By Alex Nunez on May 25, 2011 in
Electric cars are "in" right now. And why not? Gas is over four bucks a gallon, so anything that promises a less painful experience at the pump is attracting attention. These include increasingly gas-stingy economy cars and hybrids, as well as cars that partially or completely eschew gas pumps for electrical outlets. Smart USA arranged for ConsumerSearch to play with one of the latter for the day: a 2011 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive. There are currently 250 of them in the U.S. (1,500 worldwide) as part of Smart's ongoing electric-vehicle testing program. We drove around for a few hours to get a feel for Smart's newest (and greenest) offering.
Phased testing
The Fortwo Electric Drive that was dropped off outside our office was a "phase-two" test car, like the rest of the U.S. fleet in circulation. Smart will collect usage data from these and use it to help develop the "phase three" cars due to arrive in dealerships next year. Those will be normal production vehicles available for retail sale. For now, however, the electric Smart is a lease-only deal available to those willing to shell out a whopping $599/month for the privilege.
Visually, the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive no different than its gas-powered counterpart, save for some eye-catching green accents, "ED" decals aft of the windows, and "electric drive" badging in back. If you're particularly observant, you'll also notice there's no tailpipe. The charging port's placement is convetional, too; it's hidden behind a standard fuel-filler door.
It's the same story inside. The passenger and cargo compartments are dimensionally identical to conventionally-powered Smarts. Green trim and some EV-specific instrumentation (certain warning lights, a charge gauge, and a battery-draw gauge) are the only electric-car "tells".
Interestingly, the color combo attracted the attention of NYC cabbies. That jaded bunch has seen everything, but seemed to dig the green-and-white Smart, with more than a few throwing out a thumbs-up or yelling "Nice car!" from the open window of a passing Crown Vic.
Under the skin
The reason the electric Smart's dimensions are unchanged is because the EV mechanicals fit exactly into the spots vacated by the traditional drivetrain. The lithium-ion battery pack lives where the fuel tank usually resides, while the electric motor fits in the space normally occupied by the gasoline engine. A single-speed transmission replaces the automated manual used in regular Smarts.
The car's electric motor won't win you any drag races. It delivers 20 kW (around 27 hp) of constant power, and can go as high as 30 kW (around 40 hp) for up to two minutes when you floor it. The motor also generates 89 lb-ft of torque, all of which is instantly available whenever you touch the accelerator.
Surprisingly roomy
The first thing that strikes you about the electric Smart (or any Smart, for that matter) is how roomy it is. No one believes this until they sit in one. Despite its miniscule clown-car footprint, the Fortwo offers generous head, leg, and elbow room. At 5' 9', I had plenty of headroom to spare. Our managing editor, Scott Nyerges, is an even 6' and he was perfectly comfortable. It's easy to climb in and out, too. The doors are big but not heavy, and they open wide. Electronics editor Carl Laron marveled at the ease of entry and overall comfort. "I want one of these," he said as we finished a spin around the block.
The cargo shelf behind the seats is small -- 7.8 cubic feet if you fill it up to the car's beltline -- but you can definitely fit a small to moderate load of groceries back there. To access the cargo area, you unlock it with the key fob, swing the rear window up out of the way and then drop the tailgate, pickup-style.
Behind the wheel
A few years ago, I drove a different 40-horsepower Smart: a previous-generation European-spec diesel car. It looked neat, but the rest of the experience was lousy. It was loud, rough-riding, slow, and the transmission was awful. Dynamically, it possessed all the character of a riding mower. The Smart ED is the opposite of all those things.
First, it's quiet. All EVs are. Twist the key in the starter and the car turns on, but doesn't make a sound. Once you pop it into drive and get underway, the electric motor emits an audible techno-whine as it spins along. It's loud enough for pedestrians to hear, but neither annoying nor intrusive.
In city traffic, the immediate torque availability gives the electric Fortwo a surprising anmount of grunt, despite its dinky power numbers. The car hangs in with the taxis and delivery trucks, and when you bury the accelerator, that additional 10 kW of available power is noticeable. Passengers I took for rides were universally impressed. Associate editor Jillian Ryan called the Smart "spunky." No one expected the seat-of-the-pants feel that the electric Smart Fortwo delivered.
Smart says zero to 40 mph takes 6.5 seconds and that the top speed is limited to 62.5 mph, so it's not a great highway car by any means, but it can still handle a quick shot in the slow lane. The important thing is that for normal urban or suburban driving, the available power is totally adequate. I had no issues darting through gaps in the traffic (it was fun, like driving a bumper car with airbags), and at one point, I found myself keeping pace with a Ford Expedition after we both launched from a stoplight. He pulled away after a half-block, but the Smart ED held its own.
Ride quality may be the biggest surprise of all. I expected it to be jarring, based on prior experience. The opposite is true. The electric Smart rides very smoothly, ably handling the speed bumps that line West 17th Street by ConsumerSearch HQ. It was the same story tooling around lower Manhattan and up into midtown. Most impressively, on a cobblestone block that showcases every squeak and rattle in my personal car, the Smart ED was superbly planted, and its suspension absorbed the bumps as if it were bolted to a luxury car. Adding to the unexpected and pleasantly surprising feeling of refinement was the single-speed transmission, which never has to shift.
Smart says the Fortwo ED has a maximum range of around 84 miles. Your personal experience, as they say, may vary. It all depends on driving conditions, how judicious you are with the throttle, and how much regenerative braking you're able to take advantage of. After roaming the streets for a few hours, I put a whopping 13 miles on the Smart and used around 20% of its charge. I was alternately babying it and stomping the accelerator, and had the AC blasting (it blows ice-cold) for a quarter of the time.
A full charge of the battery takes 8 hours or so via a 220-volt circuit. You can also use a standard 110V household outlet, but that'll take a lot longer. I'd love to define "a lot," but my brief time with the Smart didn't include any charging opportunities.
Summing it up
The 2011 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive is neat-looking and fun. I had a blast with it, and my appreciation for electric cars continues to grow. They're genuinely cool.
As well as the Smart ED performed in the city, I feel like it's really an ideal suburban car. After all, charging at home in the suburbs is a no-brainer; you pull into your garage, plug it in, and turn in for the evening. Charging in a city like New York presents challenges: namely, a dearth of convenient charging points. You'd need to sort of rearrange your life around your car and the available charging infrastructure. Until that urban infrastructure becomes more robust, you're better off buying something else. Or taking the subway.
The biggest negative right now has to be the Smart Fortwo ED's steep $599/month lease cost (for these "phase two" test cars, at least). Clearly, it's a luxury item, especially when you consider that it almost has to be a household's second vehicle. It'll be interesting to see how low Smart can keep the retail price on the phase three cars when they hit the market next year. You have to believe that Smart wants to stay in the same general ballpark as competitors like the Nissan Leaf.
That said, early adopters will likely be very happy with it. The electric Smart's jaunty looks, surprisingly pleasant ride, and reasonable performance all seem better when you consider that you never have to put gas in the thing. The Smart Fortwo Electric Drive isn't just a smarter Smart, it's probably the best one.