smart forspeed: combining urban mobility and fun

At next week’s Geneva Motor Show smart will be unveiling a new concept car: the forspeed. The roofless two-seater has no side windows and it features a low wind deflector instead of a windscreen and is supposed to combine contemporary urban mobility with fun.

"The smart forspeed is a completely new take on how much fun it is to drive electric: it boasts a superb design with a powerful drive system and, needless to say, locally emission-free,” explains Dr. Annette Winkler, Head of smart.

In terms of design smart has brought the forspeed to the most purist sportiness to the extreme, “and in terms of form it is also a pioneer for a new paradigm of mobility," says Prof. Dr. h. c. Gorden Wagener, Head of Design.

Thanks to the tests of the second generation smart fortwo electric drive engineers have integrated new enhancements to the forspeed concept. For example, the smart forspeed is able accelerate from 0 to 60 km/h in just 5.5 seconds and to reach a top speed of 120 km/h. The 30 kW magneto-electric motor is installed at the rear of the smart forspeed, with the vehicle offering immediate response from stationary. By pressing a button the forspeed receives an extra 5 kW of power for a short time, a boost that might come in handy for overtaking manoeuvres on urban highways, for example.

The engine powering the forspeed is supplied by a lithium-ion battery that delivers 16.5 kWh of electrical energy that is simple to charge at any conventional 220 Volt socket. The full charge offers a total range of 135 kilometres. In 45 minutes you can make a quick charging that restores 80 percent of the battery range.

The forspeed has been fitted with photovoltaic cells that feed solar power to the on-board electrical system.

As the smart forspeed is a roofless vehicle, enginners have come up with a different solution. The vehicle can be protected against rain and sun when necessary with a tonneau cover. This cover just has to be stretched over the interior and fasten to the body with straps.