2016 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe on 2040-cars

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'New-generation' all-electric Smart ForTwo and FourFour the future of the brand

These are the Smarts that have turned forbidden fruit for our market. The mini-car maker calls the new Smart ForTwo EQ, ForTwo Cabrio EQ, and ForFour EQ a "new generation," but that refers to the comprehensive swap to electric powertrains and elimination of ICE options, not major platform changes. Smart has offered ED "Electric Drive" versions for 12 years, and the current 17.6-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and 159-kilometer (99 miles) don't change. Outside, two distinct grilles have been swapped a single grille placed lower on a more vertical front fascia on the coupe and four-door models. The ForTwo and ForFour get slightly different takes on the grille, however, the ForTwo's smiley face grille flanked by fog lights, the ForFour's trapezoidal grille housing its fog lights. Smart logos formerly placed on the mesh are replaced by small logotype on the front hood on both models, and the mesh can be painted in body color for the first time. Other highlights outside include optional full-LED headlights and new LED taillights. Inside, a new center console provides more and better storage options, able to hold "the largest smartphones" or two cups of coffee with the removable cup holder. Larger phone storage will come in handy since the new infotainment system is entirely phone-based. The Smart EQ app has also been redesigned to incorporate feedback from users, bringing deeper integration with smartphone widgets and the Apple Watch, as well as extra functionality for services like car sharing, parking, finding the car, and even how to pack the Smart most efficiently. More colors join the palette. The ForTwo's body panels and Tridion cell can be dressed in Carmine Red and Gold Beige, and Lime Green is a new hue for the body panels only. The ForFour adds Ice White for the body and the Tridion Cell, Steel Blue for the body alone. A new black and blue fabric interior gets set off with top-stitching and accented trim pieces. And four new wheel designs come in either 15- or 16-inch sizes. A simpler package structure is expected to make ordering easier. The same four trims carry over: Base, Passion, Pulse, and Prime. Three option packages start with Advanced, which includes infotainment, a front armrest, and an audible parking warning system. Stepping up to Premium adds a panoramic roof on the hardtop, a wind-stop on the convertible, a reversing camera, and a stowage net for center console.

Smart Cross Connect app changes how ForTwos get used [UPDATE]

UPDATE: The story's been updated with a response from a Smart representative. There are parking spaces, and then there are Fortwo parking spaces. Smart, which is owned by Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler, is looking for a way for its customers to take advantage of the difference. Think of it as a big thing for really small cars. Smart is working on an app for the redesigned Fortwo called Cross Connect that will be available as soon as next month, says Automotive News, citing Smart chief Annette Winkler. The idea is to connect owners of the diminutive two-seat vehicles to, for example, let them tell each other when there's a parking space that's too small for just about any other vehicle but big enough for a Smart. If you think that's a small thing, think again. The Fortwo is 8 feet, 10 inches long. That's almost six feet shorter than a Toyota Prius, which itself isn't exactly a stretch limo. In fact, the length of a Smart Fortwo is just 10 inches longer than the width of a Ford F-150, in case anyone was having misgivings about parking perpendicular in a parallel spot. Parking has become more relevant, and tougher, as more people move to urban centers. For instance, BMW said earlier this month that it would discontinue its DriveNow car-sharing operations in San Francisco because of the challenge of parking vehicles on that city's streets. Other possible amenities with the Cross Connect app including the enabling of personal car sharing as well as information on car washes that offer discounted rates for Smart Fortwo. Yes, there are some out there, apparently, and we salute them. Michael Minielly, a spokesman for Mercedes-Benz, confirmed to Autoblog that the Cross Connect features would be available in November. You can read Autoblog's driving impressions of the 2016 Fortwo here. Featured Gallery 2016 Smart ForTwo: Second Drive View 23 Photos News Source: Automotive News-sub.req.Image Credit: Drew Phillips Green Mercedes-Benz smart Technology Smartphone fortwo

Daimler eMERGE2 test proves ignorance breeds dislike of EVs

Out with the old EVs, in with the new. Daimler announced today that it has finished up the eMERGE electric vehicle project that used Smart Fortwo Electric Drive cars and will now start up eMERGE2, which will use Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive and PHEV vehicles. As before, the tests will take place in Germany. The first, just-finished eMERGE program ran from May 2013 to June 2015 and put over a million kilometers (621,000 miles) onto 146 Smart Fortwo EDs. Daimler said that over the two years, the vehicle with the most efficient annual energy consumption used just 10.4 kWh for all of its 100 kilometers. The best full-charge range over the year was 161 kilometers (100 miles). Perhaps most interesting, though, was one of the projects findings: "the less an interviewee knew about electric mobility, the more negative their opinion" about the technology. In other words, here's some more proof that getting "butts in seats," as it were, is one reasonable way to promote electric driving. eMERGE: key contribution to developing the mobility of the future Stuttgart/Berlin, Jul 30, 2015 Broad-based real-world trial of eMERGE project completed Especially for daily distances of 50 km or over the E-car is financially attractive eMERGE2 fleet project now launching with 200 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive and plug-in hybrid models Stuttgart/Berlin – After more than one million kilometres in two years – from May 2013 to June 2015 – the real-world trial of electric cars known as eMERGE has been completed. Those taking part in the project were private and business customers with 146 smart fortwo electric drive cars from Berlin, Potsdam and North Rhine-Westphalia. Some of them set records: the lowest average energy consumption over one year was 10.4 kWh/100 km, while the longest range was 161 kilometres. The smart fortwo electric drive is certified with a consumption of 16.3 kWh/100 km and a range of 145 kilometres. The broad-based field trial within the framework of the eMERGE project has not only provided information on user behaviour and e-car technology; it also studied intelligent charging systems for improving the utilisation of the power supply as well as various pricing systems with regard to customer acceptance. Based on transport models, the project partners examined the need for a publicly available charging infrastructure. Within the project Daimler was responsible for collecting the driving and charging data required for evaluation of the field trial.