Smart EV line-up (LA Auto Show 2016)
Following the ForTwo and the
ForFour’s pure electric debut at the Paris Auto Show, the Daimler-owned car
maker premiered the three models at 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show. Smart’s line-up just got greener in the U.S., as the
company brought its electric models stateside.
A 81 hp and 160 Nm of
torque electric motor, paired to a Renault-sourced, single speed fixed gear
transmission that drives the rear wheels. Since there’s no need for any gear
changing, the car simply changes the engine’s direction of rotation when
“engaged” in reverse.
The powertrain is capable of accelerating the ForTwo
from 0 to 100 km/h in 11.5 seconds, the ForTwo Cabrio in 11.8 seconds,
and the ForFour in 12.5 seconds. To help maximize efficiency, top speed is
limited to 130 km/h.
Thanks to the 17.6kWh lithium-ion battery, the
ForTwo Coupe offers a driving range of 160 km, while the ForTwo
Cabrio and the ForFour 155 km. For now, charging takes about 2.5
hours but from next year Smart will offer a powerful 22 kW fast charger that
will juice up the vehicle is 45 minutes.
