The New Smart Fortwo Cabrio Electric Drive: Stylish Electric Car for Sun, Summer and the City

Following the smart fortwo coupé and smart forfour (combined power consumption: 12.9/ 13.1 kWh/100 km; CO₂ emissions combined: 0 g/km) the smart fortwo cabrio with battery-electric drive is now also being launched on time for the summer (combined power consumption: 13.0 kWh/100 km). The stylish electric car combines the open-air driving fun of the smart fortwo cabrio with the special driving pleasure and zero emissions of the electric drive. It has been possible to place orders for the smart cabrio since early May; market launch will start in July 2017. In Germany prices for the smart fortwo cabrio electric drive start at €25,200 (recommended retail price including 19% VAT) (including environmental bonus: €20,820).

Three cars in one: at the touch of a button the smart fortwo cabrio is transformed from a closed two-seater into a car with a large sliding canvas sunroof, or a fully-fledged cabriolet with the soft top completely open. This enables the fresh air driving experience to be adapted to the weather or the driver’s mood. This flexibility offered by the “tritop” folding soft top and the removable roof bars is a special feature – and not just in this segment. At the same time, the new smart fortwo cabrio is the only true cabriolet in its vehicle class – and as an electric drive one of the few open-top electric cars on the entire market.

Dr Annette Winkler, head of smart, says “Of our three all-electric smart models, the smart cabrio electric drive in particular highlights everything about electric mobility that so delights our customers. The roof opens in a matter of seconds, and you cruise almost silently through the city, feeling the fantastic acceleration get right under your skin.”

The driving characteristics are as agile and lively as ever. The ultra-small turning circle also contributes to this, and at 6.95 metres it corresponds precisely to that of its sibling with conventional drive. Every wish will be catered for with regard to colours and optional equipment – electric driving at smart offers maximum scope for customisation.

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 UK the charging time is 2.5 hours (from 0 to 80%) – 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.

From the spring of 2018 a particularly powerful 22 kW fast charger will be available as an option. This enables the smart electric drive to be charged much more quickly: in less than 45 minutes (0-80%) when local conditions allow three-phase charging.

The smart fortwo cabrio electric drive is series-produced at smart’s Hambach plant in France. 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. The drive is produced at Renault’s plant in Clèon, Northern France.

A 60 kW (82 hp) electric motor runs at the rear of the smart electric drive and transmits its power via a constant ratio to the wheels. Powerful torque of 160 Nm is immediately available from a standstill. The electric drive has a range of approximately 155 km – ideal for local emission-free mobility in urban areas. The maximum speed is electronically limited to 130 km/h to maximise 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 data for the new smart fortwo cabrio electric drive at a glance:

^*Recommended retail price for Germany incl. 19% VAT

As well as 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.

To save energy and extend the range, the smart electric drive also features pre-entry climate control. For example, this enables the desired temperature to be reached in the interior while the vehicle is still charging at a socket.

With the “smart control” app a host of electric drive information can be called up via smartphone, tablet or PC and functions such as pre-entry climate control or intelligent charging can be conveniently controlled remotely. The new model has more operating options than its predecessor. For example, two programmable departure times mean that intelligent charging and pre-entry climate control do not always need to be re-set for frequent journeys.

The smart electric drive models surpass the extensive standard equipment of their siblings with conventional drive, as they additionally have a shift lever knob in black leather, a centre console with drawer and double cup holder and a dashboard instrument with power meter and battery status display. The winter package with a heated steering wheel for maximum thermal comfort is available as an option. The electric drive design package (optionally available) gives the vehicle an expressive look with tridion safety cell and door mirror caps painted in exclusive electric green. And every wish can be catered for when it comes to colours and optional equipment, as the smart BRABUS tailor made individualisation programme is also available for the smart electric drive.

With eye-catching design details in electric green, the special model smart electric drive greenflash is an exciting highlight for the market launch. This special smart electric drive is available as a cabrio with prices starting from €31,098 (incl. environmental bonus: €26,718).

Electric history at smart

With the launch of the first electrically driven test fleet in 2007 in London, smart also took on a pioneering role in the field of electric mobility when 100 smart fortwo electric drives took to the roads of the British capital – with great success.

In 2009 smart launched the second generation of the smart fortwo electric drive, with the model introduced in 18 markets. The objective was to gather as much experience as possible about how customers use and charge electric vehicles. The huge demand exceeded all expectations. Instead of the planned 1000 vehicles, more than 2000 smart fortwo electric drives were produced in Hambach.

From June 2012 the third generation of the smart fortwo electric drive also succeeded in winning wide-ranging buyers for its innovative and forward-looking drive concept. Moreover, in 2013 the smart fortwo was the first all-electric vehicle from a European importer in China. In Germany, the electric smart established itself as the market leader among battery-electric vehicles within a very short space of time with a market share of around 40 percent and was able to maintain this position for three years in a row.

The smart electric drive also contributed to the success of the brand as part of the car2go fleet with 1400 cars in three cities. As car2go vehicles alone, the smart electric drive has covered more than 35 million km in demanding everyday use since the launch.

smart fortwo cabrio electric drive

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