Amid growing interest in personal mobility, a total of 1,283 units of the Twizy, an ultracompact electric vehicle manufactured by French carmaker Renault, have been sold in South Korea as of October, making it No. 1 in the new segment with market share of 80 percent, Renault Samsung Motors said Tuesday.

After the Twizy was presented on a home-shopping program, around 3,700 customers signed up for consulting services in just an hour, three times more than expected. 

The French ultracompact electric vehicle appears to be drawing interest because drivers find it convenient to drive the two-seater vehicle through narrow alleys in the city, and it is easy to park, the company said.

The vehicle is also suitable for delivery services, as it is safer to drive than motorcycles on rainy and snowy days. Fast-food chains like BBQ and Mr. Pizza have purchased the Twizy to replace motorbikes, as the one-seater cargo trim can load up to 180 liters of cargo weighing up to 75 kilograms, it added.

It costs around 20,000 won for the electric vehicle to run 3,000 kilometers. It can be charged via a 220V plug at home and is able to travel up to 80 kilometers per single charge.

The Twizy has a 13-kilowatt motor that generates 17.1 horsepower or a maximum of 5.8 kilogram/meter of torque, enough to climb a hill with two people on board.

The price of the Twizy ranges from 15 million won to 15.5 million won. With the government’s subsidies, the vehicle can be purchased at a final price of around 5-6 million won.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)