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smart forease+ Concept Teased Along With A Duck, Umbrella, Three Hashtags

Founded 25 years ago by Daimler AG and Swatch, smart isn’t doing too great. Sales in Europe contracted to 97,346 units last year, and over in the United States of America, the German automaker managed to move no more than 1,276 cars in 2018.
smart forease+ Concept 38 photos
Photo: smart
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Trying to keep the business afloat, smart took the bold decision to discontinue internal combustion for all-electric powertrain options. On the other hand, the EQ isn’t all too impressive regardless of body style.

Previously marketed as Electric Drive, the smart EQ comes with a 17.6-kWh battery while Nissan and Hyundai are much obliged to offer 60 kWh. More expensive alternatives such as the Tesla Model S feature 100 kWh and up to 335 miles of range.

There’s been talk Daimler AG would phase out smart to focus on the Mercedes-Benz U-Class, but nothing has been confirmed by the German automotive group so far. The forease+ Concept the brand will unveil at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show doesn’t help either, adding ridiculousness to the problems that smart is currently facing.

An evolution of the forease from the 2018 Paris Motor Show, all that smart is willing to share about the forease+ is the teaser photo featured in this article. That’s right; a duck is sitting next to the car, packing an umbrella and three hashtags (#ducktail, #smart, #rooflove).

Based on the car’s proportions, the concept is based on the smart EQ fortwo cabrio. Visual changes are few and far between, starting with the wheels and extending to the rear aerodynamic diffuser, full-LED taillamps, and orange top.

From a brand that used to be hip and cool, smart appears to have lost focus. Although outlandish, the concept doesn’t bring anything new to the Böblingen-based automaker or usable from the standpoint of prospective customers. It’s just another one-off, designed and put together in anticipation of the year’s most important motor show.

If smart were to offer a ducktail and orange option for the roof of the fortwo cabrio, would that help sales? We’re not keeping our fingers crossed, more so when it comes to pricing. Over in Germany, the cheapest smart EQ costs €21,490. Move on up to an alternative such as the Renault Zoe, and €21,900 gets you better handling, seating for up to five at a squeeze, and 316 kilometers of range compared to 160 kilometers.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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