Renault is entering the car-sharing business with its new Mobilize division. The backbone of the service could be the EZ-1: a 2.30-metre short two-seater with an exchangeable battery.
It was in spring 2019 when Seat presented the Minimo at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona: an electrically powered small car for a maximum of two passengers that was to be perfectly tailored to inner-city car sharing. It was the then Seat boss Luca de Meo himself who unveiled the Minimo at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
De Meo reactivates the old Seat idea
Two years later, the Italian is the boss of Renault and is turning the car company upside down. “Renaulution 2021” is the name of the strategy that, among other things, gives the manufacturer a new mobility brand: Mobilize is the name of the division that aims to offer services in the areas of mobility, energy and data-based solutions. Basically, the aim is to offer services to all those who no longer want to own a car but want to use it for the respective purpose – the keyword is “shared mobility”.
The user’s smartphone grants access to the EZ-1 and serves as an interface between the driver and the car.
When it came to designing and developing a car that could serve as the backbone of this service, de Meo obviously remembered his Seat past and the Minimo. Renault’s design team then apparently mixed this with the Twizy, creating the EZ-1 Prototype. Designed specifically for urban shared mobility, the vehicle seats two people and is fully connected: The user’s smartphone grants access to the EZ-1 and serves as the interface between the person and the means of transport.
Half made of recycled materials
The Mobilize EZ-1 Prototype is only 2.30 metres short and, in addition to fully glazed doors, has other special features: For example, the battery of the miniature car can be replaced: Because this eliminates the need for tedious recharging, the useful life is extended and the small electrician can earn more money for Mobilize. Because you don’t buy a possible series version of the EZ-1: users pay either according to time used or distance travelled.
50 per cent of the materials used in the Mobilize EZ-1 Prototype are said to have been recycled.
The unspecified electric drive is not the only environmentally friendly feature of the Mobilize EZ-1 Prototype. Its body is made of 50 per cent recycled materials. When the electric peck reaches the end of its life cycle at some point, it should itself be 95 per cent recyclable.
Complete Mobilize model family planned
By the way, there will be more than one Mobilize model: The brand plans to launch a series of purpose-designed vehicles. These will benefit from the group’s development, design and electric drive expertise, as well as being modular and optimised for the various requirements of car sharing, ride-hailing, last-mile delivery and on-demand transit. “We want to maximise car use through simplified, more sustainable and affordable passenger and freight mobility, while reducing environmental impact,” says Clotilde Delbos, Mobilize CEO and vice-chairman of the Renault Group.
Survey
Fine thing. It’s worth it financially and gives me flexibility.
Not for me. I want to use my own car whenever I want.
Conclusion
While other providers cannot manage their sharing services profitably even many years after their launch, Renault is only now entering this field with its new Mobilize business unit. Sure: Luca de Meo was already considered an advocate of shared mobility concepts during his Seat days. But who knows: perhaps the time is gradually ripe for such mobility solutions. If so, Renault would have backed this horse at exactly the right time.