Production of the new smart fortwo electric has begun at the automaker’s newly expanded Hambach plant in France. This is the first time that electric smarts have been produced as an integral part of a conventional smart assembly line alongside internal combustion engine variants. The ability to accept diverse powerplants is a key attribute of the smart brand.
The smart fortwo electric is available as either a coupe or cabriolet. It’s powered by a 74 horsepower (55kW) electric motor that provides acceleration from 0 – 37 mph (60 km/h) in 4.8 seconds with a top speed of 78 mph. A 17.6 kWh battery pack affords the two-seater a 90 mile driving range in the city. The electrified smart fortwo uses components from Bosch (EM-motive) and Evonik (Deutsche ACCUmotive).
Buyers have an interesting choice to make when they step up to the electric smart. It can be purchased in the usual way, in this case at a price from $29,581 to $33,441 for the electric coupe or cabrio, respectively. The company’s new ‘sale&care’ model allows customers an opportunity to buy, finance, or lease the vehicle but rent the battery separately for an $81 monthly fee. The sale&care price for the coupe without battery is $23,622 and $27,482 for the cabrio.
These prices are translated from the Euro and will likely fluctuate a bit by the time the vehicle makes it here to the States. But clearly, the specs are much better than those of the previous iteration we test drove last year and the price tag is more realistic as well, a plus on both counts.