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[jmariog]

This is an add on battery pack for a smart. Talking to some one who works on smart car the other day I said that battery packs would be a good thing for petrol stations to do. They laughed.

[El Tel]

I've said it, I knew it. I long imagined a 'clip on' style extended battery pack would be developed, though I thought it would be roof-rack mounted (for touring), I didn't imagine this - but it looks cool and it proves the concept has backers.... somewhere

[Problemchild]

There was a company who was doing the same for Renault Zoe
- you could rent one to tow and give you extra range

I think if you wanted to do 300 mile trips in an electric car then buying a smart car probably isn’t the best way.

Just plan your trips via chargers - much easier

Makes the car look awesome though haha

JJ

[snookey]

Rinspeed are probably best known for designing and converting cars to double as a boat or submarine, but I think this idea will sink without trace.  It's one thing to package extra batteries within the dimensions of the car, that's equivalent to fitting a larger petrol tank, but tacking them on the back just doesn't work, and defeats the specific purpose of the fortwo as a tiny car.  Incurring additional length without gaining more passenger and load space devalues the fortwo's identity, reducing it to an impractical version of a normal-sized hatchback.

[Problemchild]

Guess it depends on your needs and your outlook on life



JJ

[snookey]

Yeah, I guess it does, and you're correct to think that it's a great idea that's both preferable than messing about searching for chargers, and additionally makes a smart car a more appropriate choice for three hundred mile trips than any other car.

[Coverman]

Do you not mean that it makes a Smart car less appropriate than any other for a 300 mile journey? . Lugging all that extra weight around will have a terrible effect on performance, braking, roadholding. A Hyundai Kona can almost do 300 miles in greater comfort, more luggage and passenger space,and with far better road manners:the time thus saved would allow  for a top up charge en route.

[El Tel]

Makes the car look awesome though haha

Kinda reminds me of a kubelwagen half-track. That would be a mind blowing mod.

[El Tel]

Do you not mean that it makes a Smart car less appropriate than any other for a 300 mile journey? . Lugging all that extra weight around will have a terrible effect on performance, braking, roadholding. A Hyundai Kona can almost do 300 miles in greater comfort, more luggage and passenger space,and with far better road manners:the time thus saved would allow  for a top up charge en route.

That's a fair point, but I think this is for Smart car owners who have an EV for city driving and parking 50-odd weeks of the year and when they want to go for a couple weeks summer holiday, pop this on the back to give the range.

The Kona looks cool, and if you do lots of long journeys your point is well made; but it isn't exactly easy to park in say, Lisbon, Paris, Barcelona - the Smart is really made for those kind of environments, and if that is your only car, the battery pack looks like an interesting option for those rare, longer trips.

Though I think that regular stops aren't really the problem here, I think that pack is more about treating range anxiety.

[El Tel]

...and I guess your next comment will be 'why not just rent a Kona for 2 weeks' and you're probably right, but at the same time, back in the 80s, mobile phones were ridiculously heavy and naff, and people said 'why not just find a phone box'. They had a point back then, and yet now there are almost no phone boxes left.

Point I'm making is, it's interesting to see people come up with these things, and even if they fail, eventually they'll find ways to make better and more useful versions. Eventually some evolution of that idea (extended range battery packs on EV cars) will simply be the best option, but rarely starts that way. Such is progress.

[CrazyG]

Dare I mention that the Smart 450 (ForTwo) in JJ's post
has what is/was a 'luggage extender' fitted...it was quite an
expensive piece of aftermarket kit when it was available..
I know as I was after one for my Brabus 450 till I saw just
how much it would have cost.  It was called a 'Clever-End' 
It was designed stricktly to provide more luggage space for
those who might need it...like weekend trippers etc, or artists
with easels or golfers with their golf bag etc etc.
Not really anything to do with this 'Battery packs' topic mind.

[jmariog]

My thinking was that you could stop off at a petrol station swap back ends and drive off, do that till you get to where you are going

[CrazyG]

That 'Clever end' is a complete replacement rear tailgate...
Even the wiring was different/had to be modified to fit,
so regretably it wouldn't have been a simple case of
'stop, remove, refit original, drive off"...shame really.

[Problemchild]

It’s a mix of practicality vs wanting something interesting

If pug did a trailer for my e208 to give me 200 extra miles I’d not rent or buy one - charging is so easy anyway i don’t feel the need to do anything extra

But when a roof box came up for the ForFour I bought it and loved having it on the roof as I liked the look

JJ

[Coverman]

Public transport in European capital cities is so good, and cheap, and parking is so onerous and exoensive. Why not park in Cascais for example, and get the train in in 20 minutes?