Smart revealed the Forease concept car at the
recently held Paris Motor Show 2018. The new model marks the 20th anniversary
of the first-ever model from the Daimler AG-owned car marque.
The Smart Forease concept is
based on the Smart EQ Fortwo Cabrio, and in words of the manufacturer, presents
an “uncomplicated solution to urban mobility”. While the new model shares many
design cues with its donor vehicle, it features a shorter windscreen with two
‘safety domes’ behind the seats. The concept model is finished in white with
‘stream green’ highlights.
As the car doesn't have a foldable soft top, Smart
has done away with air vents. Instead, the dashboard gets two additional
digital displays. These screens can be used for smartphone mirroring purposes
and show the content of an app.
The Smart Forease uses an all-electric powertrain and the company
aims to become an electric-only car brand in Europe from 2020. Moreover, the
company has sold only EVs in the car markets of the US, Canada, and Norway
since last year.
The Smart Forease pays homage to the two earlier
concept vehicles from the company - Crossblade (2001) and Forspeed (2011). The
Smart Crossblade featured a minimalist design without doors, roof or
windscreen.
While it started life as a show model, it was produced in limited
numbers (2,000 units) owing to the overwhelming response that the show car
received. The Forspeed, which came a decade later, previewed the company's
electric drive system.
