smarSmart Brabus Electric Drive & ebike concept

Smart Brabus Electric Drive

In collaboration with Smart, German tuning company Brabus has announced the arrival of Smart Brabus Electric Drive and ebike concept

The latest reiteration of the fortwo ED features a range of upgrades including tridion safety cell and door mirror caps, a front spoiler, dark headlamp housings and a rear apron insert with double reflectors.Brabus have slightly increased the output of the magento-electric motor from 75 to 82hp with 100lb-ft of torque.

A new sports suspension lowers the vehicle by around 10mm, which sits on 16/17-inch Brabus Monoblock VII alloys.Inside, an assortment of upgrades include leather instrument panel and interior door trim, leather seas, stainless-steel sports pedals, Brabus handbrake handle and Brabus cockpit clock and rev counter.

As for the smart Brabus ebike concept, this features a 500 Watt electric motor and is capable of a 30mph top speed.Four power levels can be accessed via the throttle hand grip, with the fourth providing maximum pushing power.

Mirroring the fortwo ED, the ebike gets a blacked-out look, albeit with a matt finish. It also boasts a four-piston brake system on the front wheel, four-spoke carbon-fiber wheels, a carbon-fiber seatpost and green leather saddle and grips

A production version of the ebike and the electric drive will be available for purchase via smart centers in 12 countries by the end of the year.

Smart Brabus ebike concept

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Smart for-us Concept

Smart for-us Concept

The smart for-us Concept is small, agile and does not need any petrol thanks to its electric drive. This model, which builds on the smart forspeed and smart forvision concepts presented in 2011, celebrates its world premiere at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. With its state-of-the-art electric drive with a 55 kW magneto-electric motor,  the zero-emission smart for-us is agile and lively to drive.

Smart CEO Dr. Annette Winkler says "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!"

It has ample room for two people, but it also has space behind for two smart ebikes, which can charge their batteries on the cargo area during the journey. The smart for-us safely transports two people and two electric bikes without producing any emissions.

It has a surprising, sassy and robust appearance - but thanks to the visible tridion safety cell and a number of other features it is typically smart. It features convex and sensuously shaped body surfaces. The large brand emblem is proudly sported on the grille, and the front has a pronounced three-dimensional design with an underride guard finishing off the lower part of the front end.

The for-us is raised by 50 millimetres as against the standard smart, and demonstrates that it is perfectly suited to off-road driving. In a later development stage the electric drive could be extended in the direction of a 4x4 with two front wheel hub motors.

The smart for-us rolls on Michelin off-road tyres measuring 235/55 R 18. The wing nuts of the central mounts of the three-spoke wheels are an attractive detail: they fold out and then serve as a lever to release the wheel nuts.

The design of the rhombic front and tail lights is very striking with its outer rings illuminating the indicators and daytime running lamps with a large number of rod-shaped LEDs.
The tailboard at the rear of the smart for-us is electrically driven. Remote control or touching the integrated touchpad retracts the cargo floor including tailboard by 280 mm, and the tailgate then slides down in a parallel position. The cargo on the 900 mm cargo area is then extremely easy to access.

It features a high-gloss white metallic paintwork with the tridion cell in a grey textured finish ,and a honeycomb structure of the air inlets. The subtle colour accents in a warm yellow establish a further visual link to the interior.

The white metallised leather establishes a link to the instrument panel, which in turn is related to the body. The headrests featuring metallic leather are a reference to the matt-finish textured paint of the tridion safety cell and - in line with the clean design - they largely dispense with seams.

The control and display elements are oriented to the driver. In place of a conventional rear-view mirror the smart for-us features a smartphone accommodated in a holder on top of the instrument panel support. The driver can see what is happening on the road behind with the help of an integrated video camera. The seat shells, which are open in the middle, are covered with a soft fabric throw giving them a hammock-like seating feel.

It is powered 55 kW magneto-electric motor with 130 Newton metres of torque  and its maximum speed exceeding 120 km/h. and not forgetting the  17.6 kWh lithium-ion battery which can be charged in eight hours maximum charging time.

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