Next up in the small electric car businesses, from Germany, Mercedes Benz, which joins the pool of other car manufacturers with a a horse in the race. It launched the smart brand electric car. smart is the nearly failed divisions of Mercedes, at least in the U.S.

The company announced:

The new smart electric drive makes opting into electric mobility more attractive than ever, combining overall agility with emission-free driving as an ideal combination for urban mobility. The smart fortwo electric drive is now available on the new-generation smart platform in both the smart fortwo coupe and cabrio models and, for the first time, in the smart forfour (not available in the U.S.). With this next generation, smart will be the only car manufacturer worldwide to offer its entire model range with both combustion engines and pure battery-electric drive. The smart electric drive will celebrate its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show and market launch of the smart fortwo coupe electric drive will start in the U.S. in spring 2017 and the smart fortwo cabrio electric drive in summer 2017.

Is it a real electric car, or one of the fake ones aided by a tiny fossil fuel engine?

• smart is the only car manufacturer worldwide to offer its entire model range with both combustion engines and pure battery- electric drive.

• The smart fortwo cabrio ED is the only electric cabriolet on the market.

• With 118 lb-ft torque and 80 hp, the electric car boasts exceedingly agile acceleration.

• The fully charged battery has sufficient power to cover approximately 99 miles (or 160 kilometers in accordance with the NEDC), making it ideal for urban use. U.S. range and overall electric motor specifications will be announced at launch.

• With the high-performance on-board charger, the smart electric drive can be charged in half the time as before (U.S. preliminary new generation charge time: 2.5 hours / previous generation charge time: 5.5 hours)

Both.

It will be launched a bit late, at least compared to the larger, but inexpensive GM (NYSE: GM) Chevy Bolt

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