Smart EQ Fortwo Coupé: The Complete Guide For India

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The All-Electric Smart EQ Fortwo Coupé

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In June 2020, Smart Europe GmbH was founded, as a wholly owned subsidiary of Smart Automobile Co. Ltd. The company is a joint venture between the German automotive manufacturer Mercedes-Benz AG and Geely Automobile Co,, Ltd, the privately-owned Chinese automotive manufacturer.

The vision of the joint venture is to “position Smart as a leading provider of intelligent electric vehicles in the premium segment’. The Smart Europe based team is responsible for all sales, marketing and after-sales activities. The Smart portfolio of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) include:

• All-electric Smart #1
• All-electric Smart #3
• Smart EQ Fortwo coupe
• Smart EQ Fortwo Cabrio
• Smart EQ Forfour

Field testing of the electric variant for the Smart Fortwo EV began in London in 2007, with 100 Smart Fortwo electric cars. Daimler has an ambition to market the Smart electric car in up to 30 global market. The EV is already available in a number of European markets and also popular with electric car sharing schemes.

The company announced the rebranding of the Smart Fortwo in 2018, with EQ included in the upgraded brand to align itself with the Mercedes-EQ branding. In 2019, the Smart EQ Fortwo was updated with a facelift.

The compact Smart EQ electric car is well suited for the urban environment, in particular, in towns and cities that are densely populated, with severe road congestion. The EV is easy to park, even in small parking spaces. Certainly easy to drive too. For individuals and families living in towns and cities, the EQ electric vehicle is a good second car, best used for shorter commutes, like school runs, trip to the grocery store, to work (if close by) etc.

The EQ EV is available in one EV battery size (17.6 kWh). Given the positioning of the pure electric car as a city car, a 17.6 kWh EV battery size is more than appropriate. Do keep in mind, the smaller the EV battery, the lower the total weight of the electric vehicle (EV), and the greater the vehicle efficiency.

The EQ EV has a claimed WLTP range up to 130 km. But of course, the electric range depends on a number of factors, to include: driving profile, road conditions, speed, weather, passenger load etc. Expect the real-world electric range to be lower than the claimed range and closer to 110 km. Nevertheless, the EV has a good electric range for everyday shorter drives, and driving a pure electric car like the EQ, will save you money and improve air quality.

Despite all the advantages of the Smart EQ ForTwo in urban environments, the EV is limited by space and practicality. It offers a 260 L boot space, which is certainly small. Do not expect it to hold the family weekly grocery shopping! Also, it only offers two seats.

The EQ electric car does not offer fast DC charging. This is not a concern, given the small size of the onboard EV battery. However, the EV does incorporate a three-phase 22 kW AC onboard charger. Given that most homes in India are powered by single-phase power supply, most of us will not be able to take advantage of the three-phase onboard charger. For this with access to three-phase (22 kW) charging at home or at work, the EV can be charged from 10% to 80% in a mere 40 minutes.

Single-phase (7.4 kW) EV charging will take longer. The EV can be charged up to 80% via a dedicated single-phase EV charger like myenergi zappi in 3 hours and 18 minutes. Though the EV can be charged via a domestic 3-PIN plug, we at e-zoomed do not encourage using a domestic plug for charging an electric car. The EV will take up to 8 hours and 30 minutes to charge up to 80% via a 3-PIN socket.

We at e-zoomed recommend charging overnight when the electricity prices are lower. We also recommend charging on a regular basis. This way charging times are reduced and regular charging is good for the long-term maintenance of the onboard EV battery. The manufacturer offers a 8 years/ 100,000 km warranty. 

Standard equipment includes: central locking with radio remote control, visual locking verification and immobiliser, electronic stability programme, rear parking aid with acoustic warning and reversing camera, hill start assist, instrument display with battery charge status display and power display, smart Connect Media-System and more.

In terms of performance, the rear-wheel drive EQ electric car can achieve 0-100 km/h in 11.6 seconds (maximum power: 82 hp/ torque: 160 Nm). The top speed for the EV is 130 km/h. Of course the electric car also benefits from instant torque. The EV also offers an Eco Mode to further improve the energy efficiency of the EV.

Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! The Smart EQ Fortwo Coupé electric car is not available in India.

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PROS	CONS
Decent pure electric range for urban driving	Room for only two
22 kW onboard charger as standard	Limited interior/ boot space
Well suited for city driving. Easy to drive and park	Cheaper alternatives available

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The All-Electric Smart Fortwo Coupé (credit: Smart)

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At A Glance
EV Type:	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)
Vehicle Type:	Coupé
Engine:	Electric
Available In India:	No

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Variants (1 Option)
Smart Fortwo Coupe (Rs N/A)

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EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:	Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:	Available in one battery size: 17.6 kWh
Charging:	On-board charger 22 kW AC. 10% to 80% using 22 kW wallbox: 40 mins
Charge Port:	Type 2
EV Cable Type:	Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:	0g (CO2/km)
Battery Warranty:	8 years or 100,000 km

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Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):	6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):	3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):	0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):	0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)

• Note 1: SoC: state of charge

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Dimensions
Height (mm):	1555
Width (mm):	1663
Length (mm):	2695
Wheelbase (mm):	1873
Turning Circle (m):	6.95
Boot Space (L):	260

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Smart EQ Fortwo Coupé
EV Battery Capacity:	17.6 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	130 km
Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km):	16.4 – 16.6
Charging:	DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 22 kW AC (10%-80%: 40 mins)
Top Speed:	130 km/h
0-100 km/h:	11.6 seconds
Drive:	Rear-wheel drive (RWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	60
Max Power (HP):	82
Torque (Nm):	160
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	2
Doors:	3
Kerb Weight (kg):	1,095
Colours:	7
NCAP Safety Rating:	N/A

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Cheap Electric Cars Available In India

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Ask any expert on electric vehicles (EVs) the key success factors for the rapid adoption of electric driving. Affordability, range and EV charging infrastructure are always identified as key to the successful uptake of EVs, with affordability taking centre stage in the narrative. This holds true for all countries, to include India.

In fact, it can be argued, that for a country like India, with a GDP per capita of less that US$ 2,000, the need for affordable electric cars is even more pronounced. It is true, in that, driving an electric car per mile, is significantly cheaper than driving an internal combustion engine (ICE) petrol or diesel vehicle. However, apart from running and maintenance costs, the purchase cost is also a key determinant in the decision making of a buyer.

Though India has witnessed an increase in activity in the introduction of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), the price tag for the majority of pure electric cars (also known as BEVs), is beyond the reach of most families and businesses in India. As an example, the phenomenally fast (and good looking) Audi RS e-tron GT BEV is priced at Rs 2.05 crores. It is simply only ‘affordable’ for a very small percentage of the consumer base in India.

For the adoption of electric driving to gather momentum in India, the introduction and availability of cheaper electric cars is vital! The availability of EVs priced below Rs 20 lakhs will be instrumental in encouraging buyers to migrate to electric driving.

Despite the lack of affordable electric cars in India, there is a glimmer of hope, in that, there are a few affordable pure electric cars currently available in India. We would encourage local and global automotive manufacturers to develop and introduce electric vehicles better suited for the family budget in India. Moreover, the support of government subsidies and grants will also be important in the uptake of EVs in India.

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EV	Type Of EV	Price
Hyundai Kona Electric	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 23.79 Lakhs
MG ZS EV	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 21.49 Lakhs
Tata Tigor EV	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 11.99 Lakhs
Tata Nexon	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 14.24 Lakhs

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While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.

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