2015 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe on 2040-cars

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Car2go acquires RideScout, adds all sorts of transportation options to carsharing program

Car2go has always been about offering its members an alternative to traditional car ownership as they move around town. Now, the carsharing company's focus is expanding to offer alternatives (plural) with the addition of things like taxis, bikesharing and public transportation to the Car2go family. This is because Car2go and its parent company, Moovel (which is in turn owned by Daimler), have acquired RideScout, an all-in-one service that Car2go calls, "the leading app-based mobility platform in North America." The idea behind RideScout is that you put in the address/POI of where you want to go and the app lists a number of options for you to get there, including expected travel time and cost. Think of it as a version of that all-in-one Helsinki project we mentioned the other day without the coordinated payment but which works in more cities. Car2go says that RideScout makes it simple to find, "the best way to get from point A to point B." Car2go has more thatn 850,000 registered members in 26 cities around the world. Check out the Car2go/RideScout welcome email (with details on a free-driving promotion) and two videos below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. What is RideScout? from RideScout on Vimeo. car2go Welcomes RideScout to the Mobility Family! Dear car2go Member, Since our launch five years ago, we have believed that how we all get from point A to point B has a massive impact on our quality of life and the environment in which we live, work, and play. Whether it's to get to those significant life experiences, or those everyday life errands, we have remained committed to making life easier to get to where you need to go, when you need to go, with complete ease. As the largest fastest-growing global carsharing company, we are proud to say that we have continued those efforts to provide the best service and experience to our valued community of over 850,000 registered car2go members across 26 cities around the world. Today, we are thrilled to share that we have acquired RideScout, the leading app-based mobility platform in North America, dedicated to allowing users to search and compare ground transportation options on demand.

2017 Smart ForTwo Cabriolet First Drive [w/video]

Let's have some real talk for a moment. Unless you're part of a very specific, smaller-than-a-Smart-car group of people, the ForTwo makes absolutely no sense for your lifestyle. If you're looking for a relatively fun-to-drive, fuel-efficient, functional, and affordable vehicle, you're probably looking at a Honda Fit (or should be, anyway). But if you are one of those few folks seeking the daily companionship of a Smart, I offer this advice: Get the Cabriolet. Face it: You're willingly making the choice to sacrifice utility and practicality for something that's easy to park, zippy around town, and – let's be honest – super cute. You're buying an automobile that's more lifestyle accessory than actual car, and you're spending more money than you would on an ordinary B-segment hatchback. So shell out a few extra bucks and get the one that heightens your senses and makes the whole experience more enjoyable. The roof fully opens in 12 seconds flat and can be operated at any speed. Mechanically, the 2017 ForTwo Cabriolet is identical to its hardtop sibling. The same turbocharged, 898-cc inline three-cylinder engine is tucked beneath the cargo area, producing the same 89 horsepower and 100 pound-feet of torque. You still get the tiny-tough appearance, with 15-inch wheels pushed to the extremes of all four corners. There are still eleventy billion color combinations, with different hues available for the body panels, Tridion shell, and canvas roof. And yes, you still get the hilariously tidy, 22.8-foot turning circle that makes quick u-turns a laugh-out-loud experience. But you also get a roof that slides back with the touch of a button, fully opens in twelve seconds flat, and can be operated at any speed. Slide it all the way back for a big sunroof effect. Keep pushing the button and the canvas will drop down, stacking neatly on top of the cargo bay. And don't just stop there – drop the windows, hop out, remove the side roof panels, and neatly stow them in the built-in storage space inside the fold-down tailgate. No matter how you strip down, it's all super easy. See for yourself in the video below. With the roof in its fully retracted position, rear visibility is pretty lousy. Of course, there are a few drawbacks. With the roof in its fully retracted position, rear visibility is pretty lousy; the rear-view mirror is basically useless.

New Smart ForTwo ED charges faster and goes quicker

Two years after the reveal of the redesigned ForTwo, Smart has unveiled its electrified sibling in European guise. The ForTwo Electric Drive (ED) will once again be available here in coupe and convertible variants, and it does offer some improvements over the previous one. Smart also introduced an electric ForFour for the first time as well, but like its gasoline counterpart, it won't come here. The biggest improvement the new ForTwo ED has over its predecessor, besides the better looks and chassis, is a much faster charging time. The car now uses a system that allows for a full charge from a 240 volt household charger in just two and a half hours. The previous model took roughly six hours to do the same thing. The car itself is a smidge faster as well. The rear-mounted motor now produces 80 horsepower and 118 lb-ft of torque compared with the 74 horsepower and 96 lb-ft of the outgoing car. On paper, it is ever so slightly quicker with a claimed 0-60 time of 11.4 seconds for the coupe, which is one tenth quicker than the old coupe. The top speed is also up by 3 mph. View 12 Photos As for the all-important matter of range, Smart gave a rating of 99 miles on the European test cycle. Compared with the previous version's approximately 90 mile range, it has a 10-percent improvement. On the US test cycle, the old ForTwo ED has a range of 76 miles. So we can expect a range of about 83 miles assuming the 10-percent increase carries over to our test cycle. The new ForTwo ED also brings along other features from its predecessors. Once again, it will be available with exclusive Electric Green safety cell and mirror cap accents. Take note, however, that the Brabus appearance parts on the cabriolet pictured here are only available in Europe. The car will also be compatible with the Smart Control app. Not all of the features for the app have been finalized for the US yet, but, in its current iteration, it allows owners to find places to charge, monitor charging and adjust charging and climate control settings from a computer or phone. The climate control features allow the driver to set a departure time and temperature, and the car will adjust the cabin while plugged in instead of using precious battery power. The charging settings offer the option to let the car adjust charging based on peak usage, which could lead to a longer charge, but one that doesn't cost as much. One thing we don't know about the ForTwo ED is price, which Smart did not reveal.