Just bought an electric Smart

Smart EQ
#1

So I ordered an electric Smart car yesterday, aka Smart EQ. I’ve gone for all black with the 22kw onboard charger (meaning it will charge at a much faster rate at public charge points if they support that rate).

I got what I considered to be a fairly reasonable deal at a Mercedes ‘VIP’ event.

£3k deposit and then £165 per month over 4 years with the option to purchase for around £5500 at the end. See post 10 for a breakdown.

It’s certainly a lot more expensive than a Twizy, but it basically feels like a more premium and comfortable Twizy. Probably everything a Twizy v2 should be. Its range is quoted as 99 miles and its top speed is 80mph, AND the dealer knew all about it and wanted to sell me one!

It comes with built in TomTom sat nav, radio, air conditioning, heated seats, adjustable seats, glass roof, leather interior, alloy wheels plus a load more stuff.

I only have a month to wait and then I will post some pics!

4 Likes
#2

Congratulations. I suppose the Smart is a “proper” car compared to the Twizy.
Keep us posted.

#3

It feels like the perfect compromise between a Twizy and a ‘proper’ car.

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#4

So, if I understand right, you will pay deposit and monthly rent, but after 4 years must pay another 5500 pounds if you want to own it? Any submission from the country?
After 4 yeaars is then better to make antother same deal with new one :slight_smile:

#5

Yep, it’s called PCP finance. It’s pretty common in the UK.

It gives you the option of either owning it at the end, giving it back and walking away, or using it as part exchange on another car. I will most likely look to part exchange it for whatever cool EV is around in 4 years time!

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#6

The price I’m paying already includes a £4500 grant from the government.

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#7

Nice - look forward to hearing your review James, I wanted to get one a while back but local garage only had the 4 seat and wouldn’t bring a 2 seat demo up from the South Coast due to range!

#8

I’ve not test driven it, so I’m just hoping I like it when it arrives! I’ll obviously report back here once it’s delivered and I’ve had a play.

#9

Have to say I’m supremely jealous, I’ve been eyeing the Smart For Two EQ for a couple years now. Thanks for posting what you paid, it will certainly help when negotiating later if I do pull the trigger. Out of interest is this something you negotiated or was this on offer?

I test drove the ICE For Two and couldn’t help but feel it would be considerably better as an EV. The engine and gearbox was awful, the two things you don’t have to worry about in an EV :wink:

Best of luck with delivery, please keep us updated I’m very much on the fence on this one!

#10

I’ve just had to take another look at my invoice in detail to figure out the exact deal I got. It seems I’m not paying as much as I thought.

It looks like the dealer has taken £4,966.67 off of the ex-VAT vehicle price of £17,366.67 bringing it down to £12,400 ex-VAT. So I would assume this is the £4,500 government grant plus £466.67 of their own money to get the deal through.

They’re then charging £250 manufacturer’s delivery charge bringing the sub-total to £12,650. Then they added the VAT on plus £55 first registration fee bringing the price to pay to £15,235.

However, the dealer also then contributed £798.90 to the finance deposit, which effectively brings the price down to £14,436.10.

I then paid a £500 deposit with £1,802 left to pay when I pick the car up. This leaves £12,134.10 being financed which he said would work out at about £165 per month (sorry, don’t have the finance details on me).

So in total I’m paying:

£500 deposit + £1802 when I pick the car up + 48 monthly payments of £165 which works out at £10,222 before having to pay the balloon payment although I can’t remember if he said this was £5,500 or £5,800 now. So assuming the latter it works out at about £16k all in for the 22kw Fortwo Prime Premium model.

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#11

Thanks for the detailed response James, much appreciated. I have a bad feeling that here in rip off Ipswich I won’t get the same deal but I’ll give it a shot. Most dealers I’ve spoken with detest the idea of selling EVs.

At that monthly price it really is a no brainer for those who love small electric cars.

Now time to convince the Mrs that we really only need two seats not four!

#12

If it makes any difference, I don’t think the forfour was that much more expensive. I just prefer the look of the smaller one.

#13

Same, I think the Forfour is somewhat ungainly in its appearance. Looks too stretched if that makes sense.

Please keep us updated on your thoughts when you receive it, consider me extremely jealous!

#14

Congratulations James. Be very interested to see how you get on. Also be interested to know how it compares to the Zoe price wise and range per actual cost of mile?

We’ve just bought yesterday a new 64kW Hyundai Kona with a real 300mile range. After governments cash back it stood us in at £32k. Seems good value when you compare to all others that generally don’t even get close in terms of range and toys for the money. Got a choice of Twizy, i3 BMW and Kona in the family now!

Finally, my login via Google on my android phone works every time but my Android tablet refuses to let me log in ‘with google’ " throwing up error 401 deleted_client, the OAclient was deleted. Any ideas?

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#15

Hello James, what a report! A dealer that knew all about the Smart EQ and wanted to sell one! If it is OK with you I would like to convey this to the Swedish EV community by way of the magazine “Elbilen”. Here we have a similar situation,competent salespersons are exceptions. Customers walk in wanting to buy an EV and come out having signed up for a fossil fueled car.

#16

Congratulations on your new vehicle.
I am looking forward to following your posts. I was an early adopter of the Twizy buying mine in May 2012, and have been reading everything about the Smart EQ . Last year when the details were first released I visited my Mercedes dealer (Gatwick - where I bought my E class estate) . I seemed to know more about it than they did! The one thing they did say was they would NOT take a Twizy in part exchange due to major difficulties with the battery rental and subsequent resale (I’m not sure I would want to sell it anyway). This was based on their experience of taking a Renault Zoe(?) in part exchange and then having problems with Renault Finance and re assigning the battery lease.
I drove an early petrol Smart which was not too clever - especially the gearbox and engines lack of torque. Both of these items would be transformed by a switch to an electric motor. I have yet to test drive the Smart EQ as this dealer has not had a demo when I’ve visited. However they are part of a larger group and they probably move the demonstrator around. When I was invited to a VIP day they had just one secondhand EQ for sale in the group, but it was approximately £21,000!!!.
I am fairly serious about buying one in the next 12 months and I am not sure whether it is best to buy outright or use a PCP. Your deal does seem quite attractive. Does it include servicing over the 4 year period? What warranty period and mileage limit are they offering?
The real world range will be interesting. Early on the Twizy was supposed to do 50 miles and the most I’ve risked is 47 but with huge anxiety . It will be interesting to learn if you will gamble more than 70 miles!

#17

Hi again James, I tried to e-mail you but Outlook cannot find your address. Can you e-mail me at hagberg2000 (at) hotmail.com ?

#18

Congratulation James,

Flying soon on a week-end in Madrid for a wedding and hired a Smart ForTwo. Never drove a Smart before so should be fun. I need to change my wife ageing Fiat Panda for an EV and the Smart EQ is on my option list but probably the Forfour if I can get a very good deal.

Thanks for sharing.

#21

Interesting. I am having the same problem in p/x my Twizy for a smart. They are refusing to sign the battery agreement which means I cannot buy the smart even though we have a contract and I have paid a deposit. How can this be legal that the Renault battery agreement is for ever essentially and infringes your rights to sell the vehicle!

#22

Yep, Smart dealer won’t want to be held responsible for the battery lease. You’d be better off selling privately to help pay for the Smart