2012 Smart Fortwo Passion on 2040-cars

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Smart Fortwo Electric Drive lease now $139/mo

Electric cars seem to be getting more affordable by the day, and the latest to get a price drop is the 2013 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive. With sales currently limited to only a handful of states, the Smart Fortwo ED is preparing for its nationwide rollout by offering a 36-month lease of the Fortwo ED Coupe for as low as $139 per month - or the same price as the non-electric Fortwo. The previous Fortwo ED leases started at $199 a month.
Available until September 3, conditions of this lease include a down payment of $1,999 and signing up for the Battery Assurance Plus battery-lease program, which is a separate lease for the battery at $80 per month. This means that lessees are actually driving the Fortwo ED for just $59 each month, although a mileage cap is set at 30,000 miles. There has been no price drop for those interested in purchasing a 2013 Fortwo ED, however, as has been the case with rival EVs like the Ford Focus Electric, Nissan Leaf and, most recently, the Chevy Volt.
As an added bonus, Smart is also giving its dealers a $2,000 incentive on the Fortwo, which can be used in any way the dealer wishes - local advertising, lowering the asking price for consumers, etc. AutoblogGreen's Sebastian Blanco has put together quite a bit more info on the Smart Fortwo ED lease, click thru to read more.

The Smart ForTwo hits the streets for the NYPD

Members of New York's Finest will soon have 250 shiny new police cars for patrolling the Big Apple. Rather than intimidating Chargers or Tahoes, the NYPD ordered up some police-spec Smart ForTwos. Though they aren't likely to instill fear when they appear in your rearview mirror, they're a smart (sorry) choice for the city streets and will likely be welcomed by the officers who will drive them. You see, these ForTwos are replacing some enclosed, three-wheeled motorcycles that are used for city patrols. The three-wheelers are pretty crude so the ForTwo is sure to bring a marked improvement in comfort, safety, and probably noise levels. The ForTwo's small size and 22.8-foot turning circle are sure to be handy on tight New York City streets. One big improvement is that these ForTwos have air conditioning, unlike the motorcycles. NYPD police officer Ralph Jefferson was quoted by Smart saying it's "spacious and agile and makes my job much easier." He also said that people find it to be cute. They're not wrong. Smart doesn't do much to bring the ForTwo up to police-spec. The company adds blue flashing lights on top and a police radio inside. Smart also gives the ForTwos the NYPD's iconic white and blue police livery so that it's instantly recognizable. So far, Smart has delivered 100 of the little police cars, with the rest due later. They may not be as exciting as Dubai's collection of hypercar police vehicles, but they should serve their purpose well. Related Video: Featured Gallery NYPD Smart ForTwo Image Credit: Daimler AG Auto News Weird Car News smart Coupe Police/Emergency police car fortwo new york police department

Recharge Wrap-up: Smart Ready for Rent, MOIA comes to US in 2018

Daimler is launching its "Smart Ready to Rent" service in Europe. Beginning this month in German and French cities, the rental scheme bridges the gap between short-term Car2go rentals and longer leases. Customers book the Smart model of their choice – including the emissions-free Electric Drive and the hotter Brabus versions – for a period of one day up to three months. As such, Smart Ready to Rent is useful to those who live outside of an urban center. Users can book a car online or through a dealer, and vehicles are collected and returned at the dealership. Read more at Green Car Congress. Volkswagen will launch its MOIA mobility arm in the US in 2018. The recently announced brand will take on public transportation as a competitor with services such as ride hailing and car sharing. VW is looking into forging partnerships with the likes of technology and ride sharing companies. The automaker also expects to show an electric shuttle-type concept in 2017 for pooling services, but will use the three-row VW Atlas crossover in the meantime until that concept reaches production. Look to see MOIA emerging in major cities along the US coasts. Read more at Automotive News. A new report from Lux Research suggests that most EV batteries are better off being recycled than reused. Once lithium-ion batteries have outlived their usefulness for automotive duty, some automakers (BMW, Nissan, and Toyota included) are looking at ways to use their remaining capacity, such as for stationary energy storage. The new report, though, says that reusing batteries offers "questionable returns on account of reduced performance." Better to be like Tesla, and just recycle them. Read more at Hybrid Cars. Related Gallery Smart ForTwo ED: Paris 2016 View 12 Photos Related Gallery 2018 Volkswagen Atlas Unveiling View 43 Photos News Source: Green Car Congress, Automotive News, Hybrid CarsImage Credit: Copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / AOL Green smart Volkswagen Green Automakers Transportation Alternatives Electric recharge wrapup