Smart Fortwo Electric Drive (2006 – 2014) Review
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Smart Fortwo Electric Drive (2006 – 2014) At A Glance
Good performance and reasonable range for an electric city-only car. Exempt from congestion charge and road tax. Cheap to run.
Initially available as a business lease car only and the monthly rentals are a high £375pm.
With its diminuitive size and proven city car credentials the smart fortwo makes a sensible base for a pure electric vehicle.
The smart ed (electric drive) is powered by a rear mounted 30KW (40bhp) magneto-electric motor which produces 120Nm of torque. Drive is delivered through a single gear ratio to the rear wheels.
A full charge from empty takes eight hours and gives a theoretical range of 84 miles. The Tesla developed battery can be charged from any 220 Volt three -pin socket, providing it has a fuse.
Top-speed is limited to 62mph, so the smart ed isn’t suited to an out-of-town environment.
Reviews for Smart Fortwo Electric Drive (2006 – 2014)'s top 3 rivals
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Smart Fortwo Electric Drive (2006 – 2014) handling and engines
The smart ed is very similar on city roads to conventional, internal combustion powered smart cars – it’s fairly nimble and its small size makes it ideal for nipping in and out of tight gaps and through even the narrowest of side streets.
The steering is extremely light, so parking is a piece of cake. It’s also direct, and coupled with the rather stiff suspension set up, immediate torque delivery and short wheelbase the smart ed is actually quite good fun in an urban environment.
However, the stiff suspension also makes the car uncomfortable over rough, potholed roads and speed bumps. It seems strange that a car with a focus on being useful in the city should have such a set up.
The electric motor is quiet and provides plenty of torque, making quick progress to 30mph easy and enjoyable. There’s nothing more than a slight whine from the car is it travels along, which is pleasant for the driver and passenger but not so much for pedestrians, who don’t hear it.
Travelling into areas with a higher speed limit than 40mph would be unwise though. The electric motor and single ratio gearbox might be ideal for busy city streets but the smart ed runs out of puff quite quickly after 30mph, and the limited top speed of 62mph means motorways are absolutely off-limits.
The smart cdi and micro-hybrid both offer impressive fuel economy in the same compact, nimble package, with enough power to work on a motorway. It’s quite likely that the electric smart will cost substantially more than both the cdi and micro-hybrid variants, too.
The eight-hour charge time, restricted top speed and short range mean that when that while the smart ed is quite an enjoyable city drive, unless you’re a serious eco-nut it is unlikely to make financial sense when it is available in late 2012. You’d be better off with a conventionally powered smart.
Smart Fortwo Electric Drive (2006 – 2014) interior
The inside of the smart ed is the same as the inside of any other smart, with two seats, and a simple, plain dash and centre stack. Cup holders, electric windows and air-conditioning are standard. The latter is powered by its own battery and so shouldn’t have a severe effect on the cars range.
There’s an additional pod on the top of the dash with a charge meter in it, as well as a readout to tell you how much drain you’re putting on the battery. It also tells you if your battery is gaining charge from any regenerative braking. The charge meter can be swivelled through 90 degrees so you can read it from outside the car, making it easy to see how your charge is progressing without clambering inside.
The cabin is fairly spacious considering the cars size, but is obviously only suitable for two. Boot space is as any other smart, with a split tailgate providing easy access.
Model History
March 2006
The smart ed costs around £1.80 to fully charge. In some of the most efficient diesels that would get you around 25 miles, but could potentially get you 80 in the smart ed. So if you only ever cover short distances it won’t cost much to run. VED is free, thanks to zero tailpipe emissions.
It’s exceptionally easy to drive in an urban environment. The single gear ratio means steady progress is easy, and stop start traffic isn’t a problem. 0-30mph takes the same amount of time as a petrol smart. It’s classed as a car rather than a quadricycle, unlike the G-Whizz. That means it’s as safe as its internal combustion powered counterparts in an accident.
July 2006
Smart ev (electric vehicle) launched "on trial". The car is made available on a lease arrangement to selected UK corporate customers with deliveries from November 2006. It has 30kW output, a top speed of 70 mph and offers better in-town performance than its petrol powered stablemate, with 0-30 mph in 6.5 seconds. Range is up to 72 miles and the smart ev is exempt from vehicle excise duty and congestion charge. The drive train for the smart ev is produced in the UK by technology partner Zytek Group who undertake final assembly of the smart ev in Fradley, near Litchfield. Available for business leas only at a high £400pm due to low volumes. Cars taken back at end of lease and batteries and all main components recycled.
March 2009
Smart EV revived for second generation Smart. Zytek has developed an integrated electric drivetrain to drive the rear wheels of the Smart Fortwo. The drivetrain integrates the electric motor, power and control electronics, into one assembly with only three connections: water, high voltage electrics (300V) and low voltage electrics (12v). This replaces the conventional petrol engine and rear axle, and removal of the fuel tank allows room for a battery pack below the floor.
The second-generation electric Smart will represent a major upgrade on the first version, which has been tested extensively in London since 2007. The new version is based on the second-generation Fortwo model, and the biggest technical change is a move to Lithium Ion batteries instead of sodium-nickel-chloride. This will increase the range life of the battery pack, while cutting recharge times. The batteries are to be supplied by US-based electric sports car maker Tesla.
The new Smart Fortwo ED is used mainly in organised EV test programmes in major European cities, including Berlin, Paris, Rome, Milan and Pisa, with further cities planned. The smart ed was the top selling electric car in 2008 and continues to outsell the competition so far in 2009.
The smart ed emits no carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, unburned hydro-carbons, particulate matter or any harmful substance – in fact it emits nothing at all. The smart ed retains all the safety equipment you would find on a regular smart. So unlike electric quadricycles you will find ESP, ABS brakes two Airbags and seat belt pre tensioners on the ed. The ed also is exempt from London Congestion Charging & Vehicle Excise Duty. Drivers of the smart ed can expect to achieve the equivalent of around 300 mpg
The smart ed has no engine oil, oil filter, spark plugs or exhaust. In fact there are only a handful of moving parts in the driveline, resulting in very low service and maintenance costs. Following successful trials in the UK, the zero-emission, smart fortwo electric drive is ready for small series production.
Reaction from customers taking part in the UK trial, including the Metropolitan Police, universities, local councils, architects and energy companies, has proved so encouraging that smart’s parent company, Daimler AG, can confirm that the smart electric drive will go into small series production, with cars coming to the UK in early 2010.
