Smart was a car company that started out with such promise. In many ways, it was a minimalist car; bare bones transportation for two people and a suitcase or two. But, as far as compact cars go, it wasn’t cheap, starting at about $17,000 (what do you expect from a Mercedes-owned brand?) It is safe, but not particulary frugal on fuel… and as I hear tell, the automatic transmission sucks. As a result, sales have been plummeting. What can save Smart?
Many consumers have been clamoring for an electric version of the Smart ForTwo, and for a select few, their wishes have been answered. 250 Smart EV’s are coming stateside… but will it be enough to to pull the brand out of its death spiral?
First off, you won’t be able to buy the Smart EV. Rather, 250 chosen customers will be able to lease the EV for four years at the cost of $599 a month. You can lease a whole lot of other, bigger, nicer cars for that kinda scratch, including many vehicles in the Mercedes stable. But lets say you are really into the whole EV thing, and Smart cars. So what does $599 a month (plus $2,500 due at signing) get you?
The Smart EV has a range of about 83 miles, according to Mercedes’s conservative estimate. Not bad for a city car to be honest. And while the top speed is just 62 mph, again, this is a city car, and even the gas models aren’t really designed for highway travel. And it weighs just 300 pounds more than the gas model, tipping the scales at just over one ton.
Alas, to fully charge your Smart EV from 0-100% takes 8 hours. Too damn long if you ask me, though a 20-80% charge takes just 3.5 hours. And $599 a month is a lot of money for a car that you don’t even get to keep at the end of four years. EV1 all over again?
I personally don’t think it would be worth it, but how about you guys? Would you pay $600 a month for an electric compact car?
Source: Mercedes
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About Christopher DeMorro
Nope.
Nope.
I think it’d be cheaper to buy a gassy Smart outright and pay to have it converted to electric….either that or a Nissan Leaf comes in cheaper after incentives….both of those options you get to keep the car after 4 years.
I was on the reserve list for a Smart before they decided against a diesel engine … and put in a larger gas engine … apparently ‘that’s what American’s want’. Bah … as much as I’d love to get rid of my gasser now. I’d have to pass on the EV Smart until it started to make financial sense to do so.
I think it’d be cheaper to buy a gassy Smart outright and pay to have it converted to electric….either that or a Nissan Leaf comes in cheaper after incentives….both of those options you get to keep the car after 4 years.
I was on the reserve list for a Smart before they decided against a diesel engine … and put in a larger gas engine … apparently ‘that’s what American’s want’. Bah … as much as I’d love to get rid of my gasser now. I’d have to pass on the EV Smart until it started to make financial sense to do so.
83 miles per 8 hour charge for $600 a month? Uh, no. That’s deranged.
Price is the main thing stopping me from picking up a Smart ForTwo right now; if they start showing up used on cars.com in my area, I may snap one up. It pushes my “no more vehicle than I need” button, the one that gets particularly offended at seeing one person with no passengers and no cargo driving a Ford Expedition. I just can’t justify a $20k new car on my fixed retirement income.
83 miles per 8 hour charge for $600 a month? Uh, no. That’s deranged.
Price is the main thing stopping me from picking up a Smart ForTwo right now; if they start showing up used on cars.com in my area, I may snap one up. It pushes my “no more vehicle than I need” button, the one that gets particularly offended at seeing one person with no passengers and no cargo driving a Ford Expedition. I just can’t justify a $20k new car on my fixed retirement income.
I recently had a chance to buy a 2009 blue SMART ForTwo Passion with only 3100 miles on it for $10,500. It had some very light hail damage that you could barely notice and probably wouldn’t unless someone pointed it out. (I didn’t).
What turned me off is finding out it was a Mercedes brand with only 2-year/24000 mile warranty.
That means that after the warranty’s up, everytime it needs a new part, you’re going to be looking at a $2000+ bill.
No thanks.
I recently had a chance to buy a 2009 blue SMART ForTwo Passion with only 3100 miles on it for $10,500. It had some very light hail damage that you could barely notice and probably wouldn’t unless someone pointed it out. (I didn’t).
What turned me off is finding out it was a Mercedes brand with only 2-year/24000 mile warranty.
That means that after the warranty’s up, everytime it needs a new part, you’re going to be looking at a $2000+ bill.
No thanks.
Smart always seemed like a Mini, in concept. An around-town vehicle for hipsters and singles. But this $600 a month to lease? Naw, that’s Mercedes just playing on its name and rep. Not worth it.
Smart always seemed like a Mini, in concept. An around-town vehicle for hipsters and singles. But this $600 a month to lease? Naw, that’s Mercedes just playing on its name and rep. Not worth it.
$600 bucks a month!
“Not” Smart.
$600 bucks a month!
“Not” Smart.