Smart EV’s Big New Battery Leaves No Room For Passenger

What a difference a big battery can make.  Smart’s Fortwo EV85, which the company hopes to begin selling in January — fires off Tesla-like acceleration numbers while also setting records for distance traveled on a single charge.  The “85” in the name refers to the Fortwo’s enormous new liquid-cooled 85 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that replaces the standard 17.6 kWh unit.  

The good news is 0 – 60 times are reportedly in the mid two’s.  And range is extraordinary.  One EV85 test mule traveled more than 4,000 miles on a single charge.  

But all is not sugarplums and puppy belches.  After shoehorning the steamer trunk-sized 85 kWh battery into the diminutive coupe, there was only enough room for the driver’s seat, forcing the passenger to cling to the exterior of the moving car.  

Fortwo EV85 engineer Blitz McPheet acknowledged “there are still a few bugs to work out.”  Right now, those bugs are probably splattered all over the passenger.