Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Smart to Drop Gas-Powered Fortwo, Will Sell Only EVs in North America
Smart has decided to pull the plug on its gas-powered Fortwo in the U.S., and has decided to only sell its Smart Electric Coupe instead.
While we weren't big fans of the earlier gas-powered Smarts, we really liked the latest version when we reviewed it. It was quick, fun-to-drive, and ridiculously nimble—a vehicle I could consider buying. We also reviewed a 2013 Fortwo Electric Drive and found it peppy, quirky, and better than earlier gas iterations. So perhaps the combo of new Smart Fortwo chassis and EV power will be a key to Smart's success in North America?
According to Automotive News, Daimler will refocus the Smart brand on EVs only, and the company will cease production of North American Fortwos sometime later this year. It should be noted that this change is for the U.S. and Canada only. For what it's worth, only 6,211 ForTwos were sold in 2016. Automotive News reports that 25% of Fortwo sales have been the electric versions.
Currently, Smart USA has a lease deal on leftover 2016s where you can get into a Fortwo, still powered by dinosaur juice, for $89 a month, which is pretty cheap. And yes, you can get a Fortwo with either a manual or automatic transmission.
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2 comments:
Personally I feel the EV Smart needs to have a greater capacity for driving more miles. I live in the Bay Area- and one way is 37 miles- which can take up to 2 hours (depending on traffic/accidents/etc.) and driving back to Sacramento is over 80 miles- so based upon the Smart EV charge- I couldn't make it- and charging time was ridiculously high- which is why I chose the fuel edition. This is my 2nd Smart car I've owned since 2010. I love the car- it's a lot of fun to drive- although the 2016 has a much smaller tank than my former 2010- and that's a little annoying for my road trips home to Oregon, but it's much better than the EV version. I sure do hope that this new version is going to focus on greater travel miles than the current one- and quicker charging. Great little car- and I traded in my E350 for it- so I hope Daimler improves the next models so I don't have to go back to another brand besides Daimler.
I think Smart is not very smart in no longer selling the gas powered Fortwo in the United States and Canada after 2017. For the electric version to be appealing, it needs a longer range and shorter charging time.
I also think it was not smart for Smart to not sell the Forfour in the United States. I think it would appeal to more people than a two seat commuter car. I think they should have sold the SUV version of the Forfour in the United States too.
I wish they would not only create a new roadster but also sell it in the United States. I think it would increase the Smart brand models and its appeal to customers.
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