The smart fortwo—and its on-purpose lowercase spelling— has finally gone electric, in a move that makes the mechanics of the miniature vehicle a closer match to its exterior, which has always had an air of EV about it. The electric smart fortwos will be available ahead of early estimates that had it on roads in 2010, and, instead, the vaguely golf cart-reminiscent electric car will be available this November. But there’s a catch: It will only be available for lease.

A series of the all-electric smart fortwo vehicles will be appearing on the assembly line in France come mid-November before they head out to select cities in Europe and the United States, where they will be available only to select lessees who will all commit to four year leases on the electric smart fortwos and be responsible for giving feedback on how the tiny EVs function in real world situations (if this sounds familiar to you, it’s because Daimler did the same thing with the electric smart fortwo in the U.K. and BMW is doing likewise with the electric Mini Cooper). Daimler expects that the electric smart fortwo won’t be available for purchase until 2012, by which point the market could already be filled with many electric options.

So what will a few lucky—depending on your car preference—U.S. drivers get to experience? A lithium-ion battery from Tesla that will get them about 70 miles before needing to be charged again (a process that can be completed overnight), and the quirky design that’s always accompanied smart cars. The range is lower than the average on EVs these days (usually about 100 miles before recharge is needed), but will fit the needs of most of the city-dwelling commuters that the electric smart fortwo is geared toward. The biggest selling feature, however, is expected to be the price tag, which Daimler has made no comment on yet, but is likely to be less than that of larger EVs. And, of course, there’s always the perk of being able to park in the smallest spaces.

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