Smart EQ ForTwo EV Charging Cable
| Inlet type | Type 2 for AC. No DC inlet on any UK car of any year |
|---|---|
| Max onboard AC | 22 kW three phase from 2020, 7 kW single phase before |
| On a UK home supply | 7.4 kW |
| Charge port position | Offside rear three quarter panel |
| Cable we recommend | Type 2 to Type 2, 32A single phase |
A Type 2 lead is the only way into this car
Rapid chargers are irrelevant here, because there is no DC connector to plug them into. The Type 2 cable does all of the work, which is why a missing one on a used car is a bigger problem than most buyers expect.
The owner manual charging technical data lists nominal voltage up to 400 volts AC, maximum three phase, 32 amps maximum current, charge output from 4.6 to 22 kW, interface Type 2 to Type 2. There is no DC section because there is no DC socket, and EV Database records a dash for rapid charging on both the coupe and the cabrio.
The 22 kW rating and what it means in Britain
Do not pay extra for the 22 kW charger on account of home charging, because it changes nothing there. Both the standard charger and the upgraded one meet the same single phase supply and settle at the same 7.4 kW. The difference only appears where three phases are available.
smart earns a mention for quoting that 22 kW figure against three phases at 32 amps in its own technical data, which is honest. The confusion arises because its marketing separately described the same charger as a rapid charging function, which reads like DC to anyone skimming.
Standard or optional depends on the year
UK cars from the 2020 facelift have the 22 kW charger as standard: the price list technical data prints 22 for the coupe, the cabrio and the ForFour alike, and the launch coverage described the charger as now standard. Cars from 2017 to 2019 had 7 kW single phase as standard with the 22 kW unit a £275 option under code 908.
One quirk from that era: when the 22 kW option was introduced, cars specified with it were supplied with a Mode 3 cable only and no Mode 2 granny lead, which the price list footnote states outright.
Do not take smart own home charging time at face value
The 2020 UK price list quotes ten to eighty per cent at a home wall box in under three hours eighteen minutes, which works back to roughly 3.6 kW rather than 7.4. The footnote explains why, referring to "the charging current set on the charging cable", so the figure assumes a 16 amp lead.
On a 32 amp British wall box with a 32 amp cable the same ten to eighty per cent takes closer to an hour and forty minutes. That gap is entirely down to the cable, which is a rare case of the cable genuinely being the variable.
How long a full charge takes
| Cable | Power drawn at home | Empty to full, 17.2 kWh battery | Range added per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type 2, 32A at 7.4 kW, a UK home charge point | 7.4 kW | 2 hours 45 mins | about 26 miles |
| Type 2, 16A at 3.7 kW | 3.7 kW | 5 hours 15 mins | about 13 miles |
| Type 2 to 3 Pin from a socket | 2.3 kW | 8 hours 30 mins | about 8 miles |
Hours are worked from battery size against power drawn, plus a 13 per cent allowance for what is lost as heat, rounded to fifteen minutes. Range added per hour assumes a year round 3.5 miles per kWh rather than a best case figure. Based on 17.2 kWh usable of a 17.6 kWh pack, which is smart own published UK figure.
WLTP range is 74 to 82 miles for the coupe and 73 to 75 for the cabrio. The 99 mile figure in the 2018 brochure is an NEDC number, as its own footnote admits.
Which length for a ForTwo
The flap sits on the offside rear three quarter panel where a petrol cap would be, which Zapmap confirms and EV Database records as right side rear. The predecessor 451 electric drive was arranged the same way, on the right rear B pillar.
At 2.7 metres this is the shortest car we sell a cable for, and five metres is genuinely sufficient in most cases. Ten is worth it only if the charge point is awkwardly placed. Take a tape measure to the run, inlet to charge point, and add a couple of metres before choosing.
How these cables are built
IEC 62196-2 construction, CE marked, IP55 sealed and tested from -30C through to +50C.
On the three pin side the standard is IEC 62752, with CE marking, IP67 sealing and a -30C to +60C range. Two years of manufacturer warranty, free next working day shipping anywhere in the UK, and a month to change your mind.
Related: Smart EQ ForFour EV Charging Cable, and Smart Car charging cables for every other model we cover.
Smart EQ ForTwo charging cable questions
Does the Smart EQ ForTwo have a CCS socket?
No. There is no DC inlet on any UK Smart EQ, coupe or cabrio, in any model year.
Why is smart own home charging time so slow?
Its figure assumes a 16 amp cable, as the price list footnote admits. With a 32A cable on a 32A wall box the car charges roughly twice as fast.
Does the 22 kW charger help at home?
No. It is a three phase device, so a British house gives it 7.4 kW, the same as the earlier single phase charger.
What cable length do I need?
Five metres is usually plenty on a car this short. Ten metres only if the charge point is poorly placed relative to the offside rear.
Cable specifications
| Connector type | Type 2 to Type 2 Charging Cable |
|---|---|
| Standard | IEC 62196-2 |
| Rated power | 16amp (3.6kW) |
| Supply | Single phase |
| Cable length | 10M |
| Weatherproofing | IP55 |
| Temperature range | −30°C to +50°C |
| Approval | CE marked |
| Warranty | 2 year manufacturer's warranty |
Specifications follow the option you have selected above. Charging always runs at the lowest limit of your car, the charge point and the cable.