In 2020, Smart is betting a priori daring in a range now 100% electric. A daring choice but not so crazy when you know that its cars are the queens of the city, an area where the “watted fairy” has the most meaning. Above all, this conversion also reflects a change of course for the brand and even on the continent since, from 2022, the production of its models will move from Europe to China.… That many imagine as the El Dorado for this kind of car.
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While waiting to check it in the future, we couldn’t wait to discover the battery version of the long forfour version. The latter in fact gives a taste of what the future electric Renault Twingo will be, its technical cousin produced, like it, on the Novo Mesto chains in Slovenia. On the shape, apart from a redesigned boil (slightly different from the Fortwo Coupe and Cabrio) and modernized optics, the Forfour EQ does not differ greatly from the thermal version it replaces. This is also the case on board where, apart from the meter indicating battery percentage and power gauge, the dashboard is almost identical. Some new storage spaces are to be noted but the rear seats and the box still do not reference. The first for too straight files and the second for its modest capacity (185 dm3 announced). But whatever, it is not to go on vacation that one chooses this kind of car, rather to beat the pavement of cities, so contact.
Lively and firm
Driving in an electric car always has its small effect. The absence of noise on board (apart from a low speed sound to warn pedestrians) and sharp acceleration but without any jerks are really pleasant. With its riquiqui size (3.50 m long), its exceptional turning diameter (9.05 m) or its high driving position to dominate traffic, the smart EQ forfour is a real treat in the city with a condition: have a solid back. Firmly suspended, it does not spare its occupants by shaking them at the slightest manhole cover. But this defect was already the main flaw of the thermal version. Another complaint, it will be necessary to brake it. If Eco mode allows you to increase the force of regenerative braking as soon as you take your foot off the accelerator – without going to a stop like a Nissan Leaf – and by the way reduces the power from 60 to 40 kW (from 82 to 55 hp), the normal mode did not convince us. Letting the car roll more on its momentum, it uses a radar detecting the car in front to maintain a safe distance with it and regenerate energy at the same time. A good idea, except that said radar was not foolproof (like the automatic emergency braking system) during this test.
Rough competition …
Above all, if it is reassuring to drive with, in the event of over-optimism, a fussy ESP anti-slip, this rear-engine propulsion is obviously less comfortable on the road, the fault here is its range limit. With its modest capacity battery (17.4 kWh of capacity against… 52 kWh in a Renault Zoe), the forfour announces an average autonomy well below 200 km (130 km max according to the WLTP cycle) which implies not to venture on the main axes for short distances. If in absolute terms, this is how most of the target customers will use it, it is still restrictive compared to what is offered elsewhere with for example for a Volkswagen e-up! 260 km of autonomy promised by a much more muscular lithium-ion battery (36.8 kWh of capacity). The comparison is all the more severe than the VW, certainly less fun on the form, is also much less expensive with a beginner rate, ecological bonus of 6000 € included, at 17 440 € against … 21 350 € for the forfour. And at this price, the smart still claims to get its hands on the wallet to, for example, have the on-board charger of 22 kW (€ 1,000) allowing refueling faster on a public terminal (40 minutes announced against 6 hours with the charger of series on a domestic outlet).
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In short, far from being the best proposition on the market, this electric oven may live in the shadow of its little sister, the Fortwo. If the latter also is not given (from € 26,500, excluding bonus!, Price January 2020), its unique concept (2.70 m long and two places) and the absence of competitors make it a machine apart who has his community of fans for whom price is less of an issue.
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