Smart manager Jensen: E-Smart may come to LA

[Donnar]

Hi, just found this in German news and thought it may be interesting for somebody. Please excuse my poor command of English...

Translation from German:

Daimler's 'Smart' division will launch another field trial with electric-powered Smart cars in 2009. For the first time, Li-ion batteries will be used in an automotive implementation. According to brand manager Anders Jensen, the trial may take place in Los Angeles.

Jensen: 'The Smart is perfectly fitted for alternative drive concepts, as there's enough space for both, the electric drive and the batteries'[...]It's very likely that the field trial could start in Los Angeles. It's surely a very interesting place for something like this and we're already in a discussion about it.'

Los Angeles is one of the places in the US where the Smart currently sells best. Most of the 30.000 orders are either from California or the East Coast. Further on, Jenson said that there are currently no plans to manufacture the car in the US. 'Not now. We have to face reality: The Smart is a niche product here and with the small numbers it wouldn't make any sense at all. But if the sales would hit the 100k mark, then we surely would have to think about a production in the US again.'

Source: freenet.de

Donnar

[Bremer Speck]

I believe they are referring to the Smart MHD (Micro Hybrid Drive). This is not an electric car! And it is not a hybrid, either. It includes a 200 or so Euros option, which will shut-off the engine, every time you come to a standstill and press the clutch. Quite a few German cars do have this option. I recently drove a BMW325 around Northern Germany and I liked it. Red Lights? Stop! Motor off. Depress the clutch, motor on. Not sure, though, how this would work with a semi-automatic transmission. The German Smart dealer told me it is estimated that this option saves about 1/2-3/4 of a liter of gas per 100KM of driving. Not much but it adds-up quickly. It is mostly an environmental thing because that 1/2 liter may not mean much to most drivers.

[spdickey]

smart is currently testing a full elecric version in London as we speak. You are referring to the MHD that smart is selling now in Europe.

smart GMBH opened the smart house in Venice California last year as a promotional/event location. They found a lot of interest here in L.A. for the car, we have over a half dozen dealers with more coming soon. Having the full electric car here would be a good test for smart.

[Donnar]

Smart manager Jensen was talking about a full elecric version to be tested in Los Angeles. Currently, there's a field trial with approx. 200 full electric Smarts in London. They have 30kW (40hp) output, a top speed of 70 mph and most important: They are exempt from vehicle excise duty and congestion charge (A fee of 8 Pounds, approx. $16, is required for each day a vehicle enters or travels within London).

But the full electric Smart for Los Angeles would be different, because of the Li-ion battery pack. Li-ion batteries can store more energy than 'standard' batteries, but they will explode in case of an accident. Daimler and BMW currently succeeded in developing a new type of Li-ion battery that (hopefully) won't explode any more.

I would love to try such a car, not because I'm 'green', but because of the acceleration. An electric motor has 100% torque starting from 0rpm by principle (The London EV-Smarts have their gearbox locked in third gear...) ;)

[mike-in-sa]

Wasn't there some law passed years ago that all car manufacturers had to offer a zero-emissions vehicle by a certain date if they wanted to sell cars in California?

[MSOEMiller]

Originally Posted by mike-in-sa

Wasn't there some law passed years ago that all car manufacturers had to offer a zero-emissions vehicle by a certain date if they wanted to sell cars in California?

You're thinking of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) "ZEV mandate" in 1990, which was later reversed.

Watch "Who Killed the Electric Car," You can rent it at Blockbuster. It's

Here's info on Wikipedia . . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Kil...lectric_Car%3F