I just read "The Wall Street Journal" article stating Smart EV will bu getting batteries and chargers from Tesla Motors. US sales starting mid 2010, in select markets and full production in 2012.
Very Nice, But Won't Be on Market for a While
smart had the new fortwo electric drive on display at the Detroit Auto Show 2009. "At the end of 2009, smart will begin producing the smart fortwo electric drive equipped with a lithium-ion battery." But people in the US probably shouldn't hold their breath, because our sources tell us in might take until 2010-2011, and even then, numbers might be low.
According to Popular Mechanics (about the European version of the electric smart, which is the same as the one showed in Detroit):
Smart expects to have 100 of the battery cars in place in Berlin in the near future, and will continue growing the eMobility project to other urban areas over the coming months. According to Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche, the goal is to have 1000 of the EDs in operation around the world by the end of 2009.
The company says "it is exploring opportunities for the US market."
The li-ion batteries will probably be supplied by Tesla Motors, giving the electric drive smart car a range of up to 150 miles, which sounds good for an urban commuter. This might not be able for the US market in the eyes of Daimler, though... We'll have to see
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We've just learned Tesla will support its troubled business by building 1,000 Smart EV battery packs and chargers for Mercedes.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed to us the rumored partnership between Mercedes and Tesla for Smart EV battery packs and chargers is for real in an interview at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.
Correction: A version of this story included a line stating the new EV will cost $49,900. This is a price for a different vehicle
I sent an email to Ken Kettenbeil at smartusa about purchasing (or reserving) an ELECTRIC DRIVE smart in the USA.
His reply:
"At this time we do not have a process in place to accept reservations for the smart fortwo electric drive. The soonest the vehicle will arrive in the US is late 2010 and it will be in select markets and limited production.
We will have more information later this year – please keep watch of our website and enewsletters."
Ken Kettenbeil
Director, Communications
smart USA
1765 Telegraph Rd.
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
248.648.2582
kkettenbeil@smartusa.com
HINT: The more people that pester them about buying one, the sooner they will understand that they should be selling them?
Who's responsibility will it be when a car dies on the road due to lack of charge, the owner or smart? I would expect, at times, the estimated 70 miles per charge would, in fact, provide only 40 or 30, even, depending on conditions. You KNOW the owners will expect the manufacture to cover the cost of the lower than promised mileage. The manufacture will blame it on the customer. Who is going ot pay to have the car TOWED to a charging station? I'm pretty certain this will be a regular occurance. Batteries today, still suck and are nowhere ready for "primetime". (Consider the prematurely dead batteries we've all encountered with our camcorders, digital cams or mp3 players.) At the very least, there needs to be a built in engine to provide a recharge or to "limp" to a charge station.
I think any manufacturer thinking of introducing a fully battery powered vehicle is asking for financial disaster.
According to the article : "Correction: A version of this story included a line stating the new EV will cost $49,900. This is a price for a different vehicle."
In view of 'parnami' post, it is obvious that any smart ED deployment requires a network of recharging locations. That is why Daimler did test the concept in London, set up a small network in Berlin and is planning a very limited deployment in the US.
But the decision will not depend on smartUSA, but rather on Daimler. Hence Ken Kettenbeil's answer.
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The Beast
The Chick Magnet
, it's covered in that white stuff.
2008 Smart Passion
"the car", "la voiture"
Today
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