Renault Limo: the Tesla Model 3 rival private buyers can’t own

August 30, 2021September 1, 2021 EV Central team 2063 Views renault

Renault has rolled out a Tesla Model 3 rival you and I won’t be able to buy, called the Mobilize Limo.

Instead, the four-door sedan dubbed Limo is the first production model from Mobilize, Groupe Renault’s new mobility brand and will be available on a subscription basis for car sharing and ride hailing services.

Set to debut at the Munich motor show in September and available to professional drivers from the second half of 2022, the Limo has yet to be priced.

There are no reported plans for right-hand drive, although Mobilize is expected to eventually head to the UK. At this early stage there’s no word on any Aussie plans.

So far Mobilize has only confirmed Europe and mainland China as Mobilize markets. The Limo is the first of four dedicated EVs it plans to launch. If trademark registrations are anything to go by, the others will be named Bento, Duo and Hippo.

Developed with Chinese joint-venture partner Jiangling Motors, the Limo measures up at 4.67m long with a 2.75m wheelbase. It comes with just three exterior colour choices, which is outnumbered by seven interior lighting options.

Understandably, there is an emphasis of rear passenger space, with up to 288mm of knee room and a flat floor.

At the Limo’s heart is a liquid-cooled 60kWh lithium-ion battery pack that powers a 110kW/220Nm e-motor. The claimed range is up to 450km between recharges (a 250km fast charge takes as little as 40 minutes), a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 9.6 seconds and a 140km/h top speed.

Mobilize says the Limo is intended for urban use where the usual distance travelled is under 250km per day. It will enter a market growing rapidly as city centres become traffic restricted and low emission zones become more common.

Key Limo features include three driving modes (Eco, Normal, Sport), three levels of regenerative braking, an 11.2m turning circle, flush doorhandles, LED headlights and 17-inch alloy wheels.

The interior is finished in TEP leather-effect upholstery, there are two USB ports and a volume control in the rear seat and a moderately sized 411 litre boot.

There are eight airbags and driver assist systems include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise, lane change and keeping assist, a 360-degree camera and rear cross traffic alert.

Up front the driver has a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel and a 12.3-inch touchscreen with smartphone mirroring, refrigerated storage and a bucket seat designed for long stays in the saddle.

An app for Limo drivers provides detailed car information and can be used to remotely access its location and features such as open/close doors, thermal preconditioning and battery recharge.

Mobilize is one of the cornerstones of the Renaulution strategic plan announced back in January. That plan also includes the confirmation of 10 electric models by 2025 led by a reborn Renault 5. More details were revealed at follow-ups in May and June including a preview of the E-Tech electric SUV.

Mobilize marked its January launch by showing off an update of the quirky two-seat Twizy EV called the EZ1-Prototype. Whether it becomes Bento, Duo or Hippo we are yet to find out.

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