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2011 Smart forspeed Concept is an Electric Powered Roadster Revealed

2011 Smart forspeed Concept is an Electric Powered Roadster Revealed


Smart is presenting an unconventional study at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show: the smart forspeed Concept combines contemporary urban mobility with the fun factor typical of smart. The Forspeed concept is an electric powered roadster. The responsive electric drive that has been further developed and features a boost function also guarantees driving pleasure. A look forward at the next generation is particularly exciting as the era of electric mobility has already started at smart.

The two-seater has no roof or side windows and it features a low wind deflector instead of a windscreen in the style of a classic propeller aircraft. Dr. Annette Winkler, Head of smart says "The smart forspeed is a completely new take on how much fun it is to drive electric: it boasts a superb design with a powerful drive system and, needless to say, locally emission-free. And if you put the smart forspeed next to our ebike, escooter and smart fortwo electric drive you'll see that smart has realised all kinds of variations of electric driving - demonstrating that smart is not just a practical city car, but a great idea."


With its high-gloss white metallic paintwork the smart forspeed Concept also builds a bridge to the two-wheel escooter and ebike studies that were presented at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. Exterior features include a honeycomb mesh grille, LED headlamps, photovoltaic solar cells in the base of the windscreen and a hidden plug-in socket under the smart badge on the rear which leads down to a lithium-ion battery.

Inside, The high-gloss white of the exterior paintwork also dominates in the interior. All the control elements that the driver uses particularly frequently, such as the gear lever, door openers or steering wheel come in natural brown leather. By contrast, load-bearing structural components such as the tridion safety cell or the curved trims on the instrument hoods are in matt platinum silver. Functional elements such as the steering wheel buttons and the shift lever with gate are painted in silver shadow.


Specs engine, The Forspeed is powered by a 40bhp (40 PS / 30 kW) electric motor mounted in the rear and has a range of 84 miles (135 km). There is also a 7bhp (7 PS / 5 kW) overboost feature which is activated by a flick of a switch. Top speed is 75 mph (120 km/h). The smart forspeed is powered by a lithium-ion battery that delivers 16.5 kWh of electrical energy. It is simple to charge at any conventional 220 Volt socket. The charging device is located in the third brake light behind the smart logo and features a simple push/push opening mechanism. A fully charged battery is sufficient for 135 kilometres of driving fun (NEDC). Quick charging from 0 to 80 percent takes just 45 minutes.

For the gadget saavy, smart has included a smart phone dock display console on the passenger side of the dash board. Surely real world safety concerns emerge as it forgoes an airbag and acts as an object that could cause head injury in a frontal collision, but this is just a concept and has no intentions of making it to production, according to Smart boss Dr. Annette Winkler.


An electric powered scooter and bicycle will be accompanying the Forspeed in Geneva. They are expected to hit the market in early 2013 followed by the next generation fortwo and fourfour models in 2014.

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