Smart For-us: 2012 Detroit Auto Show

STUTTGART, Germany — At the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, Smart will publicly unveil the For-us, a two-passenger, battery-powered mini-pickup that it describes as a "mobility concept."

Smart calls the Four-us an "urban pickup" that is aimed at "the young and young-at-heart with active lives who attach importance to low emissions and taking up minimum road space."

In fact, the For-us is one of the smallest pickups around, with an overall length of just under 140 inches — about 7 inches shorter than a Mini Cooper and virtually identical in length to the Fiat 500.

The For-us uses the 55kW electric motor and 17.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack from the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive, which is being launched in the U.S. in spring 2012. Smart says the motor makes 96 pound-feet of torque and can propel the baby pickup to a top speed of more than 75 mph.

The concept has some clever features, including a dashboard dock that turns your smartphone into a display for the vehicle's rearview video camera. The cockpit is finished in mother-of-pearl white with brushed-aluminum accents, and is fitted with a pair of hammock-like seats that are covered in a soft yellow fabric throw.

The truck bed was designed to accommodate two Smart E-bikes and features a retractable tailgate and cargo floor.

Inside Line says: Smart continues its string of clever, youthful concepts for the next generation.