Daimler Relying on Smart Fortwo EV for Brand Success
The Smart Fortwo hasn’t exactly been the resounding success Daimler had hoped it would be, but now the German automaker is hoping its electric vehicle variant will lift the brand’s sales.
The Smart Fortwo EV, or e-Smart, is hoping to recapture the city-car market, being the first mass-produced electric vehicle from a German automaker. It will hit dealerships in the coming weeks with a price tag close to $30,000 for the coupe and over $33,000 for the convertible (battery included). That’s nearly double the standard Fortwo model but still less than larger EVs like the Ford Focus Electric which scrapes the $40,000 mark before the tax incentive.
So will consumers opt to pay a premium in order to own and drive an electric Smart Fortwo? That remains to be unseen, but Daimler sure hopes so. Powered by a 73-hp electric motor, the Smart Fortwo EV has a top speed of 78 mph and a 90-mile electric range.
Of course, the idea of an electric Smart Fortwo fits the compact model perfectly; the city car was always built for short distance driving.
The e-Smart’s rollout will be supported by Daimler’s Car2Go car-sharing service that rents Fortwos by the minute in 15 cities across Europe and North America.
[Source: Automotive News]
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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