Smart EV's becoming a big deal...

[jonnysan]

In Berlin.

Take a look at this!

I sure wish we had something going on like this here in this country!!! We really need to get this kind of thing going as soon as possible to stay ahead of the wave, so to speak.....

I'd be willing to do some testing here in the NE ....

John
EVWORLD NEWSWIRE: Berlin to Deploy Largest Electric Car Network in World

[smart fortimo]

I would have taken one last May instead of the petrol model, if they had been available.

I took delivery of my cabrio sight unseen and no prior test drive. I would have gladly done the same with an EV.

So again... I wait on smart.

[xrisnothing]

pssshhh

Get back in you cage, American. 40 mpg is plenty. You don't want the EV, diesel or hybrid! No. No. No. Bad American. There's no market for it and no matter what you say, you don't really want it. You like gas. You love it. You need it. You crave it.

[herbvdh]

I absolutely hate to blow anyones bubble but an electric Smart is available in the US from Hybrid Technologies | changing the world by reinventing power

[2smartArizona]

Originally Posted by herbvdh

I absolutely hate to blow anyones bubble but an electric Smart is available in the US from Hybrid Technologies | changing the world by reinventing power

Yeah, but this is a factory made 451 EV from Daimler, not transformed in in someone elses plant. I would have more confidence in the Daimler made car. Unless they can get the range up over 150 miles, it wouldn't do me any good anyway.

[enriquegg34]

Gas & Oil Industries would freak out if the US went 100% electric... was there not an electric car already in California what 15-20 years ago ? they were only available on lease later they were just picked up and crushed the impact on the profits for the BIG OIL must have been a BIG HEAD ACHE.

Originally Posted by xrisnothing

pssshhh

Get back in you cage, American. 40 mpg is plenty. You don't want the EV, diesel or hybrid! No. No. No. Bad American. There's no market for it and no matter what you say, you don't really want it. You like gas. You love it. You need it. You crave it.

[jonnysan]

Originally Posted by enriquegg34

Gas & Oil Industries would freak out if the US went 100% electric... was there not an electric car already in California what 15-20 years ago ? they were only available on lease later they were just picked up and crushed the impact on the profits for the BIG OIL must have been a BIG HEAD ACHE.

Will NOT happen overnite, enriquegg!. The gas and oil companies themselves understand that use of fossil fuels will slowly slope down as alternatives come into play but it's going to be a slow, deliberate process.

Many of the gas and oil companies are investing money in Lithium ion battery R & D because they realize that that will be the fuel source of the future. That and hydrogen fuel cells.....maybe.

So they aren't going to freek too much if they want to keep up with 21st century technology.
Now...if we only could get past this housing/banking/wall street debacle and move on....hopefully our newly elected government will run with the energy issue and get some really progressive programs going ...right away.
Different subject....different thread.....

[DHurt]

Originally Posted by herbvdh

I absolutely hate to blow anyones bubble but an electric Smart is available in the US from Hybrid Technologies | changing the world by reinventing power

According to Wired magazine the Hybrid Technologies electric Smart will cost over $40,000. That's too steep for me.

Does anyone know the approximate cost for the production electric Smart?

[Krodista]

DHurt,

I assume you are talking about a fully electric smart and not the EV, which is less like a hybrid and more like a kill switch at idle speeds. As far as a fully functioning electric, the price depends on what it is intended to do. If its something to be able to drive 300+ miles on one charge, then I can imagine it will come with a heftier price than that which you are quoting, but if it is a commuter car with max range of around 60, then I imagine the price might equate much to what a smart costs currently. In all reality though, the technology isnt there yet for a reliable and lightweight way to carry around so much battery for a replacement to something but a commuter vehicle...that and power grids will need to change to keep up with the technology as more and more people would begin to plug in their cars...or we might have brown outs left and right. As many are saying though, its going to be gradual. Honestly I think electric cars is a horrible direction for our civilization to head into. Where are you going to store all the dead batteries? The pollution and devisation that would follow from such a global decision would be far worse than we are in today.

[jwight]

EV is all electric (Electric Vehicle). The one described as a "kill switch" is the smart MHD (Micro Hybrid Drive) which shuts the engine off as the car stops and restarts it when the throttle is depressed (as opposed to being joyous.)