Current Affairs

The ForTwo EQ is the latest all-electric car fromSmart.We get behind thewheel of the ‘edition nightsky’ cabrio version to find out what it’s like

- Jack Evans

In a motoring world quickly converting to electric, Smart has been ahead of the game. In fact, it’s the first manufacturer to announce it would be moving from an all-combustion engine to a vehicle line-up consisting of only fully-electric cars. The EQ For Two is an all electric version of Smart’s iconic two-seater city car.

It makes sense — the For Two has always been designed as a city car, and electric cars benefit from being used in cities where charging points are more abundant than in less populated areas. If you took the Smart on face value alone, you’d think very little had changed over the regular, petrol-powered For Two. The dinky proportions remain, the minute turning circle is still delightfully present and the bulbous, rounded looks are in keeping with past generations of Smart cars. But look a little deeper and you’ll notice the smoothed front grille, and underneath the petrol cap there’s a charging point, rather than space for a fuel nozzle. Though this may appear like a traditionally powered Smart, the reality is far from that.

The Smart gets drive from a three-phase synchronous motor, linked to a lithium-ion battery. The combination produces 81bhp, and a decent 160Nm of torque. The sprint to 100kph may not be quick at 11.6 seconds, but it feels pacier than that in reality thanks to the immediate delivery of that torque. All in, you’ll do 160kph.