The e-smart is the best sold electric car in Germany for the third year in a row, which really shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows a little about the small EV.
If a somewhat valid argument can still be built against full-electric vehicles (without range extender), it’s hard to do the same with the e-smart. Why? Because the main point of that argument would revolve around the electrical vehicles’ range and how they can only be used around town. Well, the city landscape is where any smart feels mostly at home so the electric version makes tons of sense.
But don’t be fooled into thinking it hits an invisible barrier every time you try to go outside the city. With its 145 kilometers range, the e-smart is more than capable of considerable daily commutes. It’s also quite nimble, with its 55kW motor capable to boost the e-smart from zero to 60 km/h in just 4.8 seconds thanks to instant 130 Nm of torque.
The smart Fortwo electric drive isn’t just the best sold car in Germany in 2014 and the previous two years, it’s the bestseller of all times with more than 4,700 new registrations, of which 1,665 came in 2014 alone. That shows a rapidly climbing figure that does justice to all the hard work that was put into this tiny little project.
To prove how much the company believes in its small EV, Daimler has erected its own wind turbine in 2012 in order to provide green energy for all its e-smart cars bought and used in Germany. Even more, there’s a project called “charge@work” that sees Daimler AG employees use the e-smart to such an extent they have already covered more than 1.5 million zero-emission kilometers.
The e-smart is not a car, it’s a project. It truly signals the beginning of a new era in transportation with its clever use of smartphones connectivity, affordable price, excellent range and quick charging times. It’s no wonder it’s the best selling electric car in Germany and it looks like it’s gonna stay that way for quite some time.
