Skip to main content

Renault mulls over bringing the all-electric Twizy to Canada

Renault Twizy
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Our attention to all things automotive are intently focused on Geneva this week, but our neighbors to the north have their own auto show, the Québec City International Auto Show. Here, The Renault Twizy will be on display, indicating that the French automaker might find its way across the pond once again, after leaving the North American Market in 1987.

According to Green Car Reports, Renault’s general manager for the development of electric vehicles Emmanuelle Desbrosse said to publication Le Soleil that Renault it is exploring the possibility of bringing the all-electric Twizy to this side of the globe, submitting the diminutive runabout for approval with the Canadian transport bureau after having received many requests.

Renault Twizy
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If approved, two versions of the low speed electric vehicle would be offered: the two seater version and the Twizy Cargo, a single seater designed for quick local deliveries.

The electric city car can only go 50 miles per hour and has a range of 62 miles. Neither may sound like much, but it’s proven itself as the ideal low cost urban vehicle to navigate throughout a major European city, and could very well see the same success in places like Quebec.

This is purely speculation on our part, but if Renault sees bringing the Twizy to Canada as a profitable endeavor, they may also eye major U.S. cities for the Twizy shortly thereafter. Renault also piloted a car sharing program for the EV in 2012, and we could see something similar to that carrying over to places like New York, specifically analogous to the Citi Bike bicycle sharing program throughout Manhattan.

Alexander Kalogianni
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Alex K is an automotive writer based in New York. When not at his keyboard or behind the wheel of a car, Alex spends a lot of…
Mercedes-Benz G580 first drive: old-school off-roader goes electric
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

American car buyers mostly know Mercedes-Benz as a luxury brand. But for decades, the automaker has also produced the tough, rugged G-Class (also known as the Geländewagen or G-Wagen), an SUV not afraid to get its leather upholstery muddy. And now, this iconic Mercedes is going electric.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology — the final name of the SUV previously known as the EQG — isn’t the first electric off-roader. The Rivian R1S and R1T and GMC Hummer EV have proven that electric powertrains and off-roading are a great combination. But the electric G-Wagen is different because it’s based on an internal-combustion model — and a very traditional one at that.

Read more
Honda believes hydrogen semi trucks will make the case for fuel cells
Honda hydrogen fuel-cell semi truck.

Honda remains committed to hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, but the market for those vehicles remains limited. So Honda is looking at other uses for fuel cells -- including commercial trucks.

To show how that could work, Honda converted a semi truck to fuel-cell power, replacing its diesel engine with three fuel-cell modules. Together, the three modules produce a combined 321 horsepower, and can propel the truck to a top speed of 70 mph. There's enough onboard hydrogen storage capacity for a 400-mile range with a full load, Honda claims.

Read more
Mercedes-Benz G580 vs Rivian R2: Is the much cheaper Rivian actually better?
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

Mercedes-Benz has finally taken the wraps off of the new "Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology." Yeah, it's a mouthful, but it's basically a new electric G-Wagon. It looks a lot like the G-Wagon you know and love, but with an electric powertrain and a battery. It's not the only electric SUV out there, however, and there are some great ones -- like the Rivian R2.

Both the Mercedes G580 and the Rivian R2 have a lot going for them, but they also approach the electric SUV slightly differently. Is one better than the other? I put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The approach that the two vehicles take to design is quite different -- and you might like one better than the other.

Read more