Smart Unveils Electric Drive Lineup

STUTTGART, Germany – Mercedes-Benz’s Smart brand reveals new Electric-Drive versions of its Fortwo, Fortwo cabriolet and Forfour small cars, claiming better range and performance and significantly faster recharging times over their predecessors.

The improvements are owed to the adoption of a new driveline largely shared with the Renault Zoe and enhancements to its charging system.

Set to make their public debut at next week’s Paris auto show, the first of Smart’s Electric Drive trio, the Fortwo, is set to go on sale in North America before year’s end.

Pricing is yet to be revealed, though Mercedes officials suggest the new zero-emission Smart model will cost about $26,000.

At the heart of the Smart’s new Fortwo, Fortwo cabriolet and Forfour Electric Drive lineup is an electric powertrain developed by Mercedes and alliance partner Renault-Nissan.

Similar to that already employed in the Zoe, it uses a rear-mounted 3-phase synchronous electric motor produced at Renault’s Cleon plant in France delivering 80 hp and 118 lb.-ft. (160 Nm) of torque to the rear wheels.

That’s an increase of 5 hp and 22 lb.-ft. (30 Nm) of torque over the output of the electric motor used by the earlier electric versions of the Fortwo and Fortwo cabriolet. It’s also 7 hp and 44 lb.-ft. (60 Nm) down from the electric motor used by the Zoe.

Energy used to drive the electric motor is stored in a 17.6-kWh lithium-ion battery mounted within the floor. Some 4.4 kWh smaller in overall capacity than the unit used by the Zoe, it is produced at Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler’s Accumotive battery plant in Germany.

With drive channeled through a fixed-ratio gearbox, Smart claims respective 0-62 mph (100 km/h) times of 11.5 seconds, 11.8 seconds and 12.7 seconds for the Fortwo, Fortwo cabriolet and Forfour Electric Drive. All three boast a top speed limited to 81 mph (130 km/h) – up from 78 mph (126 km/h) with the earlier Fortwo Electric Drive.

At the same time, Smart claims a 9-mile (14-km) improvement in range over the first-generation Fortwo Electric Drive with its new second-generation model at a neat 100 miles (161 km) on the European test cycle. The added weight of the Fortwo Cabriolet and Forfour Electric Drive reduces their range by three miles (5 km) over the new Fortwo Electric Drive to 96 miles (154 km).

Smart has developed the ʼ17 model Fortwo, Fortwo cabriolet and Forfour Electric Drive to support two different charging systems. The standard system is claimed to cut recharging time in half to 2.5 hours, while a more powerful operational 22-kW system is said to recharge the battery in just 45 minutes.

The charging status can be monitored and controlled via a smartphone app called Smart Control, which also allows the owner to run the climate-control system during recharging to pre-condition the cabin.

The Fortwo and Fortwo cabriolet Electric Drive are produced alongside the gas-powered third-generation Smart 2-seater at the automaker’s factory in Hambach, France. The Forfour Electric Drive hails from Renault’s Novo Meso, Slovenia, plant, which also produces the Renault Twingo and Clio.