smart’s battery-electric city car reached the U.S. market for the 2013 model year as the fortwo electric drive, a zero-emissions version of the brand’s two-seat fortwo coupe and cabriolet. It followed smart’s earlier electric-drive development work and early test fleets, but this was the first widely sold, modern production iteration of the nameplate in North America. The model fit smart’s core formula: ultra-compact dimensions, urban-focused packaging, and a fully electric drivetrain aimed at short-trip daily use rather than long-distance travel.
The fortwo electric drive returned as a more mature second-generation EV after the initial experimental and limited-production phase of smart electric-drive vehicles in Europe. In the U.S., it was offered through the 2017 model year, after which smart rebranded its electric lineup under the EQ name. For 2018, the fortwo electric drive designation was replaced by the smart EQ fortwo, marking the end of the electric drive nameplate.
Among enthusiasts, the model is remembered as one of the earliest mainstream electric city cars sold in the American market, and as a particularly distinctive expression of smart’s “small car, big idea” identity.