Smart has showcased a ‘vision EQ fortwo’ concept ahead of its public debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show. The vision EQ fortwo is Smart’s take on future mobility with an electric powertrain, with connected and autonomous driving and most importantly, car sharing.
This futuristic concept is a part of Daimler’s CASE corporate strategy. The CASE strategy was revealed by the German carmaker at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. The vision EQ fortwo is the second product after the Generation EQ Concept crossover under Daimler’s CASE strategy. The CASE stands for –Connected, Autonomous, Shared & Services and Electric. According to Daimler, the EQ fortwo could serve as a perfect vehicle for the carmaker’s car2go service in the year 2025.
Being a concept car, the vision EQ fortwo is truly futuristic. It has the same footprint as the Smart ForTwo electric hatch, but packs a lot of space-age techs. For instance, there is no steering wheel at all. The dashboard is just a massive 24-inch touchscreen. The two-seater pod-like cockpit is avant-garde with minimalist yet futuristic elements. The concept boasts of Level 5 autonomy. This means that there is no driver input required at all which explains the lack of the steering wheel and pedals.
On the outside, there are LED screens for headlights and tail lights. According to Smart, the door pivots over the rear axle thus reducing possible collisions with cyclists and pedestrians. The front grille is a large digital panel. It displays messages to communicate with other road users. There is also a special dark-tinted film on the side windows onto which information can be projected from inside the cabin.
The electric powertrain features a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 30 kWh with the feature of inductive charging. The car can summon itself to the charging station when not in use.
The German carmaker plans to produce more than ten new all-electric vehicles by the year 2022. This will include cars for all segments, right from the Smart hatchback to the large SUV.
The Smart vision EQ fortwo concept will be one of the 100 vehicles on display at the Frankfurt stage by Daimler. CarWale will be there, covering the show. So, stay tuned.
