Smart might only make very small cars, but its designers have created something slightly larger for a Detroit auto show concept: a pickup truck/coupe crossover called the For-us.
The For-us is based on the existing ForTwo convertible, but is nearly three feet longer at 139.6 inches in length. That additional length benefits the cargo space more than the passenger compartment, as the For-us is still exclusively a two-seater. The concept's wheelbase, at 97.7 inches, is a roughly two feet longer than that of the standard ForTwo, with a track widened by two inches. The For-us rides two inches higher than a production ForTwo, and has extremely short front and rear overhangs to keep the look consistent with the rest of Smart’s vehicles.
The concept’s arrow-shaped headlights are intended to recall water droplets streaming across an airplane’s window, with outer rings within the housings that serve as turn signals and a row of LEDs that act as daytime running lights. The parallelogram-shaped taillights are of a modular design, and can open to provide a small storage space. The concept is supposed to look off-road-ready, and the increased ride height along with three-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 235/55R18-size Michelin off-road tires help pull off that look.
Also helping the For-us look more rugged is the stubby little pickup bed aft of the B-pillars. The three-foot tailgate can be electrically lowered and extended. Considering compact pickups can offer beds up to six feet long, that isn't much, but Smart thinks it's plenty for hauling small odds and ends, including its own hybrid-electric eBike. The For-us includes integrated docks for a pair of Smart’s electric bicycles, which can charge the bikes as the miniscule pickup drives.
Those bikes aren't the only things powered by electricity, as the For-us itself utilizes an electric drivetrain pulled from the Smart ForTwo eD. That system is comprised of 55-kW magneto-electric motor and a 17.6-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which provides power to the rear wheels. The package is good for 96 lb-ft of torque, and a top speed well over 80 mph, according to Smart. The For-us gets the same estimated range as the Smart eD, at around 87 miles per charge. Smart says the battery can be recharged from 20 to 80 percent in only three and a half hours, while a full charge takes no more than eight hours.
The concept represents Smart’s take on the future of urban utility. Though it’s hard to see this pint-sized pickup as a replacement for the full-sized trucks Americans love so dearly, we’ll have to wait and see if this concept heads to production to find out if the automaker’s solution is indeed a smart one.
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