If ever a car was meant to run on electricity, it would be the Smart Fortwo. Its mission in life is to be an urban/suburban commuter for one or two with a bit of luggage. That dovetails neatly with the hundred-mile range of most early electric cars. The price, were you asked to pay the full cost for something three feet shorter than a Mini, is $44,000 by Smart's estimate. That is offset by a $7,500 government subsidy (Smart as the owner keeps it - sorry) and some Smart underwriting of the cost. In exchange, you get a distinctive vehicle that turns heads and, should you desire, provides a convertible option at no extra charge.
Wheeling through the narrow streets here, the Smart ForTwo Electric Drive is in its element: a small, maneuverable urban car with room for two people, a half-dozen bags of groceries, and your iPhone in its special cradle on the dash. It's an advance model of the 250 electric Smarts we'll get, 1250 total the world will get, as Smart launches an electric prototype this fall. If you want one, get in line fast. It's offered as a $599 a month lease for people living in five early adopter regions - the Boston-to-Washington corridor, Indianapolis, Orlando, Portland, and San Jose.
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