Even though it’s not exactly a surprise debut since it was teased more than a month ago, the Smart For-Us concept that will made world premiere at the 2012 NAIAS today raised more than a few eyebrows.
You see, the company that has so far based its existence on the two-seater, ultra-compact ForTwo city car claims that it “loves pickups”! And yes you read correctly: that’s exactly what Smart CEO Anette Winkler said:
“We at smart love pick-ups – if they are small on the outside, large on the inside, very safe and extremely comfortable. With the smart for-us a petrol station is no longer required!”
Now, an “urban pickup” is in itself a contradiction. In Smart’s defense, though, we must bear in mind that this two-seater, open-top city car that can also transport a couple of bikes on its “pickup bed” (for loss of a better word) is strictly a concept study.
Its 2,480 mm wheelbase, which is 613 mm longer than the production’s ForTwo, the 50 mm raised height and short overhangs along with the 18-inch wheels shod in 235/55 tires (on a Smart!), give the For-Us a chunky appearance despite its small footprint.
The interior, in true pure flight-of-fantasy concept form, features brushed aluminum, white metallized leather that, according to Smart, is a reference to the Tridion chassis, and yellow-covered seats that are open in the middle.
Now, lets’ come back down to earth. Although the bodywork was created for the Detroit Motor Show, the electric powertrain that comprises of a 55 kW (74HP) and 130 Nm (95.9 lb-ft) magneto-electric motor and a 17.6 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, will enter production in spring.
It may not charge two e-bikes like the Detroit Motor Show concept does, but it will offer a maximum speed in excess of 120 km/h (75 mph) and can be fully charged at a maximum of eight hours by a household socket or charging station.
Moreover, the concept’s e-bikes are based on the production versions that will be launched next spring. They can be described as hybrids, since they have a 250-watt maintenance-free brushless rear-wheel hub motor that’s charged by the rider’s pedaling who can select from four power levels and, depending on the mode and the manner of cycling, a single charge can last more than 100 km (62 miles).
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