smart electric plant announced

[fannum]

SMART ELECTRIC: smart fortwo Electric to be Built at Hambach, France
October 08, 2009Diamler AG announced today that it has selected its plant at Hambach, France, to build the smart fortwo electic car slated to go on sale in 2012. Daimler had announced earlier this year that a plug-in electric version of the car was in the works.
Daimler said it will invest double-digit millions of euro at Hambach for production of the smart fortwo electric drive with a lithium-ion battery. But Daimler has learned its lesson on Smart and instead of selling the car wholesale to anyone that wants one, the electric smart fortwo will initially be sold to customers participating in various mobility projects in major cities in Europe and North America in order to gain feedback on the car. You may recall that when the Smart, or Swatch car as it was called then, was first introduced it had a severe rollover problem that required Daimler to recall every car and make a fix.
The electric smart fortwo will be classified as a zero-emissions vehicle.

[theguywiththelongestname]

where was this published?

[JPaul]

From Daimler's Media page

In November 2009, the plant will start to produce a small series of about 1,000 units of the smart fortwo electric drive. In a first step, these vehicles will be provided to customers participating in various mobility projects in major cities in Europe and the U.S., in order to generate additional feedback from the use under everyday conditions.
As of 2012, the smart fortwo electric drive will be produced in significantly larger volumes as a regular part of the smart product portfolio and will be sold through the smart sales network. smart thus emphazises its pioneering role on the way to individual mobility with local zero-emissions in cities and urban areas.

[Okiesmrt]

They'd sell more if the were built anywhere else.

[fannum]

Originally Posted by theguywiththelongestname

where was this published?

The release came from Daimler, and was published as well in AutomotiveNewsWire on 10/8

[sunnyokanagan]

Originally Posted by Okiesmrt

They'd sell more if the were built anywhere else.

Huh ???

[Fuse 11]

Originally Posted by sunnyokanagan

Huh ???

It's a good thing they don't build the normal smarts there, or nobody would own one!

What?

That's where the factory is already?

Well, nevermind then.

-Rusty
'09 passion coupe
"We're from France." -- Beldar Conehead

[lebikerboy]

If they were built in Iran they could be nuclear powered...