[SmartCarDan]

I'm putting together a list of frequently asked questions about the electric smart fortwo. Nissan has an FAQ section on their website for potential Leaf clients to review, and I'm hoping we can convince smartUSA to do the same.


What questions do/ did you have about the smart electric drive before you researched it? What questions do first-time electric car customers have before they purchase an EV?

• What is it? (when seeing a smart for the first time)
• why choose an electric car?
• why choose a smart fortwo electric drive?
• How much does it weigh?
• Do you feel safe driving that?
• Can I take it on the highway?
• Which is better: to buy or lease an electric smart?
• Can I use it as a primary vehicle?
• Whats it like to drive?
• How far does it go? City/ Highway?
• What if I want to take a longer trip?
• What if I run out of battery?
• Whats the best way to get maximum range?
• How does it do winter (range-wise)?
• How does it handle in snow?
• Where can I charge it?
• How long does it take to charge?
• How much does it cost to charge?
• How much does a level 2 charger cost to install?
• What type of chargers does it use?
• What type of tires does it use? Is there a spare?
• How much does it cost to charge at home?
• What does MPGe mean on the window sticker?
• What are the federal and state rebates where I live? How do those work?
• What is the warranty (car and battery)?
• How safe is it?
• Who makes it?
• How does regenerative braking work?
• What size is the battery?
• What does it need for service? Where can I service it?
• How long will the battery last?
• How much does it cost to replace the battery?
• What happens to the battery afterwards?
• Can I leave it plugged in when I'm not using it?
• Can I plug it in while its raining/snowing?
• What do I do if I'm going on vacation and not going to use it for weeks?
• Does it lose energy just sitting all day turned off?
• Does it still use energy if I leave it plugged in after its done?
• Why didn't they put a solar panel on the roof?
• Where is the battery?
• What is the chemistry of the battery?
• Can the electric model be towed?

 

[Jo e Lefors]

Why would smart waste the time and effort in updating the website for a dying brand here in North America? Face it, with less than 27 dealers in all of the United States, do you think a FAQ section is going to make a difference?
I feel the importing of ED smarts will end in less than 18 months.

 

[Blaine]

It would be worthwhile having a 451 ED and 453 ED FAQ posted in either the EV forum on under the Technical grouping.

 

[smartAPM]

Good news, we did do a redesign of our website to mark our move to electric, and we did include an FAQ page!

https://www.smartusa.com/electric-drive-faq

 

[Jo e Lefors]

Well I was wrong. Good job. Hopefully, for the sake of those who like the smart ev, MB will keep improving and importing them to years to come.

 

[lebikerboy]

You might want to have someone proof read your FAQ page...
The battery is positioned in the underbody where the fuel tank usually is, and the electric motor goes up front, where a conventional pistol engine would be.

 

[SmartCarDan]

Has this link been posted on the site yet? Seems to show an official EPA tested range of 105.9 miles (page 6) and average range of 84.4 (page 8) if I'm reading this correctly. Was the average then multiples by 0.7 yo get ~58 mile range on the window sticker?
https://www3.epa.gov/otaq/datafiles/CSI-HMBXV00.0ED1.PDF

Keith, the questions I posted above are asked by most potential smart clients. If smartUSA can include answers to all those questions, it would greatly help convert website visitors to showroom visitors.

 

[SmartCarDan]

You might want to have someone proof read your FAQ page...
The battery is positioned in the underbody where the fuel tank usually is, and the electric motor goes up front, where a conventional pistol engine would be.

He's correct that the website has incorrect information/typos for this question. Other areas of the FAQ section on the website have some incorrect info in need of informational edits as well.

 

[Mister_smart_LA]

I had an FAQ prior to the websites being transferred away from smart to Mercedes-Benz dealer sites. Once that happened, I lost my FAQ page. We can answer the questions on our own here in the meantime.

 

[MB DNA]

I had an FAQ prior to the websites being transferred away from smart to Mercedes-Benz dealer sites. Once that happened, I lost my FAQ page.

And a mighty fine ED FAQ page IT WAS as you had put a lot of work into it . . .

 

[SmartCarDan]

I had an FAQ prior to the websites being transferred away from smart to Mercedes-Benz dealer sites. Once that happened, I lost my FAQ page. We can answer the questions on our own here in the meantime.

I'm hoping to add an FAQ section to my dealership's page once I have time to type out all the answers. It will help customers who go down the purchase funnel and look at the dealer sites but i wish smartUSA would update their FAQ to answer all these questions to capture more customers browsing the national website.

Thought of a few more questions we get all the time:

• what does the 12V battery power? how is it charged?
• does using the radio/headlights affect my range?
• what is under the hood?
• how and when does the sound generator work?
• where is the motor?
• where is the motor made? where is the battery made?
• how many cells are in the battery?
• what type of bulbs are in the headlights/tailights?
• what material is the pure/passion roof made of? what material is the prime pano roof made of? what is the convertible top made of?
• do people tailgate smart cars more often?
• how do i install a child seat in a smart? can I take a baby in my front seat?
• why isnt it recommended to carry the charger in the tailgate storage like it was on the 451 model?
• can i add in an aftermarket (armrest, radio, , bigger wheels, etc)?

 

[halfcack]

Are any cars available ? My deal fell through. Send me info.

 

[SmartCarDan]

Are any cars available ? My deal fell through. Send me info.

HalfCack, I just emailed you.


Few more EV FAQs we get asked often that smartUSA could add to their FAQsite:

• can i get the EV in a manual transmission?
• why is there a neutral gear on an EV transmission?
• how is it that the transmission is only "1 gear"? does it go in reverse!?
• how long does it take to get a custom order? why so long!?
• there are thousands of possible color/option combinations and i want X with Y and Z but no car like this exists. what are my options?
• what is the longest/shortest I can lease for? whats the most/least miles I can lease for?
• how do the Prime's rain and light sensor work?
• how many speakers are there? can i add JBL sound after i buy if not factory installed? if not JBL, what it the standard sound system?
• what is the extra insulation in the Climate Package?
• can i get heated seats without getting leather?
• will the LED lighting package give me more range than the standard lights?
• can i put a child in the back?
• ABC website says it has a CD player but it does not. Why do third party websites have incorrect information about the smart electric?
• what is the metallic composition of the tridion safety cell? What % is steel/ high strength steel/ micro alloyed steel/ etc and where?
• what are the rims made of?
• what type of plastic is the body made of? can i change my color at will? how much money and how long does that take?
• can i use pre-conditioning when the car is not plugged in? Is there an app I can use to start the car?

Any other questions that I'm forgetting? What are some other questions potential owners have/had about smart electric cars or electric cars in general?

 

[asalazar]

i wish smartUSA would update their FAQ to answer all these questions to capture more customers browsing the national website.
[/LIST]

Honestly I wish Smart would just redo their website, it's confusing to navigate and the info is sparse and mostly fluff. One of the reasons I came to this forum and joined before I bought my car is because the Smart national website was so poor. Although, their Smart Car customization page is pretty cool and fairly responsive.

Nice work on the FAQ list.

 

[halfcack]

I still am looking for the lever for the telescoping stering wheel after 7 months.

The sonar never has never uttered a beep. Why is it covered up.

I’ve looked in every store. I can not find a one inch cd to fit in the little opening provided on the radio which looks like an ignition key opening.

I can't find a way to check the tranny fluid. Does it have any to begin
with? It says take it to a service center to have it checked. What
checked ? At a 13 hour round trip plus servicing I would like to know what is being looked at.

All these items appear on the sticker so they have to be there, right ?

I love quirks and I get one every so often. Why does the six speed auto load up in one gear, then pop in the next with a burst of speed while going down my street's hill?

Why can’t I open my bonnet with my key ?

Why does a wiper blade cost thirty bucks.

Why did an Auto Zome employee back off like my Smart as if it had the plague when looking at the wiper blade ? Then, say, take it to a service center. He refunded my money. I gave him a 5$ tip for not ruining my wipping blade system.

I looked in the manual. You must turn the ignition key to position 1 or 2. You must go to the switch on the blade, grasping it by the blade only.

Don’t be alarmed at what happens next. The entire assembly will slowly raise itself vertical to the bonnet. Turn off key, remove and put it in your pocket, that part isn’t mentioned.

Slide the switch to ?

Using two fingers simultaneously, press two buttonss on the wiper blade.

Don’t let the arm smash the windshield because someone forgot to put on the new blade. Not me.

350$ for the front window because it’s never changed ? 500$ for the back because, it’s chamged.

My head hurt so I decided to put the manual away and go for a ride. I love my Smart.

 

[Mister_smart_LA]

I still am looking for the lever for the telescoping stering wheel after 7 months.

The sonar never has never uttered a beep. Why is it covered up.

I’ve looked in every store. I can not find a one inch cd to fit in the little opening provided on the radio which looks like an ignition key opening.

I can't find a way to check the tranny fluid. Does it have any to begin
with? It says take it to a service center to have it checked. What
checked ? At a 13 hour round trip plus servicing I would like to know what is being looked at.

All these items appear on the sticker so they have to be there, right ?

I love quirks and I get one every so often. Why does the six speed auto load up in one gear, then pop in the next with a burst of speed while going down my street's hill?

Why can’t I open my bonnet with my key ?

Why does a wiper blade cost thirty bucks.

Why did an Auto Zome employee back off like my Smart as if it had the plague when looking at the wiper blade ? Then, say, take it to a service center. He refunded my money. I gave him a 5$ tip for not ruining my wipping blade system.

I looked in the manual. You must turn the ignition key to position 1 or 2. You must go to the switch on the blade, grasping it by the blade only.

Don’t be alarmed at what happens next. The entire assembly will slowly raise itself vertical to the bonnet. Turn off key, remove and put it in your pocket, that part isn’t mentioned.

Slide the switch to ?

Using two fingers simultaneously, press two buttonss on the wiper blade.

Don’t let the arm smash the windshield because someone forgot to put on the new blade. Not me.

350$ for the front window because it’s never changed ? 500$ for the back because, it’s chamged.

My head hurt so I decided to put the manual away and go for a ride. I love my Smart.

Tranny fluid? Not on a smart...