A cheap electric car that's not made of fluff 2013 Smart Fortwo: Electric, eclectic, & fun
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130801/CARREVIEWS/130809999 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive drive review By: Davey G. Johnson 8/01/2013 [images / Davey G. Johnson http://www.autoweek.com/galleryimage/CW/20130731/CARREVIEWS/731009996/PH/1/1/Smart-Fortwo-Electric-Drive-Cabriolet.jpg Smart Fortwo Electric Drive Cabriolet http://www.autoweek.com/galleryimage/CW/20130731/CARREVIEWS/731009996/PH/1/7/Smart-Fortwo-Electric-Drive-Cabriolet.jpg dashboard, driver's side ] A cheap electric car that's not made of fluff and puffery What is it? By golly, it's a diminutive runabout powered by electrons stored in a 17.6 kWh battery! More specifically, it's the third-generation Smart Fortwo Electric Drive. The first crop of cars filled out a limited test fleet in London. The second group was leased in various markets and featured a powertrain by Tesla. This third car is meant for a broader audience. While the 2013 models we drove are only currently available in states with zero-emission vehicle mandates, in 2014 they'll start rolling out into broader markets. The new powertrain is homegrown, a product of a pair of joint ventures established by Smart's parent, Daimler. The motor was developed in conjunction with Bosch, while the lithium-ion battery's supplied by Deutsche ACCUmotive, a group set up under the aegis of Daimler and Evonik. To keep costs low, the Fortwo is only set up for Level 1 and Level 2 charging. A Level 2 charge will fill the battery in six hours; plugging it into a regular household outlet results in a full charge in about 14 hours. Advertised range is 76 miles, and judging by the way we abused the throttle bombing around San Francisco for a couple of hours, it seems reasonable to us. Though the specs have improved over the Tesla-powered Fortwo, the real news is the pricing. Smart has just announced a $2,000 rebate. It knocks the base price of the coupe glider down to $17,990. The glider? Like, a rolling chassis? Yes. Smart's preferred way of moving Fortwo EDs -- either under sale or lease -- is to have you take ownership of the vehicle while it retains the pink slip for the battery, which it then rents you for $80 a month for a decade. The program's called Battery Assurance Plus and it guarantees you that you'll have a power pack with at least 80 percent capacity for 10 years. The company hasn't decided what they're going to do when the 10 years up, but they'll likely sell it to you for a couple hundred dollars. Under the new rebate plan, effective through the end of the year, a lease will run $139 a month, including Battery Assurance Plus. BAP is transferable, which means your Smart's next owner can reap the remainder of the guaranteed benefits once you've used up your preferred portion of the decade. What's it like to drive? The internally combusting Fortwo's powertrain is hobbled by a gearbox widely regarded as one of the most soul-destroying pieces of power-transmission equipment ever installed in a motor vehicle. And for such a tiny, tiny thing, the mileage isn't all that stellar. The cavernous-by-comparison Prius v will ace the gas Smart's EPA numbers under real-world conditions. A TDI Volkswagen will, too. And those are all like, real cars, with nice manuals or snot-slick twin-clutch transmissions. Look beyond the techy fuel-miser class and even conventional four-place gasoline-powered models feature matching EPA numbers. But the Smart ED? It's really what this little car was born to be in the first place. Daimler designed it from the outset to accept either a fuel-burning or electric powertrain, so the battery isn't wedged in somewhere the engineers could find space. Like the Tesla Model S, the Fortwo carries its cells under your feet, keeping the center of gravity low. That, combined with rear-wheel drive and a short wheelbase makes for a surprisingly compelling cornering experience. Power proved absolutely adequate in the cut-and-thrust of San Francisco traffic. While the 11.5-second 0-60 time won't burnish any Don Garlits dreams, acceleration is rapid enough to avoid catastrophe -- pretty much all 96 lb-ft of torque are available whenever you need them. Honestly, the only real gripe I had was with the pedal positioning and feel. Something about it led to a tired ankle after about 30 minutes in city traffic. Do I want one? For $139 a month? Hell, for that money I want one. Is it a brilliant road-burner? A stylish sportster? No, but it's a unique thing that performs a specific task quite well. Out on 19th Avenue, a 60-something guy in a Ford Explorer pulled up next to me. “How do you like that thing?” “It's all right, man. It's electric, which is fun.” “Oh! It's electric? Well, thank you for saving the planet. Obviously, I'm not.” The Fortwo ED may not be an aspirational object, but it's a nice-enough little bauble, made out of stuff that doesn't feel like junk. Throw in the incentives (check your special offers from your federal and local authorities) and it's about as cheap as cheap gets. And SUV drivers -- in liberal cities, at least -- will roll the roll of shame in your presence. If you're the kind of person who wants to be seen in a Smart (and let's face it, you already know if you are or not), this is the one to own. It's actually, you know, pretty smart. 2013 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive On Sale: Now Base Price: $25,750 (Coupe) Drivetrain: 74-hp, 96-lb-ft electric motor; RWD, 1-speed automatic; 17.6 kWh battery Curb Weight: TBA 0-60 mph: 11.5 sec Fuel Economy: 122 city/93 hwy/107 combined mpge 76 city/59 hwy/68 combined [© 2013 Crain Communications] http://www.theweeklydriver.com/2013-smart-fortwo-electric-eclectic-fun/ 2013 Smart Fortwo: Electric, eclectic, fun BY James Raia August 1, 2013 [image http://www.theweeklydriver.com/wp-content/uploads/smart3.jpg 2013 Smart Fortwo fits nearly anywhere. Images © James Raia/2013 http://www.theweeklydriver.com/2013-smart-fortwo-electric-eclectic-fun/smart1/ Several 2012 Smart Fortwos all in a row - A bunch of Smart cars all in a row http://www.theweeklydriver.com/2013-smart-fortwo-electric-eclectic-fun/smart2/ The 2013 Smart Fortwo EV is more efficient in 2013 - Smart Fortwo not-so-smartly parked. http://www.theweeklydriver.com/2013-smart-fortwo-electric-eclectic-fun/smart3/ 2013 Smart Fortwp - 2013 Smart Fortwo fits easily video / filmed and edited by Bruce Aldrich http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi1o0LZ3wmk 2013 Smart Fortwo TheWeeklyDriver Aug 1, 2013 A video review in San Francisco of the 2013 Smart Fortwo ] Introduced 15 years ago at the Paris Motor Show, the Smart Fortwo, named after its two-seat capacity, is now in its third generation as the smallest full production car available in the United States. The third generation of all electric model was also recently unveiled, and The Weekly Driver drove and filmed the new car at a press launch in San Francisco. Priced respectively at $25,000 (coupe) and $28,000 (cabriolet), the manufacturer is marketing the car as the most affordable full production electric vehicle in the United States. Customers may also be eligible for federal tax credits (totaling as much as $7,500) as well as state and/or local tax credits. During the presentation (and subsequent driving opportunity) of the new Fortwo EV at Hotel Zetta, the manufacturer also announced a new pricing incentive. The Fortwo EV is available with a $139 monthly payment ($60 less than previous) and with a down payment of $1,999. The offer is available only in zero emission states. Here are additional key facts and figures for the 2013 Smart Fortwo EV: Airbags (8): front, side, knee and window curtain for the driver and passenger. In the cabriolet’s open-top design, head and thorax air bags are installed instead of the coupe’s side and window curtain air bags. Charging Efficiency: 100 percent, 6 hours, level 2 charger, 240 voltage. Driving Range (Electric): 76 mpg (city), 59 (hwy), 68 (combined); MPGe 122 (city), 93 (hwy), 107 combined. Electric Capacity: 17.6 kwh. Wheelbase: 73.7 inches; Length 106 inches (8 feet, 10 inches). Driving Impressions: The streets of San Francisco have traffic just like any major metro city. It’s often mayhem. I drove the Smart Fortwo EV about 20 miles in mid-day traffic from the heart of the financial district to Golden Gate Park. I swerved around a bus and barely avoided a few cyclists dogging in and out of traffic. I liked the car’s responsiveness. It accelerated quicker than the Mitsubishi i-MIEV, one of its main competitors. The Smart Fortwo EV is quiet and it’s surprisingly spacious considering its status as the smallest car in full production in the United States. Braking involved a brief learning curve, with stopping requiring a good strong, sustained effort. My colleague, however, who also drove the car, didn’t feel the brakes were off-putting. Downtown San Francisco is a city with roads in constant disrepair or offering less-than-smooth driving — cable car and bus tracks, ancient, pot-holed asphalt, narrow streets and short steep hills. The Smart Fortwo handled the obstacles better than expected. And, of course, considering its size, parking in tight spots, zipping around construction areas or making U-turns impressively in small spaces all added to the fun. 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