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Smart is the first car brand to switch to an all-EV lineup
Smart has touted electric models in its lineup for years, but they've usually been secondary to the gas and diesel models. Now, however, the EVs have the spotlight to themselves. The Daimler badge has revealed the EQ Fortwo and EQ Forfour, both of which are not only designed from scratch as electric cars, but represent Smart's only vehicles. That makes Smart the first automaker to switch from gas engines to an all-electric roster, Daimler claimed. It's really more like the first brand to make the switch (let us know when Mercedes goes all-EV), but it's still a noteworthy change.
Smart cars are disappearing from North America
Daimler is no longer going to sell its eye-catching small Smart Fortwo electric cars in North America. The company told TechCrunch that the 2019 model will be the last to be available in the United States and Canada, just two years after deciding to stop selling the gas-powered version of the vehicles in the region. Daimler plans to instead focus on launching its Smart line in China. Existing Fortwo owners will still be able to get their cars serviced by Smart or at authorized Mercedes-Benz dealerships.
Smart Fortwo EV Cabrio is the tiny car for the big city
There are cars out there that fill a need in someone else's life. Maybe you live in a large city and don't have the room or desire for a truck with a powerful diesel engine. Or you're part of a couple that has no need for an SUV with seats for eight. For me, the Smart Fortwo Cabrio EV seemed to fit the bill of cars that would be good for someone, just not me. I like electric cars, but I also need something large enough to haul gear and, well, I like going fast. Then I spent a week with the tiny EV.
Cruising the Las Vegas Strip in the Smart Vision EQ concept car
Introduced at the Frankfurt auto show in September, the Smart Vision EQ from Mercedes-Benz is the automaker's EV concept that combines mobility, autonomy and connectivity. The result is a car built on the Smart Fortwo platform, can wink at pedestrians, has level-five autonomy (no steering wheel or pedals), and welcomes passengers by name. It also took me for a short ride on the Las Vegas Strip.
Mercedes' newest mini car is one you'd actually want to drive
If you live in a metropolitan area like San Francisco, New York or Chicago, you understand the appeal of a tiny car. It's easier to swoop through traffic and it can be parked nearly anywhere. Smart says the Fortwo is the tiniest of the tiny cars available in the United States. The latest version of the Mercedes-Benz-built vehicle is still only 8.8 feet long, but it's gotten wider with more forgiving suspension. It's also filled with additional standard features making it feel more like a car and less like a compromise. To highlight the new diminutive driver's features, Smart set up a scavenger hunt in the retirement community for 30-year-olds: Portland, Oregon. If you're going to take a car meant to tackle an urban environment for a spin, it might as well be in a city with a road system that seems like it was laid out more as a practical joke than a way to get drivers from point A to point B.
Smart's Fortwo ED leasing for $139/ month, battery rental included
Assuming you're small enough to fit comfortably, owning the cheap EV of your dreams could soon become a reality. Chevy recently cut the Volt's price and, as of this week, the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive is available for less, too. Specifically, it's $139 per month on a three-year, 30,000 mile lease that includes its "battery assurance plus" program, an $80 per month option for purchasers. However, to get that special rate, you'll have to put $1,999 down and sign paperwork either in California, Oregon or along the East coast. If you'd rather buy outright instead of leasing, Daimler's compact division has incentives for you, too. In addition to any tax breaks you get from the state and or federal government, the company is knocking $5,010 off the ED's already low $25,000 sticker price. It's finally looking like your payments could match the electric two-seater's diminutive stature.
Taking the US-bound Smart Electric Drive for a spin (video)
The eponymous "Smart car" has been buzzing around city streets in the US for over five years now. It's actually called the Fortwo, thanks to its limited seating capacity, and while it didn't prove to be an immediate hit, sales have been steadily increasing. An electric version of the car has been available in limited numbers overseas for years now, but finally this year it's coming to the US. And this is it. We got a chance to drive a green vinyl-wrapped Smart Electric Drive around some city streets ahead of the opening of the New York International Auto Show and came away reasonably impressed by this $25,000 EV -- the cheapest on the market. Join us after the break for our impressions. %Gallery-184349%
Smart unveils third-gen Fortwo Electric Drive EV, we take it for quiet and speedy spin (video)
Now that Smart's second-gen Fortwo Electric Drive EV has gotten its year of time on the roads, the company is ready to announce its successor. For 2013, the car has received some mild tweaks to its design, but the real news is about what's hiding inside this rear-wheel driven EV. For the first time, you'll have to option of owning one outright, rather than being limited to a four-year lease at $599 per month. It's thanks in part to an improved battery, which is now rated for an average lifespan of 10 years. The car has also received a massive power upgrade to 47 horsepower (up from 27 previously), along with an extra boost if you floor the pedal -- this courtesy of a beefier engine and drive-train that gives it about 50-percent more power. Put it this way, this EV will get you from 0-60 in about 11.5 seconds, with top speed of 78MPH. Sadly, there's no concrete word on what kind of range to expect, but it should be well more than the 87 miles of its predecessor. Beyond that, Smart's added in GSM connectivity, allowing you the abilities to pre-start the car and keep track of its vitals remotely, among other features. A quick drive around Brooklyn also confirmed how peppy and smooth the car was in use, however, not exactly on-par with our experience in Audi's A3 e-tron -- but it is considerably less. As our friends at Autoblog detail, the base model coupe is set to sell for a $25,000 MSRP plus fees, along with your choice of two chargers, which can cost up to $2,200 with installation. Here's the good news, the car itself actually works out to just $17,500 thanks to a federal tax credit. All in all, this currently makes the cheapest full-on EV you'll be able to get your mitts on. If you'd prefer to spice it up a bit, Smart will also offer a spruced up cabriolet variant for an extra $3K. Check out our chat with Smart about the car and the press release after the break for all the details.
BMW, Daimler partner on ultra-light Visio.M city EV
If you like the idea of German electric vehicles like the BMW i3 and i8, but you're worried they may be more than you really need when they arrive next year, you'll be glad to know that a more to-the-point EV auf Deutsch is on the way. Along with Munich's Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM), BMW, Daimler and 14 others are jointly developing the Visio.M urban runabout. While it should only muster the equivalent of 20 horsepower, it should be about 45 percent lighter than a Smart Fortwo -- important when you want to use a small battery to keep the cost down. The project is also tackling safety and other chronic problems with tiny electric cars. TUM's MUTE prototype (pictured here) is serving as the testbed for the technology being rolled into the Visio.M, although the €10.8 million ($14.2 million) in funding from Germany's Federal Ministry for Education and Research is expected to produce something more original when the EV project reaches its eventual close.
Smart Fortwo ED gets official EPA ratings: 94 MPG city, 79 MPG on the highway
Looks like "Team 250" is primed to add a few new members now that the EPA has revealed its official MPGe ratings for Smart's Fortwo EDs. Rated at 94 miles-per-gallon in the city and 79 on the highway, the car takes motorists 63 miles per charge -- making it slightly less able than Nissan's Leaf with its 73 mile range, 106 MPG in town, and 92 MPG on the open road. Now that the Fortwo ED has its governmental blessing, interested parties can lease one from selected dealers -- sorry folks, buying's not an option -- for a hefty $599 per-month, which seems staggeringly high compared to the $349 monthly lease rate for the larger, more capable Leaf. Perhaps the Smart squad won't be getting many new teammates after all.
Car2go test drive: RFID, GPS, and mobile apps make for a smarter Smart
As you read this (assuming you're reading this sometime before March 20th) zillions of music, movie, and tech mavens and moguls have descended on Austin, Texas for SXSW. We made a run through the city just before festivities kicked off, stopping by to check out the Car2Go carsharing service that launched last summer and that, as of March 19th, will expand its coverage area to include 52 square miles worth of the heart of Texas. We took one of the company's customized Smart Fortwos for a ride and also test drove the new iPad app that makes finding cars as easy as pie. Pie, as it turns out, is also quite easy to find in Austin. %Gallery-119036%
Smart USA won't be stopped by snow, delivers first Fortwo Electric Drive to a customer
Hertz may have been the first to get the suckers on the road, but Mindy Kimball of Silver Spring, MD is the first American customer to have a Smart Fortwo Electric Drive of her very own. She's a US Army Major and now has a funky little green (but not olive drab) and white coupe at home -- probably buried under a foot or two of white stuff at this point. She's member numero uno of Smart USA's so-called "Team 250," which will make up the first 250 owners of the cars, each of which offer a maximum of 72 miles of range and a top speed of 70mph. All while looking super cute. [Thanks, Jason]
Hertz to start renting all-electric Smart Fortwo EDs next week
It may still not amount to much of a dent in the company's complete fleet of vehicles, but Hertz has just announced that it will start renting out the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive vehicle on December 15th, which follows recent announcements that it will soon be offering the all-electric Coda Sedan and Nissan Leaf in selected markets. As you might expect, however, the Smart ED will also be somewhat limited in availability, with San Francisco, New York and Washington D.C. being the only locations included in the initial rollout, and no word on any additional cities to follow. Head on past the break for the complete press release.
The state of the electric automobile, in pictures
You've heard the announcements. You know the specs. You may even be able to guess how the showdown will play out. But unless you were in San Jose, California, this week for Plug-In 2010, you've probably never seen six contenders for our future electric vehicle dollars all in one room. We hopped in our late-80s gas guzzler and hit the show floor in your stead, snapping enough pictures of the Leaf, Volt, Focus, Prius PHEV, fortwo Electric Drive, and the i MiEV to give you a virtual tour. See what we saw after the break.
Daimler's Smart Drive kit for iPhone gives you big buttons, a dent in your wallet
If you're one of the trendy hipsters driving a Smart Fortwo, here's another way of pimping up your ride: Daimler has announced a Q2 2010 launch for its Smart Drive kit for the iPhone. As pictured above, the kit consists of a cradle for handsfree communication plus charging, and an app that "combines all the features needed on the road" by the means of "extra-large buttons and extra-large letters." You'll get access to your usual music library (plus Internet radio), contacts, phone functions and map by Daimler (points-of-interest data from Microsoft Bing). There's also the handy "Assist" feature that can automatically mark your parking location when undocked, and can provide GPS coordinates to the Smart hotline for roadside assistance. What's more, Daimler's currently working on a camera for this kit that can identify speed limit signs, and can then warn you if you're speeding. Want it? You'll need to fork out a dear €240 ($326) for the cradle (which may or may not be necessary), then a one-off €9.99 ($14) for the app, and finally the optional annual €49.99 ($68) for on-board European and US maps plus live traffic data. We'll reconsider if the app can also start our car. [Thanks, Jason]
