2017 Smart Electric Drive production timeline/arrival

[darren 192]

On 6/24/2017 at 2:18 PM, Mike T said:

Those "new" 451 EDs in the USA - if there are many - are all 18+ month old cars, previous model year cars being sold as new.  All it means is that MBUSA was better at anticipating the poor transition between 451 and 453 ED and ordered enough to sell them as new used cars during the yawning gap in production.  smart needs to get their shit together on generational transitions....

Either that, or they've done an even worse job marketing and selling them than MB Canada.

[jbcollier 8]

Supposedly our 2017 ED is showing up at the end of this month and they still don't even have an official price yet!  Weird.  Worse, Canadian production has been so delayed that the factories are winding down for the summer break and the 2018 changes.  This means they are low/out-of some colour options.  Our Black/Hazel Brown is coming Black/Black.  Wonder what the delay was actually about...

Edited July 7, 2017 by jbcollier

[lebikerboy 96]

On 2017-06-24 at 9:08 AM, Blaine said:

 

 

 

Edited July 18, 2017 by lebikerboy
screw up

[lebikerboy 96]

It's on the way....

 

This is from from my sales guy at M/B North Vancouver...

 

Great news your Electric smart is on the BOAT!

 I will give you an update as we go but, I am thinking it should arrive next month hopefully.

Edited July 18, 2017 by lebikerboy

[MikeT 744]

It's not going to be May, but good news after all the waiting!

[SmartED 9]

I wonder how many friends are coming with it?

[lebikerboy 96]

On 2017-06-24 at 9:08 AM, Blaine said:

 

I think you'll find it pretty difficult to find a new 451 ED in the US, at least from what's been posted on SCoA.   There's plenty of off lease units.   I'm pretty sure there are no new 451EDs in Toronto.  They'd be a good buy with the new rebates.

 

In Canada the dealerships didn't have final option lists and didn't have pricing.   They don't have stock even though it appears they're shipping in Europe and were demoing them three months ago.   MB claimed last year that they would start the EV model in NA.   Then crickets.   The earliest I've been quoted is September delivery, "maybe October".    Your own experience...  So maybe they will release them in Canada in August.   Whatever that means.

 

The whole "yellow, no blue, aaaaaaarrgh, splat" management confusion doesn't engender confidence.    Not that I'm exactly thrilled with how either the Tesla Model 3 or the GM Bolt were rolled out, but they were 100% consistent on their messaging, and they're hitting their targets.   I'm sure the NA market is an afterthought for MB, given most sales are elsewhere, but they just seem to be amateurish by comparison.  

 

Sorry for the rant.   [ Wipes sweat from brow, sweeps up hair from floor ]

 

 

Someone who knows how would have to check...

Edited July 22, 2017 by lebikerboy

[SmartED 9]

Last weekend the Toronto Star had a nice section in 5he Wheels part about current ED vehicles in Canada and sadly our Smart wasn't there. Lousy timing for sure but points out the hurdles MB faces with product acceptance.

[MikeT 744]

If there's nothing to show, you miss the boat (and publication deadline).

[Huronlad 186]

23 hours ago, SmartED said:

I wonder how many friends are coming with it?

Looks like 31 453 ED are at the terminal waiting to ship to Canada.

[MikeT 744]

Should be ready for delivery by September, then.  In Halifax by early August, plus a few more weeks to be delivered to dealers.  Assuming there are no show stoppers with homologation.

[jbcollier 8]

Yup, ordered in January with a projected delivery in May.  Told us at the beginning of July it was due the last week in July. One week before, they confirmed in was due in a few days.  The next day they phoned and said it would be the beginning of September.  Still no actual pricing.  Could not get the colour we wanted as it was the end of the 2017 production and the factory did not have all options available.  I literally asked the WTF was going on.  If the Smart ED didn't fit exactly what we were looking for, I would have cancelled the deal.  Can't see how it is possible for them to go electric only at this rate.

[MikeT 744]

My guess is they'll sell 550 of them in Canada (matching the ED's best year of 2014) through all of 2018 and then will pull the plug (bad pun intended).  I hope I am totally low on that estimate.

[lebikerboy 96]

Just got final pricing and delivery date from M/B.

Slightly more than I anticipated with a due date

of 2 1/2 to 3 weeks...

Edited August 2, 2017 by lebikerboy

[MikeT 744]

Wow, maybe in August?

[lebikerboy 96]

Yes, indeed!

[SmartED 9]

I'm sure it will be worth the wait and look forward to your impressions. 

[MikeT 744]

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=39192

 

So, ignoring the fact that the image is that of a 451, the real news is that the 453 ED has an official EPA range of....58 miles.  The 451 ED had an official EPA range of....68 miles.

 

Regression, pathetic and the death of the brand in North America.

[Huronlad 186]

If you compare the 451 ED to the 453 ED, the 453 is more efficient but has less range.  That is just flat out wrong.

[lebikerboy 96]

As the new head of the EPA is a past member of the petroleum oligarchy,

why not show electric vehicles as being less efficient than they are in the real world...

Edited August 12, 2017 by lebikerboy

[MikeT 744]

The real problems with this are that the EPA MPG-e of other cars for 2017 is so much higher (e.g. the LEAF, renowned for its short range, is rated at 107 miles), and just maybe that there has been an actual decrease in range compared to the last version.  I think the official range being so short will be the end of smart in this market.

[lebikerboy 96]

I still won't believe the EPA estimate until I see for myself...

[SmartED 9]

Lower the range and sink the ship. Sounds about right? Goodbye Smarts. Worse range is not in Vogue!

[smart142 605]

The smart engineers said the 453 range was better than the 451. Who to believe?

 

My lease for the 451 ED is up in a year and I am seriously consider leasing a 453. Even if the range was slightly less it would still meet my needs.

To me the smart ED is the perfect city car. If I need to leave the city I will take the diesel smart or another vehicle

[MikeT 744]

7 hours ago, lebikerboy said:

I still won't believe the EPA estimate until I see for myself...

 

According to Kamaal in LA (smart salesman) it's on the Monroney stickers of all of them.  They got a shipment of 453 EDs earlier this week.