Renault Samsung, the Korean unit of French automaker Renault, said Wednesday it plans to launch its ultramini Twizy electric vehicle in the second half of the year.

The automaker has been pushing to debut the model, but government regulations have delayed its arrival in the Korean market.

The situation, however, turned around as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport announced Thursday it would soon lift the specific regulatory barriers that kept Renault Samsung from selling its two-seat electric city car in Korea.

The company expects that Twizy will be able to be widely used for car-sharing and delivery services in urban environs. The rapidly growing single-person household population will also give a positive impact on its sales, the company said.

Twizy is expected to debut in two models: one-seater cargo and two-seater models. Equipped with LG Chem’s 6.1-kilowatt-per-hour lithium battery, the small EV can run up to 100 kilometers on a single charge. Its maximum speed is 80 kilometers per hour.

The company added it would consider local production of Twizy as well.

By Hong Sung-pyo (hong1@heraldcorp.com)