Discover a car that has been perfectly designed for your everyday life. A car that offers maximum comfort, agility, safety, ecology and driving fun. A pioneering vehicle concept that is one of the best with its low CO₂ emission figures.
Discover the smart fortwo – as a coupé and a cabrio in the pure, pulse, passion and BRABUS equipment lines.

The rest of us might have to pay a $99 reservation fee and wait a minimum of one year to purchase a new Smart Car, but ain’t nothing stopping the City of Somerville from obtaining those golf-cart wannabes.

Mayor Joe Curtatone pulled a couple of strings last week at the Somerville-based Herb Chambers auto dealership and secured four new Mercedes Smart Fortwos for the school custodians and property assessors to use at work. At night the code inspectors will get the Smart Cars. They’re replacing a 1994 Chevy Blazer, which boasted a dismal 11 miles to the gallon.

Like their eco-vain neighbors in Boston, Somerville’s pretty proud of their pint-sized vehicles, decorated with the city’s seal, with their 60 miles to the gallon and their perpendicular curb parking. We’re wondering if Keohane and Cartman need to put Somerville on Smug Alert. Somerville spokeswoman Lesley Hawkins believes they are forging ahead of a national trend. The municipality is the first in the country to use Smart Cars for city employees, but she’s betting they won’t be the last. (Smug Alert increasing to Yellow.)

Mayor Curtatone adds that the environmentally friendly vehicles will help “maintain fiscal responsibility, lower carbon emissions, and promote alternative means of commuting.” (We hit Red, people; we hit Red!!)

The cars are also available to city employees to sign out on a case-by-case basis for use on official city business. If this pilot program is successful, the city will look to purchase more Smart Cars to encourage city employees to bike or take public transportation to work and then use the Smart Cars for city errands. (Wa-ooo-waa-ooo-wa–ooo! We’re at White Hot! Repeat: Tofu White Hot!)

Whether you love them, or think they should come with a bag of Callaways, Smart Cars are here to stay. More than 11,000 Americans purchased Smart Cars since their U.S. launch in January and the number of worldwide drivers is fast approaching one million. Even GM wants in; the automaker will bring the Chevy Beat—a brand sold in Europe—to the U.S. within the next few years.

If Somerville is a reliable indicator, GM better enter the market before the rest of Chevy’s SUVs are scrapped. Of course, the town may still need a few SUVs for those pesky occasions when the superintendent of school custodians needs to transport anything bigger than a laptop.

—DAVID MASHBURN

The Smart Car is undoubtedly cute and novel, but is it a smart choice for drivers that are concerned about the environment as well as their wallet? We've given the Smart a lot of coverege here on treehugger (here, here, here, here, here and here, for instance), always evoking mixed reviews from our writers and readers alike. Eric Taub of the NY Times recently test drove the Smart ForTwo for two weeks on the streets of Los Angeles, and found the experience to be, well, mediocre. While he acknowledged that the car got him as much attention as the iPhone when it first came out, when it came time to take it on the roads the car underperformed in numerous ways.

For one thing, although the Smart had no problem getting up to 80 MPH on the highway, "once at speed, the engine thrashed and the car was buffeted by the wake of passing tractor trailers, giving me pause when I thought about taking one hand off the wheel. The experience was akin to crossing the upper level of the George Washington Bridge in a 1960s Volkswagen Beetle on a windy day." Cornering wasn't much better, either: "the body roll was pronounced, causing a friend to reflexively grab the dash."

The battery electric

Based on the previous Smart, more than 100 of these battery-electric prototypes have been built by Zytec in Fradley, Staffordshire, and are now being released on a four-year nationwide trial. The high-temperature, molten-salt battery is a natrium-nickel-chloride unit made by MES-DEA of Switzerland and mounted under the floor where the fuel tank sits in a conventional Smart. Its rated output is 15.5kW/hrs and it weighs 302lb. It runs permanently at temperatures of between 260 and 330 degrees centigrade and keeping the unit to that temperature takes between 10 and 15 per cent of the battery's capacity. Nevertheless, these so-called Zebra batteries are robust, with a proven long life and good resistance to overcharging.

The 30kW/41hp brushless, liquid-cooled DC motor is designed and built by Zytek, with the motor, the inverter and its controlling electronics in one housing that fits neatly onto the three standard engine mountings. A conventional transmission is retained, but it is locked into second gear; there's no need for more given the torque delivery characteristics and 12,000rpm peak operating speed of the electric motor.

The top speed is 75mph, 0-37mph takes 5.7sec (the same as the petrol version) and while the typical range in everyday use will be about 50 miles, gentle driving can extend that to 70. The key to this is gentle acceleration and braking, as the car will recycle the braking energy as current if you don't hit the anchors too hard. The battery can be recharged via a conventional 220/240 volt domestic socket - it takes eight hours for a full charge from empty, three-and-a-half hours to charge it from 30 to 80 per cent of its capacity. On the European Combined cycle, power consumption is about 12kW/hrs per 62 miles and at current values that costs about 0.02 euros per kilometre (2.6 pence per mile). The battery can be recharged at least 1,000 times, which in normal use gives a life of about 10 years.

Inside, the battery Smart is almost identical to its petrol sister; there's no gear lever, of course, and there is a charge-level indicator in the middle of the instrument binnacle, but that's about it. Starting takes no more than five seconds after a systems check, then it's a simple case of push the pedal and go.

Initial acceleration is scorching as the traction motor delivers all its 88.5lb ft of torque to the rear wheels from virtually zero revs. It sounds pathetic to say so, but the electric Smart surges off so quickly it's quite difficult to manoeuvre in tight places, so you need to learn to cover the brake with your left foot. In common with other electric cars, you also need to learn to use the horn, as pedestrians simply don't hear the little car coming. There is some noise from the driveline in the form of a high-pitched whine, but it is far quieter than some hydrogen fuel-cell cars I have driven.

The standard Smart is hardly the acme of ride quality and with an additional 220lb (110kg) on board, the electric version is possibly worse, though not by much. On smooth roads this volt-powered two-seater is fine but the individual wheel suspension rates are high; it crashes into pot-holes and sleeping policeman are an experience best forgotten. The electrically powered air-conditioning system, in addition, is a joke. But in its natural urban environment, the electric Smart is a hoot. The limited top speed is never a problem and there's enough instant surge to go for gaps in the traffic. It's also reassuring that the Smart has a four-star crash safety rating.

Fans of pure battery-electric technology always seem to have a blind spot about what lies beyond the plug, in other words where the electricity comes from; most "electric" vehicles are actually coal, gas or nuclear powered. That said, the terms of the Smart trial insist that the cars be charged from a carbon-neutral or offset electricity supply.

Companies and organisations interested in test-driving one of the electric Smarts must apply to Mercedes-Benz in Milton Keynes; costs are currently running at £380 a month for the lease plus the electricity to charge it.

Tuesday 21 March 2017

Smart Forfour Electric Drive 2017 review

by Doug Revolta

22 February 2017

First electric five-door Smart has a limited range and a high price, but it’s the best EV offering from the brand and could be a great green city car option for some

2017 Smart Forfour Electric Drive review

2017 Smart Forfour Electric Drive review

What is it?

The Smart Fortwo and Forfour are quirky city cars for style-conscious metropolitan drivers. The cars themselves, and the target audience they are aimed at, suit a zany electric model perfectly.
Indeed electric models were planned right from the outset for Smart, but previous electric efforts have disappointed, and sales success has only been modest in the UK.
The latest Smart range is a big step forward, and this fourth-generation electric model could prove to be as well. It can be charged up to twice as fast as the battery in the model it replaces and it comes with a slightly longer range, more power and extra smartphone connectivity.
Previously, you could only get the two-door Fortwo as an electric car, but now for the first time you can get an electrified Forfour. It gets a new rear-mounted electric motor from Renault and a 17.6kWh battery that’s good for 80bhp, 118lb ft of torque and a claimed range of 96 miles.
The Forfour ED sounds a promising prospect for city-bound electric vehicle (EV) drivers, but the electric car revolution continues apace and it faces tough competition from the recently updated Volkswagen e-Up, as well as established market lynchpins like the Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf.
We’ve already driven a US-spec Fortwo ED, but this is our first taste of the four-door Forfour ED, which Smart believes will be the best-selling of its three EVs.

What's it like?

You won’t be surprised to hear that the city is its natural environment, and it is there that the electric Smart excels.
Like all electric cars, it has a strong burst of acceleration from a standstill. While the Forfour’s 0-62mph time of 12.7sec shows it’s not especially quick over a distance, its nippy acceleration from 0-30mph is a great asset around town, plus a new electronic management system makes progress smoother than before.
But with the extra doors, seats and added weight that comes with the Forfour’s layout, it loses some of the urgency that you feel in the Fortwo ED’s acceleration, and it’s more than 1sec slower from 0-60mph.

The Forfour ED's electric battery adds around 140kg of weight to the car compared with the petrol model, and because it’s in the bottom of the car it gives it a lower centre of gravity which helps it handle better.
The steering, like the petrol car, is very light and lacks feel but it is at least precise. Although not quite as gobsmacking as the Fortwo, the Forfour still boasts a brilliantly tight turning circle of 8.65m which makes manoeuvers a breeze in town. The ride isn’t bone-shaking, but it is still unsettled. Having said that, firmer springs and dampers than the petrol Forfour, as well as that added weight, give it much better body control, and long stretches in town aren’t uncomfortable.
The brake pedal feel is a little spongey, but the off-throttle regenerative braking is effective. The car comes with an Eco mode that you can engage which limits its maximum speed, softens the accelerator pedal response and sets the regenerative braking system to maximum to eek out some extra miles of range. When left in standard mode the car uses radar sensors to judge how hard the regenerative braking should be when you lift off the accelerator, depending on the traffic around the car.

Out on the open road at faster speeds, the Smart is far less at home. It feels a bit underpowered, the steering doesn't weight up, and you get a fair bit of wind noise and road roar, but at slow speeds the cabin is a very serene and peaceful environment.
Inside, there’s a decent amount of standard tech including cruise control, Bluetooth, climate control and a touchscreen infotainment system including TomTom sat-nav with the latest version of Smart’s media system, which is pretty intuitive, and the cabin generally feels premium in small-car terms. It also gets some handy smartphone connectivity with a new browser-based web-app that allows you to check on the car's charging status and remotely control the heating.
While the Fortwo offers only marginally more storage room than a handbag, the Forfour has two rear seats that can be folded away to increase the boot capacity. The battery is housed under the floor which means the electric version doesn’t lose any extra space over the petrol version either.
It's worth pointing out that the very first cars that reach the UK later this year will take six hours to get an 80% charge from a household socket, or 3.5 hours from a wallbox for the same. However in 2018, electric Smarts will get inbuilt 22kW fast chargers, which take 45 minutes for an 80% charge - it's a rather irritating oversight to not offer the fast charger straight away, so you're certainly better off waiting to buy that version.

Should I buy one?

The increase in range is only around 9 miles from the previous model, but it’s the improvements elsewhere that do a lot to enhance the electric Smart’s appeal.
UK pricing is yet to be finalised but with an expected asking price of £17k after the Government grant - it is expensive. That price pitches it towards the upper reaches of the Smart lineup, but if you were thinking of a top-spec petrol Forfour then this offers a compelling case to go electric within the Smart range instead. It’s also likely to be only £500 more expensive than the smaller Fortwo Electric Drive, and is around £3000 cheaper than the Volkswagen e-Up and undercuts the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe. Ultimately though, all those cars offer a better electric car experience than this Forfour ED because they have bigger ranges, more space, and are a bit better to drive.
The usual strict electric car caveats apply. It has to be able to fit in with your lifestyle – a likely 75-mile range in the real world certainly won’t suit everyone – but if it does then this characterful electric city car is worth considering.

source : http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/smart/forfour/first-drives/smart-forfour-electric-drive-2017-review

Thursday 16 June 2016

Tiny Electric Commuter Car

Tiny Electric Commuter Car is Greener Than Riding the Train [Electric Vehicles:futuristicnews.co...]

Wednesday 16 May 2012

2012 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive priced at $21,886* in Germany, plus battery lease

By Eric Loveday RSS feed

Posted Sep 14th 2011 2:50PM

For diehard fans of the Smart Fortwo, particularly of the Electric Drive version, 2012 ushers in the third-generation of the pint-sized electric two-seater. Aside from a host of upgrades for 2012, the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive gets a very welcome price drop.

Smart says the 2012 Electric Drive checks in at just 16,000 euros ($21,886 U.S. at the current exchange rate) in Germany before VAT (a purchase tax that ranges from 10 to 20 percent in most European countries). Don't get too excited yet, as that low-ball price doesn't include the Fortwo's battery pack, which costs $82 a month to rent from Smart.

Smart has yet to reveal U.S. pricing for the 2012 Fortwo Electric Drive, so we can't be sure if a price drop (or battery leasing) will be applied here in the States, too. Smart says it will start taking reservations for the electric Fortwo in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Sunday 6 May 2012

Smart fortwo micro hybrid pure coupé

The micro hybrid drive comes with all the features to make your life infinitely easier. It’s functional, comfortable and unmistakably smart. The high quality design and features provide safety and comfort levels that redefine the small car segment.

Also worth a mention is that the micro hybrid drive comes with a racy high torque petrol engine rated at 52kW.

When it comes to negotiating urban traffic, studies have shown that a car comes to a stop every 1.3 km on average – at traffic lights or in a traffic jam.

Based on this intelligence smart mhd technology implements an idea that is simply brilliant – the automatic start/stop principle. When the vehicle approaches red traffic lights, for example, the micro hybrid drive shuts down the engine as soon as the car falls below a speed of 8 km/h and you press the brake pedal. The engine starts again in a fraction of a second as soon as you release the brake, and the journey can continue without interruption.

The result? Fuel savings are maximised by predictive engine shut-down as the car rolls to a stop at a speed of less than 8 km/h. A truly fuel-saving and earth-loving idea.

What’s more, these super-sized benefits come with only a slight additional weight of approx. 10 kg compared with the standard smart fortwo.

from 161,400.00 *

Calculate Repayments

Thursday 5 April 2012

Craven Smart Start begins fund drive

January 12, 2012 2:22 PM

Havelock News

Craven Smart Start’s Board of Directors is conducting a fund drive to raise money to help maintain its services and programs for Craven County children from birth to age five.

Craven Smart Start works with families, local organizations and early-care educators to help Craven youngsters receive the education, health and family support necessary to arrive at kindergarten ready to succeed, according to a release from the organization.

Craven Smart Start is the local public-private partnership that administers the funding and programs of Smart Start in Craven County. Smart Start is the early childhood initiative in North Carolina.

In July, Craven Smart Start learned its funding from the state would be cut 18.4 percent, about a $400,000 decrease in the budget. As a result of the state cuts, five programs were eliminated and three current programs received a decrease in allocations from Craven Smart Start.

Additionally, the partnership’s Resource Lending Library located in New Bern increased its membership fees and rates for services used by parents and teachers on Jan. 1.

"The board has been working hard to raise more private funds to help make up the deficit of the state budget cuts," Pat Morrow, Craven Smart Start’s executive director, said in a press release. "Board members held a fundraising yard sale in November and several other fundraising efforts are being planned, following the completion of the annual fund drive."

Kelly Klemmer, board president, said reaching the youngest of children is crucial to helping their future success.

"Babies growing up in poverty and under stressful conditions often miss out on opportunities that will promote physical and emotional growth," she said in the release. "Smart Start supports programs that educate parents, encourage early literacy and increase the quality of child care, just to name a few."

Craven Smart Start is a 501C3 nonprofit and donations are tax deductible.

Donations can be mailed or dropped off at the partnership office at 2111 Neuse Blvd., Suite F, New Bern, 28562. Checks should be made payable to Craven Smart Start.

Donations can be made online through the organization’s website at www.cravensmartstart.org.

Individuals and groups interested in participating or volunteering in fundraising efforts can call Pinkie Moore, Craven Smart Start community outreach coordinator, at 671-0689 or contact her by email at pmoore@cravensmartstart.org.

For more information on Craven Smart Start and its programs and services, call Morrow at 636-3198.

Sunday 1 January 2012

2012 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive hits 75 mph, whizzes to 60 in 13 seconds

By. autoblog

The third-generation, 2012 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive ditches its 16.5-kWh Tesla-engineered battery pack in favor of a 17.6-kWh unit manufactured by Deutsche ACCUmotive and, in the process, gains a much needed boost in acceleration, top speed and a slight increase in range.

Scheduled to launch next spring, the 2012 Fortwo Electric Drive features an EM-motive 55-kW (74-horsepower) electric motor, a massive increase from the 30-kW (40-hp) unit found in the 2011 Fortwo electric. The boost in power means that the 2012 Fortwo Electric Drive can hit a highway-capable top speed of 74.6 miles per hour and scoot from 0 to 60 mph in less than 13 seconds. Though still lethargic, that 13-second time is a vast improvement over the estimated 23.4 seconds required for the 2011 Fortwo electric to wheeze its way to 60 mph. The third-gen 2012 dashes from 0 to 37 mph in five seconds flat, a useful 1.5-second improvement over the outgoing model.

The Deutsche ACCUmotive lithium-ion battery pack should enable the 2012 Fortwo Electric Drive to travel an estimated 86 miles between charges, up slightly from the 83-mile range of the outgoing electric two-seater. Smart says an empty-to-full charge takes approximately eight hours and that a quick-charge option exists for the third-gen electric.

In terms of styling, the 2012 Fortwo features an enlarged grille opening, stylish LED daytime running lights, wider door sills and some minor modifications to the rear.

Smart says production of the 2012 Fortwo Electric Drive will eventually hit a "five-figure number" and that the electric two-seater will be sold in at least 30 countries across the globe. Smart has yet to release pricing for its third-gen electric. Look for us to have more details on the Fortwo Electric Drive when it hits the stage during next month's Frankfurt Motor Show. Check out our high-res image gallery and the official press release after the jump.

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Smart Drive