A near-polar opposite of the vision presented by the new Mercedes-Benz Project One supercar, the new smart vision EQ fortwo is making its own splash in its initial public appearance at the 2017 International Motor Show Germany in Frankfurt.
Electric, self-driving and stripped of steering wheel and pedals, the new concept car is being touted by the manufacturer as the “intelligent solution for an urban mobility of tomorrow”, as well as a potential model of choice for car-sharing services, thanks to its ability to efficiently and cleanly pick up and deliver people anywhere on a moment’s notice.
Developed under Daimler’s new EQ banner, the car is the company’s first to incarnate the four elements of its CASE strategy: Connected, Autonomous, Shared, Electric.
In addition to its futuristic styling, standout features include customizable elements like the front grille and large glassed doors, which can display any number of messages or alerts – just like the front and rear lights. The functioning of the car is unsurprisingly conceived around the smartphone, and the various digital surfaces inside are designed to optimize communication and entertainment.
Even if no one inside the car is using the feature, information regarding weather, time and news can be displayed for the benefit of passersby. The car can even head to a charging station on its own to fill up before it is needed again.
The trends manifested in its new concept are nothing new to Daimler; the company already supplies thousands of smart cars to the car2go service around the world, and it announced earlier this year that no gasoline-engine smart cars will be sold in North America in the years to come.
