Smart fortwo electric drive, page #3

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If you're a Daimler exec, you'll soon have to drive an EV

Luckily, for Daimler's "senior level" managers, the company has a lot of plug-in vehicle options. Lucky because "in the future," these managers will have to drive the company's electrified vehicles. This most likely means a plug-in hybrid – something like the C 350 e or the GLE 500 e 4MATIC – but it could also be the all-electric and peppy Smart ED or the B-Class EV. Board member Ola Kallenius said in a statement (available below) that this new policy, "We are continuing on the path of zero-emission driving with consistency. This is why we are making electric mobility an integral part of the everyday lives of our top management to set an example and to provide a clear role model." It's a big change from five years ago, when Daimler's director of fuel cell and battery drive development, Christian Mohrdieck, was willing to talk up the drawbacks EVs face. Even a year ago, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche explained the financial hardships involved in making EVs. But, EV technology continues to change, and so, perhaps, do the attitudes inside Daimler. As EV advocate Chelsea Sexton said on Facebook regarding this new policy, "This should be standard procedure in any automaker seeking a leadership role in the plug-in vehicle movement. Commitment starts at the top." Related Video: Electric Mobility: Daimler Management leads by example Daimler is once again setting a new milestone on the road to zero-emission driving: In the future managers will drive electrified company cars. Furthermore, Daimler is this year set to invest a further 30 million euros into extending the company's own charging infrastructure across many of its sites. This will also benefit employees, who have access to a growing range of vehicles with alternative drive systems. Stuttgart. It represents a further commitment from Daimler to an electric future for mobility: "We are continuing on the path of zero-emission driving with consistency", states Ola Kallenius, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales and Marketing, about the importance of the current initiative. "This is why we are making electric mobility an integral part of the everyday lives of our top management to set an example and to provide a clear role model." The agreement applies to the company's senior levels of management and focuses on plug-in hybrids.

A big family with tiny cars

Allow me to introduce myself: I'm a car lover, I'm a big car fan. I also have a big family. How big? Imagine seven kids and six dogs. I also happen to own three Smart cars. Wait, WHAT? How do we transport the whole family? I got that covered with the help of a big Sprinter. Back to the beginning, I love cars, I'd drive hundreds of miles to attend a car show, I'd go twice to the same car show. Heck! I'd drive thousands of miles just to show off my brand new car (more of that in another post). I'd take road trips with one subject in mind: cars. Despite living in the middle of the country and living in the middle of nowhere, I'm fortunate enough to have seen some unbelievable cars, and guess what? I love sharing those stories online. I'm grateful for this opportunity to reach an enthusiastic audience of car lovers who hopefully will enjoy my work as much as I enjoy watching beautiful, powerful machines: cars.Related Video: Image Credit: Alfonso Rascon smart open road

Meet the Greenest and Meanest vehicles of 2016

If you've been keeping track, you won't be surprised with the number one entry in this year's list of greenest cars from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). In fact, the top three spots on the 2016 list are all the same as they were in 2015. After that, things get interesting. For one thing, this is the first Greenest list that doesn't have any purely internal combustion engine powertrain on it. Hybrids, yes, but if you want to be one of the top 12 greenest cars this year, you'd better have some sort of electric angle. ACEEE says that the conventional, gas-powered Smart Fortwo and Chevrolet Spark just missed the cut. In a statement, ACEEE lead vehicle analyst Shruti Vaidyanathan said, "The 2016 scores are in, and plug-in electric vehicles are outpacing all other vehicle offerings in terms of environmental friendliness." Like last year, one of the noticeable vehicles missing from the green list is the Tesla Model S. One reason? ACEEE takes curb weight into account (lighter is better), and the Model S is a heavy beast. The ACEEE doesn't just look at the clean side of the ledger. It also puts out a "meanest" list. These are the vehicles that pollute the most, not only from their tailpipes, but also any pollution created during the entire manufacturing process, from mining the raw materials to the energy used to produce the vehicle at the factory. The entire list, from greenest to meanest, is done using a "cradle to grave" analysis. You can see how the ACEEE determines its rankings here, explore the entire greenest cars site here, or click through our galleries to see which vehicles are extra green (above) or extra mean (below) this year. 12: Mercedes-Benz GL550 4MATIC View 12 Photos More Electric Cars than Ever on Greenest Vehicles List Electric Vehicles Nab 9 out of Top 12 Spots in ACEEE's Environmental Vehicle Rankings Washington, DC: Despite a tumultuous year for the automotive industry, manufacturers have continued to offer exciting technology options for a growing vehicle market. Today at greenercars.org, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released its 19th annual comprehensive environmental ratings for vehicles. The following vehicles comprise the Greenest List for 2016: Greenest Score 1. Mercedes-Benz Smart ForTwo Electric Drive Convertible / Coupe 63 2. Chevrolet Spark EV 63 3. Fiat 500E 62 4. Toyota Prius Eco 61 5. Volkswagen E-Golf 61 6. Nissan Leaf S / Leaf SV 61 7. Kia Soul Electric 59 8.

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.

Brabus-tuned Smart on the way, just not for America

At this very moment, one of our intrepid editors is traipsing about Spain behind the wheel of the new Smart ForTwo Cabriolet. While you wait (eagerly, we're sure) for our First Drive review, there's another snippet of Smart news floating about the net: Top Gear is reporting that Brabus will once again turn its tuning talents to the tiny ForTwo. And that's absolutely correct – a Brabus-tuned ForTwo is on the way, in case those spy shots from December 2014 didn't make that obvious enough. But that vehicle won't be coming to the US, a Mercedes-Benz USA rep told Autoblog. Instead, we'll be getting a sporty appearance pack that may or may not wear Brabus branding. Based on a couple rounds of spy photos, we're expecting a pretty normal stylistic upgrade. The front and rear fascias will be updated, with sportier grilles at the front. The sills will also get a sportier look, and there will be larger wheels, too. Changes in the cabin are more difficult to predict. We can speculate on what the new appearance pack will contain, but not when it will arrive. It sounds to us like the kind of thing that will arrive at the start of a new model year, so potential ForTwo owners will probably be waiting for the 2017 to get a sportier looking city car. Related Video: Featured Gallery Smart Fortwo Brabus: Spy Shots Image Credit: CarPix smart Hatchback Economy Cars Performance Brabus confirmed

It's been a year, and nothing has changed with Smart ED launch

A full year ago, Smart said that the updated version of the all-electric ED version of the quirky two-seater would not arrive until late 2016 or early 2017. The 2016 release was later rumored to be pushed back, so we thought we'd stop by the Smart booth as the Detroit Auto Show and see what the deal was. The current word on the street is that the late 2016 date is back in play, so we're back to where things were at the last Detroit show. We also learned that the new ED will likely be available in roughly the same markets as the current electric Smart Fortwo. That means that you'll easily be able to get one in California and other plug-in friendly states. You will also be able to order one anywhere that you can get a standard Smart. In other words, steady as she goes. In other possible news, the electric vehicle may get three new colors for the Tridion steel safety shell: Stop Light Red, Titania Grey Matte, and Lava Orange Metallic. These colors will be available on the gas-powered Smarts first, with the Lava Orange already reserved for a special edition. Smart's assistant product manager, Keith Edwards, told AutoblogGreen that was still to be determined if the ED will get the variety of colors available or if it will get a unified look like the green-white of the previous version. Edwards said that the ED will launch in Europe at roughly the same time as it does in the US. This is because all of the EDs are made at the same plant and, since it's done making the previous model, the new ones will be rolling off the line at some point. Either in late 2016 or early 2017. Featured Gallery 2016 Smart Fortwo Cabriolet View 30 Photos Green Detroit Auto Show smart Electric exclusive smart car smart ed

2016 Technology of the Year Finalist: Smart CrossConnect App

One of the most common car-tech-related questions we hear is, "Why can't I just have my phone hooked up in the car?" Indeed, everything we need lives on our smartphones – phonebook contacts, navigation, audio files, etc. And while systems like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay work to bring a sort of mirroring functionality into the car, Smart offers a solution that allows you to, quite literally, just use your phone. It's called the CrossConnect App, available on the new-for-2016 Smart ForTwo. The car comes with a docking port that plugs into the radio head unit, which holds your phone in place, horizontally. From there, you run the app like you would any other, and it lets you work through your phone's existing information to use things like a media player, Bluetooth calling, navigation, and more. The app is free for Android and Apple users. It's a little clunky sometimes, but we like the ability to just use the existing functionality of your phone right there in the car's center console.

2016 Tech of the Year | Autoblog Minute

Deliberation on the winners of Autoblog's Tech of the Year Award is under way. Nominees for best car in 2016 are: the Tesla Model S, the Chevy Volt and the BMW 7 series. Nominees for best tech in 2016 are: Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, VW's MiB II with AppConnect, Ford Sync 3, Audi Virtual Cockpit, the Smart Cross Connect App, and Volvo Sensus. Autoblog's Chris McGraw reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute. Audi BMW Chevrolet Ford smart Tesla Volvo Technology of the Year Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video volt android auto ford sync 3

Autoblog Minute: Finalists announced for 2016 Tech of the Year award

Here are the finalists for Autoblog's 2016 Technology of the Year award. Autoblog's Chris McGraw reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute, with commentary from Autoblog executive producer Adam Morath, AutoblogGreen editor-in-chief Sebastian Blanco, and Autoblog senior editor Alex Kierstein. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] It's Fall here in Detroit and for us that means it's time for football, autumn beers, and the fourth annual Autoblog Tech of the Year awards. I'm Chris McGraw and this is your Autoblog Minute. Tech of the Year is one of our favorite things here at Autoblog. It's a time when we get celebrate all the best tech from the industry we love most. [00:00:30] - [00:01:00] [Commentary form Adam Morath, Sebastian Blanco, Alex Kierstein] Past winners include, Tesla's Supercharger network, FCA's Uconnect system and the BMW i8. In 2016 we're doing something a little different for Tech of the Year. We've separated our award into two categories. One award for best tech car, and a second award for best technology of the year. The nominees for best car in 2016 are: [00:01:30] the Tesla Model S, the Chevrolet Volt, and the BMW 7 series. The nominees for best tech in 2016 are: Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Volkswagen's MiB II with AppConnect, Ford Sync 3, Audi's Virtual Cockpit, the Smart Cross Connect App, and Volvo Sensus. [00:02:00] We're going to announce Autoblog's Tech of the Year winners in January at the 2016 North American International Auto Show, in Detroit. For Autoblog, I'm Chris McGraw. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals. Green BMW Chevrolet Ford Hummer smart Tesla Volkswagen Volvo Technology Infotainment Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video

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