as 50% recycled materials. Moreover, the EV will be 95% recyclable at the end of its lifecycle and will be used solely for in-city car-sharing service. The small electric vehicle is just 2.3-metre long.
The Bento is the cargo-hauling minivan that can be put to use for intra-city transportation of light cargo. This compact EV will aim to provide small tradesmen and courtier services with an easy-to-use and easy-to-park inter-city transport solution. The Hippo has been designed to address the problems of delivery providers in urban, semi-urban, rural and zero-emission areas.
Renault Duo & Renault Bento Interior
The Duo will come with a 1+1 seating arrangement and will feature glass doors to help occupants with a sense of airiness. It will provide the users with smartphone-enabled keyless entry and an app-based renting service. Basically, the Duo will be a compact and connected mini EV for ride-sharing services.
The Bento will be the single-seat ‘utility’ variant with a load capacity of 1,000 litres. Rounding up the line-up is the Hippo, which will be a last-mile delivery vehicle, which will offer many swappable cargo modules for services like those of refrigerated transport or parcel delivery. It will have a cargo-carrying capacity of 3,000 litres with a payload of up to 200 kilograms.
Specifications
So far, no technical specifications are available but the trio will likely offer a claimed driving range of 62 miles. Renault has, however, revealed that the EZ-1 based vehicle would support both charging and swapping of the battery pack. More information is expected to emerge later this year.
Source: L’Argus/Youtube
Renault Duo & Renault Bento FAQs
When is the release date of Mobilize Duo and Bento?
Official details of the introduction of Renault’s latest all-electric mobility solutions should be available later this year
Which are the core competitors to the Renault Duo?
While a spiritual successor to the Renault Twizy, the EZ-1 based Duo can be viewed as a competitor to the Citroen Ami.
What is the price of Duo and Bento?
The Duo & Bento won’t be available to buyers. Rather, these vehicles can be rented based on the usage time and distance.
Featured image: Renault
