Smart USA is showing off the electric version of the ForTwo on the East Coast this week. Not a moment too soon, either.

That's because Smart hopes to have 250 of the little two-seat buggers in the hands of consumers as soon as this fall, when it goes into test as a prelude to volume production in 2012. About 100 of them are already running around England.

Using a standard 220-volt outlet, the electric Smart takes 3.5 hours to charge the battery from 20% to 80% of its capacity. It takes less than 8 hours to fully recharge. It also can be charged using a standard 110-volt wall outlet. The vehicles can reach highway speeds and offers a range of about 82 miles on a single charge.

"The Smart ForTwo electric drive is the ultimate statement on innovative automotive conservation and further defines the brand's independent spirit," said Jill Lajdziak, president of Smart USA.

Smart is made in France by Germany's Daimler, parent of Mercedes-Benz. Sales have fallen in the U.S. for the conventional version as gas prices have moderated, Smart was unable to produce follow-on models and the fad factor of the brand has started to wear off. But electric drive could be just what Smart needs to become the cutting edge of cool again.