If there's one gadget that seems to go hand in hand with electric cars, it's Apple's iPhone. We've seen apps that allow you to place reservations and even customise your order, apps that allow you to keep track of charging and even switch on your aircon or heater remotely, and earlier in the year Nissan had one of the first iAds for their 2011 LEAF.

Now, partner Renault has launched Europe's very first iAd campaign for their 2012 Twizy, a tiny (sub-smart fortwo sized) electric vehicle that blurs the line between car and scooter. Renault's iAd campaign acknowledges Apple users as being at the forefront of mobility, and the company claims that the iAd will explore and explode urban myths about electric vehicles.

Now in case all this talk of iAds and Twizys is looking like a load of gibberish to you, here's a quick recap.

Apple iAd

Nissan Leaf iAd application on iOS4 by Apple.

Nissan Leaf iAd application on iOS4 by Apple.

Apple's iAd was launched earlier in the year and with it Apple hope to change the face of advertising by adding an element of interactivity. The biggest improvement that you'll see over a normal advert on your iPhone (or iPod Touch) is that clicking on the advert won't result in you exiting the app you were just using, which as any iPhone user knows can be rather irritating.

The other unique aspect of iAds is that they're more like a website in themselves. iAds can contain various pages, offering video, pictures and text, and even mini games. Through some adverts, users can even purchase the product in question. The idea is to make the advert more entertaining, less irritating and more fruitful for the company advertising.

Features included in the Twizy iAd allow users to calculate how much a Twizy can charge up whilst doing activities from getting a haircut to working out at your local gym. iPhone and iPod Touch users can also shake their device to change between various Twizy designs, and of course the ability to pre-reserve your own Twizy.

Renault Twizy

Renault Twizy Concept

Renault Twizy Concept

The Twizy is higher up on the crazy scale but equally cool. Ditching the usual side-by-side layout found in most city cars, the Twizy adopts a tandem layout such as you'd find on a scooter, but with considerably more comfort, stability and weather protection. Despite all these advantages, the Twizy is still a very narrow vehicle which should make city traffic, particularly in crowded European cities, a breeze to dart about in.

Early impressions from journalists seem to suggest that despite the narrow track, the Twizy feels stable (thanks to the batteries and motor being mounted low in the chassis) - and with a low top speed of around 40mph, you won't be getting into many situations that unsettle other tall and narrow vehicles.

Renault say the Twizy is a revolutionary concept targeting young "early adopter" urbanites. We've heard that before with the smart fortwo, which has proved less of a success in the United States as it has in Europe. Perhaps that's why there's been no word yet on whether the Twizy would be sold in the U.S, even badged as a Nissan as it appeared a month ago, though in Europe it's due to be launched a year from now. Of course, with its current performance it would be sold exclusively as a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV).

The Twizy is expected to cost from around $10,000 - by far the cheapest upcoming EV due next year.

[Renault]