The Renault Group announced the closure of the Mobilize Beyond Automotive division, created to propose business solutions and electric mobility in urban environments. This decision is due to “limited profitability prospects,” and it also puts an end to the Duo quadricycle and its commercial variant, Bento.
The Duo, introduced in 2021, was the flagship of Mobilize and an alternative to cars for urban mobility. However, the two-seater electric vehicle, which succeeded the Twizy, had a short lifespan. According to the French manufacturer, the division “fulfilled the role of an innovation incubator” and also strengthened the company’s experience in new areas, namely, in energy services that allow electric vehicle drivers to charge their batteries.
To simplify the customer experience (removing the brand from the equation), this electric charging service will be integrated directly into the consortium’s commercial operations and under the direct responsibility of the Director for Growth of the Renault Group, Fabrice Cambolive. However, the same will not happen with the Duo, nor with the car-sharing program of Zity in Milan, as both will be abandoned. Reasons behind the decision: “they do not serve the company’s strategic priorities and have very limited profitability prospects.”
Mobilize Beyond Automotive lost its status as an “independent entity,” but the Mobilize brand continues to be used commercially in the financial services of the Gallic group.
