The Diminutive smart ED receives a new lease on life without the lease.
Wayne Gerdes -
CleanMPG - Oct. 4, 2012
2013 smart fortwo ED - $25,000 to start (subtract the $7,500 Fed tax credit if you qualify) and a possible 70 mile EPA rated range?
smart USA announced today that it will bring in its third generation electric fortwo next spring at a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $25,000, making it the most affordable production electric vehicle in the U.S. A companion cabriolet model will retail at $28,000 when both models hit the U.S. market in the spring of 2013. Customers may also be eligible for federal tax credits (which run up to $7,500) or state/local tax credits, further reducing the cost. Prior models were available for lease only.
The smart fortwo ED in excruciating detail
The new generation smart fortwo electric drive is an evolutionary extension of the fortwo and defines the spirit of smart. Based on the smart fortwo, the new generation smart fortwo electric drive has the smallest footprint of any car on U.S. roads and represents a key step in sustainable transportation. It enters the U.S. market at an ideal time as the United States is setting policy goals for reducing CO2 and dependence on fossil fuels.
The electric drive battery is located where the fuel tank usually goes, in the underfloor area between the front and rear wheels and the electric motor replaces the conventional engine between the rear wheels.
The new generation smart electric drive will retail at $25,000, making it the most affordable production electric vehicle in the U.S. A companion cabriolet model will retail at $28,000 when both models hit the U.S. market in the spring of 2013. Customers may also be eligible for federal tax credits (which run up to $7,500) or state/local tax credits, further reducing the cost.
Electric Drive Technology
The smart fortwo ED is powered by an electric motor that’s installed between the rear wheels in place of the conventional engine. Because electric motors create instant high torque, the car uses a single gear instead of a multiple-gear transmission. As a result, there’s no need for shifting.
The 55 kW motor is the product of EM-motive (a joint venture between Bosch and Daimler. It can provide up to 35 kilowatts of continuous power that translates to 96 lb-ft. of torque. In short bursts, the motor can generate 55 kilowatts for all of two minutes along a 0 to 60 mph time of less than 12 seconds and a top speed of more than 78 mph.
Battery
The 17.6 kWh Li-Ion battery is hidden under the floor and while range determination was not released, Daimler released that the range for the third generation all-electric drive is expected to be more than the previous generations which means possibly as high as 70 miles range per the EPA?.
Charging
The smart fortwo ED can be charged from any normal household 110V AC outlet with the provided standard cable or a 240V outlet via a charging station.
Charging time depends on battery temperature and which outlet is used. From a 240V outlet, it takes 3½ hours to charge the battery from 20 to 80 percent and about six hours to reach full charge from a depleted battery.
Charging information is available via a smart phone app, which will give the user charging information, charge time remaining and expected completion time. When driving, the app’s map feature will highlight nearby charging connections and set favorite charging locations as well as estimating driving distance and tracking available battery range.
Preconditioning
To maximize the driving range on very cold or hot days, the smart fortwo electric drive will pre-condition the cabin while the car’s still plugged in, drawing energy from the power grid rather than the battery. When the driver begins charging the car, the next driving time can be set like an alarm, so the car’s interior temperature will be pre-conditioned and fully charged for the next trip.
Safety
The smart fortwo ED includes eight standard air bags – front, side, knee and side. Because of the cabriolet’s open-top design, head/thorax air bags are installed instead of the coupe’s side and window curtain air bags.
While belts and airbags help to protect occupants when a crash is inevitable, the high-tech safety of anti-lock brakes (ABS) and the electronic stability program (ESP) can help avoid crashes. Standard equipment on the smart fortwo ED.
2013 Smart fortwo ED
Reasonably well appointed for a touch over $20K BEV as equipped.
Rain/light sensor
A rain/light sensor is standard on all electric drive models. The sensor detects daylight and will automatically turn on headlights at dusk, while the rain sensor will regulate the speed of the windshield wipers at the first sign of rain.
Infotainment
A smart RDS AM/FM radio with USB and AUX ports for an MP3 or CD player is standard on the ED. A large three-line display makes it easy to navigate through the menus and operate an iPod through the radio controls.
Two optional audio systems are also available – the smart highline and a surround-sound system. The highline is a high-quality multi-media system with a 6.5-inch touch-screen display, an integrated navigation system with perspective maps and hands-free Bluetooth.
The versatile touch screen provides convenient operation of the radio, CD/DVD player and hands-free Bluetooth operation of a cell phone and GPS navigation. The highline system also includes an iPod/USB connection that enables users to play music from an iPod or data stick through the car’s audio system. Bluetooth audio streaming is also included in the package.
Additionally, an SD card slot also allows videos and photographs to be displayed on the touch screen for the passenger to view.
While the smart fortwo ED will never set any sales record by comparison to most other brands models, it is cute enough and now inexpensive enough for consideration. At least by comparison to any golf cart some may be considering for very local transport right now?
2013 smart fortwo ED – I’d drive this
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