2017 Smart Fortwo, Forfour, Cabrio Electric Drive

Stuttgart/Paris. The new smart electric drive* makes opting into electric mobility more attractive than ever. This is because it combines the agility of the smart with local emission-free driving – the ideal combination for urban mobility. Fourth-generation electric driving pleasure can be experienced not only in the smart fortwo coupé and smart fortwo cabrio, but for the first time also in the four-seater smart forfour. In future smart will be the only car manufacturer worldwide to offer its model range with both combustion engines and pure battery-electric drive. The smart electric drive will celebrate its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show (1 to 16 October 2016), while the market launch will start in the USA in December 2016 and in Europe in early 2017. In Germany prices for the smart fortwo electric drive will start at €21,940.

 

 

“The smart is the perfect city car, and with electric drive it becomes a little bit more perfect”, says Annette Winkler, Head of smart. “This is why we will soon be offering our entire range – smart fortwo, smart cabrio and even our smart forfour – as all-electric versions. Together with lots of smart fans and enthusiastic drivers of the three predecessor generations, we are looking forward to the unique driving fun offered by the new smart electric drive. And at very attractive prices, especially in countries where there is a buyer’s premium”.

The most important information at a glance:

• smart is the only car manufacturer worldwide to offer its model range with both combustion engines and pure battery-electric drive as the smart fortwo, smart fortwo cabrio and smart forfour are available as electric drive models.
• The smart fortwo cabrio is the only electric cabriolet on the market.
• With torque of 160 Newton metres the 60 kW electric car boasts exceedingly agile acceleration.

* Electric power consumption, weighted: 13.1 – 12.9 kWh/100 km; CO₂ emissions, combined: 0 g/km

• The fully charged battery has sufficient power to cover approximately 160 kilometres in accordance with the NEDC, making it ideal for urban use.
• With the high-performance on-board charger the smart electric drive can be charged up to twice as fast as before (depending on the country version and the electricity supply network).
• With the new fast charger (optional extra available from 2017) the vehicle can be fully charged in less than 45 minutes (depending on the country version and the electricity supply network).
• In Germany prices for the smart fortwo electric drive will start at €21,940. When the environmental bonus is taken into account this means that it will cost less than €18,000.

smart electric drive: agile, quiet and local emission-free urban driving

The driving characteristics are as agile and lively as ever. The ultra-small turning circle also contributes to this, and at 6.95 metres for the two-seater it corresponds precisely to that of its sibling with conventional drive. And every wish will be catered for with regard to colours and optional equipment – electric driving at smart offers maximum scope for customisation.

The charging time is an important factor for electric vehicle customers and the new smart electric drive also boasts major improvements here. All models have a new, powerful on-board charger as a standard feature. In the USA and Great Britain the charging time is 2.5 hours – half as long as for the predecessor. With the “smart control” app the charging process can be conveniently monitored from afar and many more functions such as intelligent charging can be controlled.

From 2017 a particularly powerful 22 kW fast charger will be available as an option. This enables the smart electric drive to be charged much more quickly: in less than 45 minutes if local conditions allow three-phase charging.

The smart fortwo electric drive models are series produced at smart’s Hambach plant. The smart forfour electric drive is produced at the Novo Mesto site (Slovenia). The smart is equipped with a battery from the Daimler subsidiary Deutsche ACCUMOTIVE. The company based in Kamenz, Saxony, has been building the electric heart of the smart electric drive since 2012.

A 60 kW (81 hp) electric motor works at the rear of the smart electric drive and transmits its power via a constant ratio to the wheels. Powerful torque of 160 Nm is immediately available from a standstill. The electric drive has a range of approximately 160 km – ideal for local emission-free mobility in urban areas. The maximum speed is electronically limited to 130 km/h to maximise the range.

Thanks to the power characteristics of the electric motor, the smart needs just one single fixed gear ratio. There is no need for any gear changing – a major advantage in dense city traffic. To reverse, the engine’s direction of rotation changes. The drive is produced in Renault’s plant in Clèon, Northern France.

The data for the new smart electric drive at a glance:

¹Recommended retail price for Germany incl. 19% VAT.

As well as the basic transmission mode the driver can select ECO mode. This is designed for a particularly efficient driving style. In addition, the maximum speed is limited, the accelerator pedal curve adjusted and the maximum recuperation level is pre-selected. In overrun mode or when braking the vehicle’s kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy – this is called recuperation. The radar-based recuperation, which is active in the basic transmission mode, is anticipatory. The traffic situation is monitored with a radar sensor and a recuperation level that suits the current situation is selected.

To save energy and extend the range, the smart electric drive also features pre-entry climate control. For example, this enables the desired temperature to be reached in the interior while the vehicle is still charging at a socket.

With the “smart control” app lots of electric drive information can be called up via smartphone, tablet or PC and functions such as pre-entry climate control or intelligent charging can be conveniently controlled remotely. The new model has more operating options than the predecessor. For example, two programmable departure times mean that intelligent charging and pre-entry climate control do not always need to be re-set for frequent journeys.

The smart electric drive models surpass the extensive standard equipment of their siblings with conventional drive as they additionally have a dashboard instrument with power meter and battery status display (standard) or on request the winter package with heated steering wheel for maximum climate comfort (optionally available). The electric drive design package (optionally available) gives the vehicle an expressive look with tridion safety cell and door mirror caps painted in exclusive electric green. And every wish can be catered for when it comes to colours and optional equipment as the smart BRABUS tailor made individualisation programme is also available for the smart fortwo electric drive.

With eye-catching design details in electric green the special model smart electric drive greenflash is an exciting highlight for the market launch. This special smart electric drive will be available as a coupé and a cabrio with prices starting from €27,839 (incl. environmental bonus: €23,459).

After the world premiere in Paris, the new smart fortwo electric drive will be launched in the USA before the end of the year, where most recently around 25 percent of all smarts sold had the battery-electric drive. This will be followed by market launch of the two-seater and four-seater in Europe in early 2017.