Smart Fortwo fulfils its destiny
Don’t look now, but the little electric-powered cabriolet might just be the world’s happiest car
The downtown traffic in Geneva is a snarling, sweltering hell of gridlock. We enter a roundabout, which under normal circumstances would aid the flow of traffic. But on this day is a cluster of buses, idling cars and a swarm of scooters zipping around unfettered like bees in a hive. The sun beats down and a kid in a bus sticks her tongue out at us.
Normally, this would be enough to bring forth a volley of unprintables along with the old one-finger salute. But I feel happy, and not just because I made a face back at that kid. Our secret weapon is a bright green 2018 Smart Fortwo Cabrio Electric Drive, perhaps the happiest car in the world. If Kermit drove a car, it would be this.
With a tiny footprint and a turning circle the size of a large pizza, I run our silent, stealthy roller skate up on the inside of the roundabout and dive in between two buses. Then, by poking its green snout into any opening I can find, we worm our way to the outside of the circle and escape down a side street into the warren of Geneva’s old city. The instant 118 pound-feet of torque fires us down the lane like a green hornet. Folks, this is what the Smart Electric Drive lives for. Pull this stunt in Toronto and you’d probably make it onto the news. Here, it’s just another, er, “smart” fellow using the right tool for the job.
This latest generation of the electrically motivated Smart Fortwo will arrive in Canada this October, as both coupe and cabriolet. By that time, the gas-powered Smart will have run its course in North America; unlike other world markets, we will have only battery-motivated Smart cars. A questionable move perhaps, considering North America isn’t exactly a hotbed of EV acceptance, and the electric Smart accounted for about 30 per cent of Mercedes’ total brand sales. Yet on closer scrutiny, it’s a pretty cool strategy. Electric cars are the future, they tell us, so why not position this endearing urban oddball (and certainly the least expensive EV) as a spearhead for Benz in North America?
There are a few gas models left in dealerships as I write, so if you want a Fortwo with an 89-horsepower turbocharged three-cylinder engine, with either five-speed manual or six-speed automatic, now is the time. But in my opinion, the smartest Smart has always been the electrified version, and indeed the Fortwo was designed from the outset to have electric propulsion. So in essence, this is the full realization of the concept.
This third-generation Smart, which arrived in 2016 with the aforementioned gas engine, was a quantum leap over the previous model. The wider cabin afforded more elbow room, interior quality was up, handling was more stable, the ride was better and the steering quicker. Now it goes electric.
As with all Smarts, the motor lives between, and drives, the rear wheels. It improves on the old with an electric motor good for 82 horsepower and 118 lb-ft. The lithium-ion battery capacity remains the same, at 17.6 kWh, although claimed range for the Cabrio increases from 140 to 155 kilometres.
The on-board charger doubles in capacity to 7.2 kW, cutting charging time to 2.5 hours from zero to 80 per cent, when drawing from a 240volt charging point. Of course, if you don’t get a home charger installed and stick with a 110 volt wall plug, your clothes could be out of style by the time the battery is topped up. But that wouldn’t be very smart, would it? Also new for this electrified Smart is an eight-year or 100,000-kilometre battery guarantee.
The Cabrio is the way to go if you’re getting Smart, adding another layer of fun and funky. The fabric top rolls back with a push of a button at any speed; the first stage makes for a giant sunroof while a second press accordions the whole thing. For the full alfresco experience, the side roof rails can be removed and stored within the tailgate.
We escape the confines of the city and head up along the west shore of Lake Geneva. As there is no transmission, power delivery is seamless, and the battery pack that lives under the floor gives our green ride a low centre of gravity and great agility. Top speed is limited to 130 km/h in the interest of range. With the Fortwo’s short wheelbase, the ride can get a bit pitchy on uneven surfaces, but overall it’s a comfortable enough urban chariot. There’s certainly no lack of headroom or legroom, and forward visibility is panoramic.
In true Smart tradition, perched atop the dash is a retro-look gauge that shows battery charge level and power usage. Pressing the Eco button increases range by limiting maximum speed, changing the sensitivity of the accelerator pedal and ramping up the regenerative braking when lifting off. As with most EVs, a dedicated app lets you keep tabs on your Smart from afar, and pre-program things such as charge times and cabin temperature before going off the grid.
The 2018 Smart Fortwo Cabrio Electric Drive will start at around $30,000, which brings us to the sensitive issue of provincial rebates. Ontario residents can expect a whopping $13,000 bribe from Queen’s Park, which places this charming, dirt-cheap-to-run battery-powered go kart squarely in the “screamin’ deal” category. Quebecers will get $8,000, while those in British Columbia receive $5,000.
As before, this Smart EV will serve mainly as a funky eco-trinket for urban greenies with some disposable cash and a couple other vehicles in their garages. It may not change the world just yet, but if it turns a few more North American drivers on to the select benefits (and joys) of electrification, then we can count that as a good thing.