2018 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive details released before Paris Motor Show2018 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive details released before Paris Motor Show

The gasoline Smart ForTwo hardtop was redesigned for the 2016 model year, and now Smart is transitioning other variants to its new platform.
First came the 2017 ForTwo Cabrio soft-top version, which will arrive in U.S. showrooms shortly, and now Smart is unveiling a redesigned Electric Drive model.
The 2018 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive will debut at the end of this week during media days for the 2016 Paris Motor Show, and go on sale in the U.S. during the first half of next year.
DON’T MISS: 2017 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive prototype: first ride impressions
Smart will offer Electric Drive versions of both the ForTwo coupe and Cabrio, as well as the four-door ForFour model that is only sold in Europe.
That means Smart will once again be the only manufacturer to offer an all-electric convertible in the U.S.
The electric motor in both ForTwo Electric Drive body styles sends 59 kilowatts (80 horsepower) and 118 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels.
2017 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive
The ForTwo Electric Drive will do 0 to 60 mph in 11.4 seconds, while the Cabrio takes 11.7 seconds, according to Smart.
Top speed for both models is limited to 81 mph.
A 17.6-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack provides a claimed 99 miles of range for the hardtop ForTwo Electric Drive, and 96 miles for the Cabrio.
ALSO SEE: 2017 Smart ForTwo Cabrio prices start at under $20,000
Those figures, however, are based on the notoriously optimistic European testing cycle.
U.S. EPA range ratings will likely be closer to the 68 miles of the current-generation ForTwo Electric Drive (range ratings are the same for both the coupe and convertible).
Unlike most other manufacturers, Smart appears to be sticking to a relatively short range for its next-generation electric car.
2017 Smart ForTwo Cabrio Electric Drive
Other automakers now selling electric cars with ranges under 100 miles are expected to boost those ranges beyond the century mark with upcoming refreshes or redesigns.
Smart claims a full recharge of the 2018 ForTwo Electric Drive’s battery pack will take approximately 2.5 hours using a 240-volt AC Level 2 charging station.
It does not appear, however, that Smart will offer a DC fast-charging system on the redesigned model.
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The 2018 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive coupe goes on sale in the U.S. in Spring 2017, and the convertible Cabrio will follow in the summer.
Pricing information for both models will be released closer to their launch dates.
In the meantime, stay up to date with all of the news from the 2016 Paris Motor Show by going to our dedicated hub.
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