(continued from above)
With its exterior dimensions it could almost go unnoticed on the loading area
of a typical pickup, and it is also anything but ordinary under the body. Thanks
to the state-of-the-art electric drive with a 74 hp (55 kW) magneto-electric
motor the zero-emission smart for-us is agile and lively to drive. It will
celebrate its world premiere at the North American International Auto Show in
Detroit (14 - 22 January 2012).
smart CEO Dr. Annette Winkler says "We at smart love pick-ups - if they are
small on the outside, large on the inside, very safe and extremely comfortable.
With the smart for-us a petrol station is no longer required!"
Like car2go, the globally successful car sharing initiative from smart for more
flexibility in city traffic, the smart for-us is a mobility concept. It has
plenty of room for two people and space for two smart ebikes behind them. Thanks
to the docking station on the cargo area of the smart for-us their batteries are
always charged and they enable smart for-us drivers to also reach destinations
that are out of bounds for cars - for example traffic-calmed zones in the city
or isolated park trails.
Sassy and Robust Design
Compared with the series-produced fortwo the smart for-us makes a powerful
statement and its appearance plays with the martial image of conventional
mega-pickups. Nevertheless, it greets the viewer with a friendly yet assertive
face. It features convex and sensuously shaped body surfaces. The large brand
emblem is proudly sported on the grille, and the front has a pronounced
three-dimensional design with an underride guard finishing off the lower part of
the front end.
The longer wheelbase (2480 mm/plus 613 mm) and the track that has been widened
by 50 mm on each side also emphasize the robust look of the study. At the same
time the extremely short overhangs at the front and rear make it exceedingly
compact.
The tailboard at the rear of the smart for-us is electrically driven. When it
opens first of all the cargo floor including tailboard retracts by 280 mm, then
the tailgate slides down in a parallel position. The cargo on the 900 mm cargo
area is then extremely easy to access.
Sleek, taut surfaces in mother-of-pearl white combined with precisely designed
technical functional elements in brushed aluminum - the interior is
characterized by contrasts. Like in the smart forvision, the whole cockpit
boasts aerodynamic styling for interior ventilation. In place of a conventional
rear-view mirror the smart for-us features a smartphone accommodated in a holder
on top of the instrument panel support. The driver can see what is happening on
the road behind with the help of an integrated video camera.
Stylish, uncomplicated, highly functional and easy to individualize - the two
seats in the concept car are typically smart. The seat shells, which are open in
the middle, are covered with a soft yellow fabric throw giving them a
hammock-like seating feel.
Electric Drive: Zero-Local-Emission Driving Fun
The electric drive of the smart for-us is based on the innovative drive concept
of the smart fortwo electric drive, which will be launched from the spring of
2012. Thanks to the 74 hp magneto-electric motor the smart for-us is agile and
lively to drive. With 96 lb-ft (130 Newton meters) of torque it boasts powerful,
lag-free acceleration and it can overtake other vehicles with the greatest of
ease. The maximum speed exceeds 75 mph (120 km/h). The lithium-ion battery has
capacity of 17.6 kWh.