Consumers interested in driving the future of electric cars now have a new avenue to pursue with the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive.
Billed as the “ultimate city car,” Smart Fortwo Electric Drive is agile, parks in tight spaces and rolls on electric only power.
The Smart electric micro-car is 8.8 feet long, 5.1 feet wide and 5.1 feet wide. It emits zero emissions and requires no trips to the gas station.
Smart Fortwo Electric Drive is ‘refueled’ by common household current.
Its lithium-ion battery is charged from 20 to 80-percent capacity in 3.5 hours when plugged into a 220-volt power source. A full charge takes less than eight hours. Standard 110-volt current may also be used.
When fully charged, a continuous drive at typical city speeds will last 4.5 hours. Less when driven at highway speed.
Smart Fortwo Electric Drive comes dressed with special green body accents and wheels. It will carry two people and their gear for 82 miles of travel range on a single charge.
Inside space is unusually large considering the car’s outside dimensions. The NBA-size head and legroom is extraordinary.
Standard equipment includes air conditioning with automatic temperature control and pre-air conditioning setting, power steering with leather wrapped wheel, power windows, electrically adjustable heated door mirrors and 12-spoke alloy wheels.
Smart Electric also comes with an app for iPhone use. A cradle for the iPhone control unit and microphone functions as a hands-free system using loudspeakers from the Smart radio. The system automatically mutes when phone calls are made or received.
I test drove the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive through New York City last month. The car is an ideal fit for city use.
One large fault of this small car is its silence in motion. Because there is no engine, the car makes no noise when on the move. I held my hand on the horn pad for an occasional “beep” to advise pedestrians of my approach.
This fall, Smart USA will begin deploying a limited number of electric drive vehicles across the U.S. targeting key electrification leadership cities and Department of Energy grant areas. Indianapolis is among them.
The cars will be leased for 4-years, with full factory warranty at a cost of $599 per month.
Gasoline versions of the Smart Fortwo coupe or cabriolet range in price from $11,990 to $20,990.
Last week, Smart USA announced the arrival of “smart Expressions” – a program that offers owners an unlimited palette of paint color choices and variety of body wrap designs to transform their Smart Fortwo into a personalized mobile masterpiece.
Smart is a brand of and is manufactured by German automaker Daimler AG.
For more information about Smart USA and area dealers visit www.smartusa.com or www.penskeautomotive.com
