Zero-Emission Driving Fun: Goodbye, Filling Stations - The New Smart Fortwo Electric Drive Has Arrived

BÖBLINGEN, GERMANY – June 18, 2012: 12 June 2012 – this date marks the starting signal for the first real alternative to the usual refuelling stops. With the launch of the new smart fortwo electric drive, in future smart customers can enjoy even more fun at the wheel of an attractively priced vehicle that has the familiar compact dimensions - as a coupé or a cabriolet. The most important feature distinguishing it from its siblings with conventional engines is the fact that it does not produce any emissions on the road. With its 55kW electric motor the smart fortwo electric drive accelerates from 0 - 60 km/h in 4.8 seconds, and with a maximum speed of 125 km/h driving pleasure is also guaranteed on urban motorways. The 17.6 kWh battery enables the urban two-seater to travel approximately 145 kilometres in city traffic without producing any local emissions. The new sale&care model makes opting into electric mobility particularly attractive: it offers customers an opportunity to buy, finance or lease the vehicle at an attractive price and to rent the battery for a monthly fee.

Extensive experience and customer feedback from various electric mobility projects were integrated in the further development of the smart fortwo electric drive. Ever since 1998 the smart has been revolutionising urban mobility like no vehicle before it. Compact, agile, environmentally friendly and stylish – it has evolved from a practical small car to a lifestyle product and has long become a familiar sight on the roads of cities around the world.

From the summer the smart fortwo electric drive will start winning wide-ranging buyers in more than 30 international countries for its innovative and forward-looking drive concept.

Dr. Annette Winkler, Head of smart, says "The smart fortwo was designed for an electric drive right from the start as our customers to date have already been able to experience for themselves in their daily use of this vehicle. We have taken their feedback and wishes very seriously. The new smart fortwo electric drive represents a completely new dimension of zero-emission driving pleasure at a price that is really attractive."

The new model is fitted with a 55 kW magneto-electric motor - the first product from the EM-motive joint venture founded together with Bosch – ensuring that it is as agile and lively as ever.

With torque of 130 Newton metres it accelerates powerfully from 0 to 60 km/h in 4.8 seconds, and thanks to better acceleration in the higher speed range it can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 11.5 seconds as it has much more tractive power than its predecessor.

This makes for speedy driving and overtaking. The battery-electric two-seater smart fortwo now has a higher top speed of 125 km/h, as well. That is putting it on a par with the combustion-engined smart – also on the motorway.

A battery from the joint venture "Deutsche ACCUmotive" with Evonik Industries is fitted in the new smart fortwo electric drive for the first time. With capacity of 17.6 kWh the lithium-ion battery enables 145 kilometres of pollutant-free driving fun. In addition to the higher battery capacity clear improvements have been made to the efficiency of the drive system, resulting in a greater range. When completely empty it takes a maximum of seven hours to fully charge the battery at a household socket or charging station on the electricity systems of most countries i.e. overnight.