Renault May Launch Twizy EV in S. Korea in October

Renault SA’s Renault Samsung unit intends to begin marketing its Twizy two-seat electric city car in South Korea as soon as October, according to The Korea Herald.

The little runabout is expected to qualify for a 5 million-won ($4,600) purchase subsidy from the government.

Until now, Korean vehicle standards had prohibited the Twizy on public streets. But the Herald says the government has now relaxed that rule under pressure to promote the EV market in Korea. The car is expected to go on sale as soon as it completes Korean safety tests.

The plastic-bodied Twizy weighs less than 1,000 lbs (454 kg) and is only 7.7 feet (2.3 meters) long. In Europe, the model is offered with a 5-hp or 20-hp electric motor. The latter can propel the car for 100 km (62 miles) per charge and reach a top speed of 80 kph (50 mph).

Renault introduced the Twizy in Europe in 2012, where owners buy the car but lease its battery. Pricing in Europe starts at about €7,000 ($7,800). The company has sold roughly 20,000 Twizys to date.

Renault Samsung will initially import the car from Europe but intends to begin assembling them locally in Busan in 2017, the Herald says.