2015 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe on 2040-cars

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Smart Vision EQ Fortwo is the future of autonomous city cars

By 2022, Mercedes-Benz will introduce at least 10 new electric or electrified models. Everything from large SUVs down to compact city cars from Smart are included. At the Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany this September, Smart will show off the Vision EQ Fortwo concept, a fully autonomous vehicle focused on urban mobility and user customization. The car follows the Mercedes-Benz CASE corporate strategy, which includes connectivity (Connected), autonomous driving (Autonomous), flexible use (Shared & Services) and electric drive systems (Electric). That basic idea provides the framework for much of Mercedes' upcoming products. Smart had already announced that it was going all-electric in the U.S. This seems like a further evolution of that move. Smart sees the Vision EQ Fortwo as part of its Car2go car sharing service. The company claims that someone requests a new car from Car2go every 1.4 seconds. The autonomous technology will use swarm logic to determine when and where a car is likely to be needed before it's requested. That means shorter wait time after calling a ride. Cars will be requested using a mobile device. The large panel in the vehicle's front fascia displays a number of things, including whether the car is on its way to pick up a passenger or if there's an empty seat available. The two-seat configuration seems limiting, but Smart says it could select extra passengers based on user profiles and final destinations, potentially pairing passengers with similar interests. The Vision EQ Fortwo will use two lithium-ion battery packs with a total capacity of 30 kWh. The car can charge either with a plug or with inductive charging. When not in use, the Vision EQ Fortwo will autonomously find a charging spot. The swarm intelligence networks with other cars and will charge cars at certain times in order to minimize the pull on the power grid. The interior and exterior design feature a number of user adjustable elements, but the overall shape is very similar to the current Smart Fortwo. It's a short, upright two-seater focused on maximizing space in a small footprint. The doors are clear and pivot back and up over the rear wheels. (Think reverse scissor doors.) It's meant to save space and prevent situations such as opening a door into the path of a cyclist. There are rose gold accents on the bumpers and the wheels. White body panels are contrasted with dark tinted windows and displays.

Smart Fortwo, Forfour reborn with fresh styling on new platform [w/video]

Meet the 2016 Smart Fortwo and Forfour, a new pair of hatchbacks that Daimler hopes will revive the struggling Smart brand. We aren't expecting to see the Forfour here in the US market, although the smaller Fortwo should eventually hit our shores in the future.
Following yesterday's teaser sketches, it's plain to see that those drawings were fairly close to what we're seeing here. The new Smarts boast styling inspired heavily by the brand's concepts, with a bolder, sportier aesthetic.
Both two-door and four-door boast rear-engine layouts, with power coming from a trio of three-cylinder, gas-powered engines.

Car2Go expands service in New York City

New York City residents can expect to see even more blue-and-white Smart Fortwos buzzing around the Big Apple because the Daimler-owned Car2Go carsharing service is expanding into Queens starting August 29. The growth means that those in Long Island City, Astoria, Woodside, and Sunnyside can now rent the little hatchbacks by the minute. To support the expected new users, Car2Go is adding 100 more Smarts to the fleet in the area to bring the total to 550. The carsharing service launched in trendy Brooklyn in October 2014 and has seen success with over 27,000 members logging more than 250,000 trips. By expanding into Queens, Car2Go is trying to offer an easier way to travel between the two boroughs without having to go through busy Manhattan. The added locations also take the company's service area in NYC up to 44 square miles, eight-square-miles larger than before. Related Video: car2go Opens A Road To Queens With One-Way Carsharing Expansion Will Improve Cross-Borough Access Between Brooklyn and Queens and Extend the Reach of Public Transit car2go to Bring 100 smart Vehicles to Long Island City, Astoria, Woodside and Sunnyside Beginning August 29th NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- car2go N.A., LLC announced today that it will bring its popular one-way carsharing service to Long Island City, Astoria, Woodside and Sunnyside in Queens, New York beginning August 29th. On the heels of exponential growth in Brooklyn, car2go will be making it easier for members to explore several Queens neighborhoods, and travel to and from Brooklyn at their own convenience. The move represents an important step toward an outer-Manhattan carsharing system, representing a new mobility option for the diverse and vibrant communities that are less accessible via public transit. CLICK TO TWEET: car2go expands to Queens (LIC, Astoria, Woodside & Sunnyside) on 8/29 - sign up at http://c2g.cc/qXpjQr w/ promo code QUEENS "Since the twilight of the trolley system many decades ago, there really hasn't been a reliable option for New Yorkers to travel between Brooklyn and Queens without going all the way through Manhattan," said car2go Brooklyn General Manager Tom McNeil. "Queens is a bustling hub of cultures, small businesses, international cuisine and affordable housing opportunities that have long been a challenge to access.