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96
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74
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(from smart press
release) Long version. smart for-us: the Rule-Breaker
Stuttgart/Detroit.
America is the land of great automotive freedom, great landscapes, a
love of outdoor activities and large pickups for thoroughly enjoying
the "American dream. Now smart is countering the "bigger is better"
mentality with a surprising new vehicle: the smart for-us study is
small, agile and does not need any petrol thanks to its electric
drive. This model, which builds on the smart forspeed and smart
forvision concepts presented in 2011, will celebrate its world
premiere at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit
(14 - 22 January 2012). With its exterior dimensions
(length/width/height: 3547/1506/1701 mm) it could almost go
unnoticed on the loading area of a typical pickup, and it also
anything but ordinary under the body.
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!”
smart is turning the
automotive world upside down once again and challenging ideas about
what an urban pickup should look like. In a tongue-in-cheek manner
the for-us signals that this is the right car for the young and
young-at-heart with active lives who attach importance to low
emissions and taking up minimum road space. The smart for-us
translates the practical loading concept of a pickup to the reality
of 21st century urban traffic for the first time. Thanks to the
state-of-the-art electric drive with a 55 kW magneto-electric motor
the zero-emission smart for-us is agile and lively to drive.
Like car2go, the
globally successful car sharing initiative from smart for more
flexibility in city traffic, the smart for-us is a mobility concept.
Just like the smart fortwo, which has enjoyed success around the
world, it has ample room for two people, but it also has space
behind for two smart ebikes, which can charge their batteries on the
cargo area during the journey. From a trip into town to an outing to
nearby nature reserve – the smart for-us safely transports two
people and two electric bikes without producing any emissions. The
ebikes on the cargo area become range extenders in two respects:
thanks to the docking station on the cargo area of the smart for-us
their batteries are always charged, and smart for-us drivers can
also reach destinations that are out of bounds for cars – for
example traffic-calmed zones in the city or isolated park trails.
The exterior: sassy and robust
with extremely short overhangs
Even the first glance at
the study shows that this smart can do more – yet it remains true to
itself. It has a surprising, sassy and robust appearance – but
thanks to the visible tridion safety cell and a number of other
features it is typically smart. Furthermore, both the interior and
the exterior feature a number of charming details which show that
the smart designers devoted themselves to the project with the joie
de vivre typical of the brand.
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 for-us is raised by
50 millimetres as against the standard smart, and demonstrates that
it is perfectly suited to off-road driving, for example to reach
mountain bike terrain. In a later development stage the electric
drive could be extended in the direction of a 4x4 with two front
wheel hub motors.
The longer wheelbase (2480 mm/plus 613 mm) and the track that has
been widened by 50 mm on each side also emphasise the robust look of
the study. At the same time the extremely short overhangs at the
front and rear make it exceedingly compact and provoke supporters of
conventional pickups: small is beautiful – even as a pickup.
The smart for-us rolls
on Michelin off-road tyres measuring 235/55 R 18. The wing nuts of
the central mounts of the three-spoke wheels are an attractive
detail: they fold out and then serve as a lever to release the wheel
nuts.
The design of the
rhombic front and tail lights is very striking and is reminiscent of
the design of the smart forvision, which caused a stir at the
Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The outer rings illuminate the
indicators and daytime running lamps with a large number of
rod-shaped LEDs. The lamps seem to push outwards like arrows – like
drops on the cockpit window of an aeroplane as it takes off. The
tail lights can even be opened and provide stowage space, for
example for the charging cable or drinks cans for sporty bikers.
The tailboard at the
rear of the smart for-us is electrically driven. Remote control or
touching the integrated touchpad retracts the cargo floor including
tailboard by 280 mm, and the tailgate then slides down in a parallel
position. The cargo on the 900 mm cargo area is then extremely easy
to access.
The high-gloss white metallic paintwork of the smart for-us with the
tridion cell in a grey textured finish also builds a bridge to the
smart forspeed presented at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, and to the
smart ebike. On the other hand, the honeycomb structure of the air
inlets takes up an aspect of the smart forvision, which attracted
lots of attention at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The
subtle colour accents in a warm yellow establish a further visual
link to the interior.
The interior: stylish,
uncomplicated and highly functional
Sleek, taut surfaces in
mother-of-pearl white combined with precisely designed technical
functional elements in brushed aluminium – the interior is
characterised by contrasts. The white metallised leather establishes
a link to the instrument panel, which in turn is related to the
body. The headrests featuring metallic leather are a reference to
the matt-finish textured paint of the tridion safety cell and – in
line with the clean design – they largely dispense with seams.
Yellow adds highlights to the interior, for example on the seat
belts and seat covers. Leather door trim provides a further
high-quality contrast.
Like in the smart
forvision, the whole cockpit boasts aerodynamic styling for interior
ventilation. The control and display elements are oriented to the
driver. Just as the cockpit module divides the instrument panel, the
two-spoke steering wheel is open at the top. 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 individualise – the two seats in the
concept car are typically smart. The seat shells, which are open in
the middle, are covered with a soft fabric throw giving them a
hammock-like seating feel. Practical: when the seat cover on the
passenger side is removed long items can be loaded through the seat
of the smart for-us.
The study has yellow
seat covers with a deep embossed silver hexagon pattern indicating a
progression and thus emphasising the vehicle's dynamism. As the
covers can be removed in no time at all, simple individualisation
with other throws is conceivable. The seats could even be used as
avant-garde seating at home or when spontaneous seating is needed
outdoors.
The cargo space has two
slits for the front wheels of the smart ebikes. A special docking
station in the middle enables the ebikes to be charged whilst being
transported on the smart for-us. And bicycle tools or other items
can be accommodated in the stowage compartments on the right and
left of the load space.
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 55 kW
magneto-electric motor the smart for-us is agile and lively to
drive. With 130 Newton metres of torque it boasts powerful, lag-free
acceleration and it can overtake other vehicles with the greatest of
ease. The maximum speed exceeds 120 km/h.
The lithium-ion battery
has capacity of 17.6 kWh. When completely empty it takes a maximum
of eight hours to fully charge the battery at a household socket or
charging station on the electricity systems of most countries i.e.
overnight.
smart ebike: urban electric
mobility on two wheels
There are two smart
ebikes on board the smart for-us – perfect for local-emission-free
city driving. The colour of the two ebikes, which are based on the
production bike to be launched by smart in the spring of 2012, has
been matched to the smart for-us. Some of the components, for
example the battery housing, therefore come in the highlight colour
yellow.
With an unconventional
design in line with the style of the brand, functions appropriate
for city use and high technology standards that are demonstrated by
the extremely efficient and high-performance drive package among
other features, the smart ebike has an exceptional position.
High-quality components
guarantee dynamic, safe and fun cycling. For example, MT4 disc
brakes from Magura are fitted at the front and rear. The smart ebike
also features state-of-the-art infotainment: a USB interface is a
standard feature and enables various mobile end devices to be
connected.
smart's high
technological standards are manifested in the extremely efficient
and high-performance drive package. As a "pedelec" (Pedal Electric
Cycle) the smart ebike is strictly speaking a hybrid: the electric
motor – a maintenance-free and brushless rear-wheel hub motor from
BionX – switches on as soon as the rider starts pedalling as with a
normal bicycle. Muscle power is transmitted to the rear wheel via a
durable and quiet belt drive. An integrated three-speed gear hub
provides for simple gear changing.
The strengths of the
ebike include its agile performance: the rider of the smart ebike
decides how much power he wants the 250 watt electric motor to
deliver to support his muscle power by pressing a button on the
handlebar. There is a choice of four power levels with the fourth
and highest level providing maximum pushing power. Depending on the
power level selected and the manner of cycling a battery charge can
last for more than 100 kilometres.
