March 3, 2009 · Print This Article
smart fortwo electric drive: smart tests electric drive in numerous cities around the world
Motoring with zero local emissions
Second generation smart electric drive with lithium-ion batteries
Testing in London, Berlin, Paris, Rome, Milan, Pisa and other cities
The smart fortwo electric drive has long since rung in the era of zero emission motoring with battery-driven vehicles. The electric smart concept celebrated its world premiere in 2006. As early as 2007 the first pilot phase of practical customer operation started for the smart fortwo electric drive with its quiet and highly efficient electric drive that produces no local emissions. Since then a fleet of 100 smart fortwo electric drives of the first generation has been tested in everyday operation in London.
The electric smarts are leased to private customers for four years and have to demonstrate that they can cope with the tough demands of daily city use in real-world conditions. smart regularly invites the customers to workshops where they report their experience, enabling smart to gather valuable feedback.
Encouraging results for the smart fortwo electric drive
The environmentally friendly sodium-nickel-chloride battery has a range of approximately 100 kilometres. After covering an average daily distance of 40 kilometres it can be fully charged again in four hours at any standard 230 volt socket. When the battery is almost empty the maximum performance is reached after a charging time of eight hours.
The battery installed under the vehicle’s floor supplies energy for an electric motor that is fitted at the rear of the vehicle in place of the usual three-cylinder combustion engine. This enables the smart fortwo electric drive to reach a top speed of 100 km/h. Even with the relatively high prices for electricity in Germanycompared with other countries costs of just two euros per 100 kilometres are incurred – less than the price for two litres of diesel.
Second generation with lithium-ion battery.
The London customers have given very encouraging feedback on the first generation fortwo electric drive models which are still fitted with sodium-nickel-chloride batteries. This is why smart confidently presented the current smart fortwo series with a further-improved electric drive at the Paris Motor Show in 2008. This second generation of the smart electric drive is powered by a lithium-ion battery. Lithium-ion technology has decisive advantages over other types of batteries including better performance, shorter charging times, a longer life and high reliability. Daimler CEO Dr. Dieter Zetsche says “From the end of 2009 we will start producing the smart fortwo electric drive with a lithium-ion battery”.
smart fortwo electric drive in major cities in Europe and the USA
The smart fortwo electric drive will initially be produced as a limited series.
In addition to gathering further technical experience with the new battery, this phase will first and foremost be used to gather practical experience from customers who will then be incorporated in the further development of the zero emission vehicle concept.
In Europe the vehicles will initially take to the roads of Berlin, Paris, Rome, Milan and Pisa, with further cities planned. Several cities are also being considered in the USA.
e-mobility Berlin and e-mobility Italy.
As electric vehicles are expected to spread rapidly (also from other manu-facturers), Daimler is actively engaged in extending the charging infrastructure in order to make widespread operation easy and straightforward. This is why the projects “e-mobility Berlin” in cooperation with RWE and “e-mobility Italy” in cooperation with ENEL have been set up.
In “e-mobility Berlin” with the support and cooperation of the Federal Government and the City of Berlin, the two companies aim to create ideal conditions in Berlinfor driving battery-powered electric vehicles that do not produce any local emissions. RWE is providing 500 electricity charging stations and Daimler is providing more than 100 electric smart and Mercedes-Benz cars. The aim is to create an intelligent overall system. Ultimately, intelligent communication between the electric vehicle and the power network should be made possible so that the battery can be automatically charged with low-cost electricity when the network is not being used to full capacity, for example off-peak electricity.
The project “e-mobility Italy” which will start in the cities of Rome, Milan and Pisa follows the same concept. Here, Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz Italia and the Italian utility company ENEL are working closely together.
smart fortwo electric drive offers innovative driving fun with a clear conscience
With the small series production of the smart fortwo electric drive from the end of 2009, the various fields of application in population centres in major smart markets and the planned marketing of larger volumes from 2012, the car brand is underlining its pioneering role in developing environmentally friendly, sustainable concepts for individual mobility of the future.
The idea of a Brabus electric smart doesn't compute too well, considering that Brabus is a performance-oriented motorwerks company. Considering that Tesla Motors is involved with Daimler AG in the EV smart, and that Tesla is no slouch at coachwork, I would think that a Tesla smart would make more sense.
The idea of a Brabus electric smart doesn't compute too well, considering that Brabus is a performance-oriented motorwerks company. Considering that Tesla Motors is involved with Daimler AG in the EV smart, and that Tesla is no slouch at coachwork, I would think that a Tesla smart would make more sense.
It doesn't matter as long as electrict bring me from point a to b....
Seriously, I have heard that there is an issue with the cars being 'quiet'. On downtown streets, for instance, pedestrians can't hear you coming up behind them and will step out in front of you without looking! There problem you say? Well, it's a problem for BOTH of you if you hit them!
My suggestion is that they have a way for the car to 'make noise' by having a recording in it of an actual car. This way, no surprises, UNLESS
.........we could alter the recording to sound like a Boss Mustang, a HEMI Roadrunner or even a Freightliner! Can you imagine the looks you would get? Even MORE so than you do now just driving the smart.
Bah... I want a quiet EV with a train horn mod installed. People may try to walk out in front of me without looking both ways... once. After a quick change of shorts I'm betting they'll look more in the future! :
Seriously though, I know smart has talked to Tesla about getting their battery technology for test EVs here in the states. I'm hopeful that the new battery technology being developed now will find its way into EVs sooner than later. Imagine a car that can charge in 5 or 10 minutes instead of hours! Gas stations would love it. Plug your car in, and come into the store to shop and pay for a few minutes while you wait...
Seriously, I have heard that there is an issue with the cars being 'quiet'. On downtown streets, for instance, pedestrians can't hear you coming up behind them and will step out in front of you without looking! There problem you say? Well, it's a problem for BOTH of you if you hit them!
My suggestion is that they have a way for the car to 'make noise' by having a recording in it of an actual car. This way, no surprises, UNLESS
.........we could alter the recording to sound like a Boss Mustang, a HEMI Roadrunner or even a Freightliner! Can you imagine the looks you would get? Even MORE so than you do now just driving the smart.
They have that, already. It makes a car noise. It was develop for the hybids. Lotus is working on that.
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There problem you say? Well, it's a problem for BOTH of you if you hit them!
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