Smart fortwo charges ahead

Folk singer Tom Paxton would have had to revise his popular 1960s tune if the father in the lyrics had brought home an E Drive Smart for his young son instead of the mysterious “Marvelous Toy” that gave the song its title.

The all-electric all-the-time Smart car I drove through the streets of Brooklyn is undeniably toy-like, but while it did exhibit some “zip” when it moved – with more than adequate alacrity and agility through city traffic – it did so while emitting a high-pitched, but barely audible “whine” from its electric motor.

It didn’t “bop” when it stopped though. It just, well, stopped in response to pressure on its rather wooden-feeling brake pedal, which operates a regenerative system to boost its battery charge. And it didn’t make any sound at all when it stood still – although it did attract plenty of attention. Something an electric vehicle hasn’t done since the early 1900s when 50 per cent of vehicles on New York’s streets were powered by electricity.

And creating awareness of electric vehicles, as well as finding out how they they’ll fare in daily use on this side of the Atlantic, are the reasons 250 E Drive Smarts will be made available for lease in the United States – and 45 in Canada – late this year.

Mercedes-Benz Canada isn’t sure yet how they’ll be allocated – Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal would be good guesses – or what the lease cost will be. Cars in the U.S. will cost $599 a month, and effort will be made to keep the price as close to that as possible here. The cars will be returned to Mercedes-Benz Canada when the leases end. Series production of the cars and general availability is anticipated to begin early in 2012.

The Smart was originally conceived as an electric or hybrid, but 1990s technology wasnÂ’t advanced enough, so an internal combustion engine was employed. The idea remained afloat, however, and the cars were designed with the possibility of battery power being substituted in the future. Which means the componentry of the electric version doesnÂ’t impinge on the carÂ’s people or cargo practicality, although the weight rises by 140 kg.

The E Drive Smarts are fitted with a 16.5-kilowatt lithium ion battery under the floor and an electric motor rated at 41 hp and delivering 88 lb-ft of torque, which gives the car 0-60 km/h acceleration in 6.5 seconds. Range is quoted at a “conservative” 135 km, but this equates to about 4-5 hours of city driving – although this will be reduced in Canadian winter conditions with the heater operating. The car can be recharged from home power 110 or 220 volts in three-to-five hours.