Smart is set to introduce the new Smart electric drive that combines agility with emission-free driving making the choice for urban electric mobility a smarter choice now. The fourth-generation electric driving pleasure can be experienced not only in the smart fortwo coupé and smart fortwo cabrio, but for the first time also in the four-seater smart forfour.
In future smart will be the only car manufacturer worldwide to offer its model range with both combustion engines and pure battery-electric drive. The smart electric drive will celebrate its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show (1 to 16 October 2016), while the market launch will start in the USA in three months and in Europe in spring 2017. The ideal city car for high traffic areas where parking is an issue, electric drive becomes a little bit more ideal at attractive prices. The fully charged battery has sufficient power to cover approximately 160 kilometers in accordance with the NEDC, making it ideal for urban use.
With the high-performance on-board charger the smart electric drive can be charged up to twice as fast as before (depending on the country version and the electricity supply network). With the new fast charger (optional extra available from 2017) the vehicle can be fully charged in less than 45 minutes. The charging time is an important factor for electric vehicle customers and the new smart electric drive also boasts major improvements here. All models have a new, powerful on-board charger as a standard feature. In the USA and Great Britain the charging time is 2.5 hours – half as long as for the predecessor. With the smart control app the charging process can be conveniently monitored from afar and many more functions such as intelligent charging can be controlled.
The driving characteristics are agile and lively. The ultra-small turning circle also contributes to this, and at 6.95 meters for the two-seater it corresponds precisely to that of its sibling with conventional drive. Every wish of consumers will be catered for with regard to colors and optional equipment – electric driving at smart offers maximum scope for customization.
The smart fortwo electric drive models are series produced at smart’s Hambach plant. The smart forfour electric drive is produced at the Novo Mesto site (Slovenia). The smart is equipped with a battery from the Daimler subsidiary Deutsche Accumotive. The company based in Kamenz, Saxony, has been building the electric heart of the smart electric drive since 2012.
A 60 kW (81 hp) electric motor works at the rear of the smart electric drive and transmits its power via a constant ratio to the wheels. A decent torque of 160 Nm is immediately available from a standstill. The electric drive has a range of approximately 160 km – ideal for local emission-free mobility in urban areas. The maximum speed is electronically limited to 130 km/h to maximize the range. Thanks to the power characteristics of the electric motor, the smart needs just one single fixed gear ratio. There is no need for any gear changing – a major advantage in dense city traffic. To reverse, the engine’s direction of rotation changes. The drive is produced in Renault’s plant in Clèon, Northern France.
Apart from the basic transmission mode, the driver can select ECO mode. This is designed for a particularly efficient driving style. In addition, the maximum speed is limited, the accelerator pedal curve adjusted and the maximum recuperation level is pre-selected. In overrun mode or when braking the vehicle’s kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy – this is called recuperation. The radar-based recuperation, which is active in the basic transmission mode, is anticipatory. The traffic situation is monitored with a radar sensor and a recuperation level that suits the current situation is selected.
