The Smart Electric will arrive with a 60 kW (80 hp) and 160 Nm motor, which is an increase over the previous version of 5 hp and 30 Nm. It doesn't sound like much, but considering that the previous version was under a ton (Daimler hasn't provided the weight of the new generation), you can assume more than cheerful accelerations.
The battery does not increase its capacity and remains at 17.6 kWh, being lithium-ion with 96 flat cells and manufactured by Deutsche ACCUMOTIVE, a Daimler subsidiary dedicated to battery manufacturing. It is located in the floor, under the seats, to maintain a low center of gravity. We can assume that with the improvement made in the batteries in recent years, will have reduced its weight and size, although no details are offered in this regard.
With this power plant, this little guy can reach 160 km distance on a single charge (according to NEDC cycle, which as we know is quite optimistic, and that will probably stay at about 100 km in the Real WorldTM) and is capable of recharging to 80% in just 45 minutes, thanks to a new optional 22 kW charger, provided that the charging infrastructure is capable of delivering that power. To complete the charge, it will take about 2.5 hours, half the time it took with its predecessor.
To increase the range Smart has included a rather innovative ECO mode, which is able to anticipate traffic thanks to its radar sensor, and thus increase the regeneration accordingly. Apart from this, it adjusts the climate control, throttle curve and limits the top speed to contribute to maximum energy savings.
In terms of performance, it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 11.5 s and is capable of reaching 130 km/h, a speed that is electronically limited. As we can see, nothing spectacular, but sufficient for the purpose for which it is supposed to be dedicated this vehicle, that is, to trips within the city.
The equipment will be the usual Smart range, plus some specific details, such as the battery capacity meter, and power mode, which is located on a dial on the left side of the instrument panel. It will be possible to select the "electric drive" package, which includes green accents on the Tridion cell design and interior, along with 16'' wheels; or the "winter" package, which includes heated seats and steering wheel. The climate control or the charging status can be controlled from our phone, thanks to an application designed by Smart, to pre-climatize the vehicle while it is charging.
And how much does all this cost? Well, 21,940 euros for the ForTwo, 25,200 euros for the ForTwo Cabrio, and 22,600 euros for the ForFour, prices in Germany before subsidies. It will first be launched in the US in early 2017 and then in Europe. Later we will know the prices for Spain.
Considering its range, it can be considered as a second or third vehicle, so the price seems too high to become a bestseller. Of course, it can boast of being one of the cheapest electric cars on the market, and incidentally serves as a test bench for Daimler, before launching the electrification of its entire range.
