Smart Electric Drive fortwo coupe

Overview

The 2012 Smart Electric Drive fortwo coupe was a proper pioneer, zipping into the city EV scene when most electric cars were still a bit quirky. This tiny two-seater is all about urban agility, dicing through traffic and parking on a sixpence. It’s a pure electric city slicker, perfect for emissions-free commuting. While new prices are history, you might snag one on the used market. Its main gig? Making city driving fun and green, proving that good things really do come in small, electric packages. A true trailblazer for compact EVs!

What's New for 2012?

For 2012, this specific fortwo coupe Electric Drive marked the final bow of its generation, as Smart was already gearing up for an updated model. Think of it as a well-sorted classic of the early EV era! It carried over the proven tech that made it a unique urban proposition: its compact electric motor and pioneering battery setup. The big news wasn't radical changes for *this* version, but rather its established presence, offering a distinctive, eco-friendly way to tackle city streets just before the next wave of electric Smarts rolled in.

Design & Exterior

This little electric warrior rocks the iconic Smart fortwo silhouette – instantly recognisable and utterly unique. Its party trick is the exposed Tridion safety cell, often finished in a funky contrasting colour. Short, tall, and incredibly narrow, its dimensions are a city driver’s dream: just 2695 mm long, 1559 mm wide, and 1565 mm high. "Electric Drive" badging and sometimes unique alloy wheel designs subtly hinted at its zero-emission heart. It’s less about aggressive styling and more about cheeky, intelligent design that screams urban practicality.

Interior, Tech & Cargo

Hop inside, and it’s surprisingly spacious for two! The cabin of the 2012 fortwo ED is functional and refreshingly simple. Materials are on the durable side, built for city life. You get dedicated EV gauges showing charge and power flow, which is pretty neat. Tech-wise, it’s old-school; expect a basic audio system. Don’t look for big touchscreens or smartphone mirroring here! For your bits and bobs, there’s a 220-litre boot, decent for city errands. No frunk on this one, though – all business at the back!

Performance & Driving Experience

Don't let its size fool you; this Smart ED is a proper giggle in town! With its 30 kW Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) delivering a punchy 120 Nm of torque instantly to the rear wheels, it feels nippy off the line. The 0-100 km/h dash takes a leisurely 11.5 seconds, but it’s the 0-60 km/h sprint where it shines up to its 100 km/h top speed. Its tiny turning circle is legendary, making U-turns a doddle. The ride can be a bit bouncy due to its short 1867 mm wheelbase.

Range, Battery & Charging

Powering this city slicker is a 15.7 kWh usable battery pack, good for a Green Cars Compare estimated real-world range of around 99 km – plenty for daily urban hops. Its efficiency is a respectable 6.31 km/kWh. Charging is via its Type 2 (Mennekes) port, and the standard 3.3 kW on-board AC charger will juice it up from empty in roughly 5 hours. There's no DC fast charging capability with this early model, so plan your top-ups. It’s purely designed for convenient home or destination AC charging, keeping things simple.

Safety & Driver-Assistance Features

Safety-wise, the Smart fortwo’s Tridion safety cell is its core strength, designed to protect occupants in its compact frame. While specific Euro NCAP ratings for the 2012 ED aren't available in the provided data, the underlying Smart Fortwo (451 platform) previously scored a respectable four stars. Standard kit for the era included essentials like ABS and ESP. Don't expect advanced driver-assistance systems like adaptive cruise or lane assist; this was a simpler time for car tech, focusing on fundamental safety rather than electronic co-pilots.

Warranty & Maintenance Coverage

Back in 2012, the Smart Electric Drive would have come with a typical new car warranty, likely around 2-3 years for the vehicle and a separate, longer warranty for the 400V battery pack, often in the region of 5-8 years or 100,000 km. Of course, these original warranties have since expired. The good news? Electric cars like this generally mean less faff with maintenance compared to petrol counterparts – no oil changes to worry about! Reliability for these early Smarts was generally decent for their intended city-use purpose.