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Posted by: Mike T Nov 19 2009 - 12:24 PM

Courtesy of Daimler Media Services

Production of the smart fortwo electric drive Hambach, France
Stuttgart, Germany, Nov 19, 2009

Production of 1,000 units begins
· First European electric vehicle fully operational in everyday use
· Available to the general public as of 2012

Hambach, France / Stuttgart, Germany --- This week, Daimler AG started production of the smart fortwo electric drive at the smart plant in Hambach, France. In a first step, 1,000 vehicles will be provided to customers participating in various mobility projects in major cities in Europe and the U.S., in order to generate broad feedback on electric driving under everyday conditions.

Marc Langenbrinck, Managing Director of the smart brand: “With the start of the series production of the smart fortwo electric drive, the Hambach plant enters a new era – at the same time, the smart fortwo emphazises its pioneering role on the way to individual mobility with local zero-emissions in cities and urban areas. Its innovative battery-electric drive makes the smart fortwo electric drive the ideal vehicle for the city: it combines responsibility to the environment with driving fun and joie de vivre in a virtually perfect manner.”

The second-generation smart fortwo electric drive started now is equipped with the most modern lithium-ion-battery. As of 2012, the smart fortwo electric drive will be produced as a regular part of the smart product portfolio and will regularly be sold through the smart sales network.

First Milestones in 2007 and 2008
The smart brand has taken a pioneering role in electric mobility since 2007. Back then, 100 smart fortwo electric drives of the first generation went into practical customer operation under everyday conditions of city traffic in London. Feedback from this project has been very positive right from the start and confirmed the high degree of maturity of this vehicle concept.

Just one year later, the company introduced the second generation - which is now being produced - with an even more advanced electric drive and an innovative, highly efficient lithium-ion battery. Lithium-ion technology has decisive advantages over other types of batteries including higher performance, shorter charging times, a long life and high reliability. In addition, a smart fortwo electric drive can be charged at a regular household power outlet.

A story of success: The smart Plant in Hambach
The smart plant in Hambach was inaugurated in 1997. Since 1998, it has produced the smart fortwo, since 2007 in its current generation. In 2008, more than 800 employees of the plant and some further 800 people employed by seven system partners produced about 140,000 units of the smart fortwo. In September 2008, the brand celebrated its tenth anniversary along with the 1-millionth smart fortwo produced at the Hambach plant.

The Hambach plant has represented an innovative production concept since its beginning: The assembly line in the shape of a plus sign has been designed to optimally meet the demands of assembly and logistics and ensures highly efficient production processes. This principle enables the system partners to supply modules directly to the assembly line, which reduces transport and logistics efforts to a minimum and hereby also provides an advantage regarding ecological aspects. In addition, the environmentally friendly and cost effective paint shop, an energy concept with numerous savings opportunities and the construction principle of the vehicles ensure that the ecological product responsibility of the smart brand is translated into the production.

About smart
Environmental friendliness and contemporary functionality have been defining features of the smart fortwo ever since it was launched more than ten years ago. Since then its innovative concept has combined sustainable, forward-looking technologies with individual urban mobility. With a length of just over two and a half meters, the extremely compact and fuel-efficient vehicle brings its occupants to their destination comfortably and safely. Its distintive design made smart an automotive lifestyle icon which shows that mobility, responsibility to the environment and joie de vivre are compatible with one another. The smart fortwo has established a class of its own.

Today, smart is present in 41 markets around the globe, with most recent market launches in China and Brazil. Germany, Italy, and the U.S. are key markets.

Further information from Daimler is available on the Internet at
www.media.daimler.com

Posted by: ianjay Nov 19 2009 - 12:39 PM

Great news. Now give us some decent colours again and we would have a perfect replacement for the current car. Given the way we use the car, the options I already have for plugging in, electric makes sense.

But I'm NOT going to buy one unless the colours come back.

Posted by: SameGuy Nov 19 2009 - 12:41 PM

LOL that's what I was thinking.

I'll likely get my name on the wait-list as soon as they announce Canadian plans. But what happened to the fun colours?

Posted by: brd Nov 19 2009 - 03:06 PM

Glad to hear that they are assembling the electric drive fortwo in Hambach. When I was there for a tour in May, staff were concerned that smart would assemble the electric fortwo in another facility. With the way they assemble vehicles in Hambach, they should have relatively no problem doing the electric drive ones.

Posted by: brd Nov 19 2009 - 03:08 PM

just get a white or a black one and have the panels custom painted.

Posted by: smartride Nov 19 2009 - 04:05 PM

I was just at the factory last Monday and saw the new high style on the production line along with several mhd's. Too bad I missed the electric drive production by only 4 days. Very cool facility! I aso had a tour of the Magna plant which builds the Tridion cell.

Posted by: Mike T Nov 19 2009 - 04:46 PM

Oh lucky you, did you have to book the Magna tour separately? I did Hambach twice but never in there.

Anyway, yes it is a good thing that the ED is made in France too.

Posted by: smartride Nov 19 2009 - 07:51 PM

No, the Magna tour was included with the regular tour. I was hoping to see a giant Canadian flag in the building but alas, no flag. They had a leftover chassis from the forfour and roadster lying off to the side. It was cool to see the robots in action. Sometimes they would stall for a few minutes when the sequencing was out of line, clutching the parts they were working on before handing them off to the next robot.

Posted by: t2t2 Nov 20 2009 - 08:40 AM

eww..green wheels lol

Posted by: smartride Nov 20 2009 - 10:20 AM

I like the green wheels....it instantly makes the car different and quite noticeable, something that MB wants - people to look at the car.

Posted by: herbie Nov 20 2009 - 06:18 PM

I just found this on You tube. An Xprize contender with and electric smart car conversion. Very educational. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPnWeFd1G-4

enjoy! ;-)



herbie

Posted by: Duck Nov 21 2009 - 06:23 AM

Great video! Before someone asks, the table with the dif and drive shaft would be a test mule bench for the electronics people to get their head around the motor controller, with a simulated load only. They're using SolidWorks for the design of the whole thing. Neat to see the Getrag transmission apart with the selector gears indexing. The 451 transmission has 2 gear selector motors/drums, instead of 1 in the 450.

-Iain

Posted by: cappytanjack Nov 22 2009 - 08:26 AM

Has smart announced their estimated distances between charges? Given the smart's size and weight shouldn't it be in contention to have the longest range between charges of any road-worthy all-electric vehicle?

Cappytanjack ...

Posted by: PrairieBoy Nov 22 2009 - 09:29 AM

I'm not sure about the charging frequency,but i read somwhere,that the smart EV,has a maximum speed of only 100 Kilo's per hour.
translation: "City car Only".

A better car to buy,may be the new' Nissan Leaf' electric car, coming to a store near you soon.Nissan Canada's web site says,that the Nissan Leaf "is 100% electric,with the performance of a V/6,""Up to 140KM/HR","With room for 5".

This all sounds great!

Posted by: Mike T Nov 22 2009 - 02:14 PM

Drive it at 140 and the range is probably 1500 metres

100 km/h is fine around here for intercity travel. The speed limit is 90 on the South Island.

Posted by: SameGuy Nov 22 2009 - 03:14 PM

Claimed range is 115 Km (70 miles). Top speed is governed at 100 Km/h. How does that make it a "city car only"? Top legal speed on any road in Canada is 100.

Posted by: ValgardForkbeard Nov 22 2009 - 04:00 PM

Actually, top posted road speed in Canada is 110kph, and on some freeways within city limits, the speed limit can be 100kph.

MG

Posted by: SameGuy Nov 22 2009 - 04:41 PM

AFAIK the legal speed limit remains 100 where most of the population lives in Canada, and over most of the country's physical area. The few roads in the Outback (Prairies ) that are posted at 110 don't count for much. And yes, I wouldn't dare drive a car governed at 100 on a 100-limit road in Southern Ontario. That'd be a near-death experience, for sure!

Posted by: Mike T Nov 22 2009 - 05:19 PM

The Inland Island Highway from Parksville to Campbell River is 110. The Coquihalla from Hope to Kamloops is 110. Everywhere else in BC the limit is at 100 maximum.

Posted by: PrairieBoy Nov 23 2009 - 01:26 PM

Yeh,and who drives at the posted speed limit anymore?

If the limit is 100k,everyone is doing at least 110k.If the limit is 110k,everyone is doing 120k.

If your E.V.smart is govered at 100k,you become a hazard ,when everyone else is doing 110k or 120k.

Only if your are driving in the right-hand lane ,of a 'twinned' highway, would it be 'safe' to go at 100k.

I.E.: 'CITY CAR'!!

Posted by: ValgardForkbeard Nov 23 2009 - 01:34 PM

How about a solar powered electric smart car:


MG

Posted by: SameGuy Nov 23 2009 - 01:45 PM

Well, the same could be (and has been) said about the 450, far and away the slowest passenger car sold in North America. But tell that to the scores of folks who've taken one on a lengthy road trip. I frequently drive mine long distances at 100 or less, with the cruise on. 105 on Interstates. That's not city driving. And the excuse that "everybody drives at illegally high speeds" doesn't mean that driving at the legal limit should confine a car to city streets.

Posted by: Mike T Nov 23 2009 - 05:19 PM

I drive at the speed limit in the smart.

Posted by: SameGuy Nov 24 2009 - 08:13 AM

Me too. Mostly. I tend to be "late for work" about once a month.

Posted by: VRsyncro Nov 25 2009 - 09:15 AM

I'll likely do the same. Hopefully Ontario will continue to have huge rebates for zero emission vehicles once this version of the Smart arrives on our shores.

I'll likely take mine in that Glow in the Dark color that was part of the Smart display in Frankfurt this year. (if available).

Posted by: Mike T Nov 25 2009 - 08:57 PM

Yes, I would consider it too. The fluorescent light green was BRABUS' "High Voltage" version; all the other EDs had a green tridion and white panels.

Posted by: smart142 Nov 26 2009 - 04:26 AM

Electric Smart Fortwo gets shot in Berlin.

by Sebastian Blanco on Nov 25th 2009 at 7:05PM


The next-generation Smart Ed, which just started production in France this week, is out and about on the streets of Berlin being filmed for some sort of promotional video, we think. Treehugger spotted the little all-electric city car zipping around the famous Siegessäule (victory column) landmark with a lens pointed at it. Berlin is home to other electric vehicles, including the Mini E and the first-gen Smart Ed.

In other Smart news, the Visionaire 57 plug-in calendar is now available. Designed to promote the Smart Ed, the calendar is limited to 4,000 copies and sells for $295.

[Source: Treehugger]





PRESS RELEASE:

Visionaire 57 "2010" goes on sale: Visionaire and smart celebrate the year 2010

Stuttgart, Nov 25, 2009

The end of the year sees the publication of a contemporary art calendar for 2010. The Visionaire issue "2010" produced in cooperation with the car brand smart is a very special gift idea for Christmas. The calendar enables 365 works of art to be given at the same time instead of just one and is a pleasure to behold throughout 2010.

The 57th issue of the legendary New York fashion and art publication Visionaire focuses on the unique two-seater smart fortwo. "Visionaire 2010" is the first electric issue of the publication. 52 internationally renowned curators and collectors were recruited and selected 365 works of art for this issue. In the form of an electrically operated calendar "2010" is a forward-looking compendium of contemporary art. The cooperation with Visionaire was motivated by the launch of the second generation smart fortwo electric drive.

Visionaire "2010" shows the works of artists like Ai Wei Wei, Omer Fast (National Gallery Prize 2009) and Sigmar Polke. The collection is supplemented by internationally renowned museum curators such as Klaus Biesenbach (MoMA New York) and Dasha Zhukova (Garage Center of Contemporary Culture Moscow), collectors of contemporary art such as Christian Boros and Mario Testino, architect Zaha Hadid, actress Tilda Swinton and model Kate Moss. Furthermore the fashion designers Rei Kawakubo ( Comme des Garçons ) and Marc Jacobs (Louis Vuitton) are among the curators.

From December 1st 2009 the 57th issue of Visionaire will be available in selected bookstores and from www.visionaireworld.com for a price of USD 295. With the calendar, smart will enhance every day of 2010 with a personal work of art.
.................
http://green.autoblog.com/2009/11/25/electric-smart-fortwo-gets-shot-in-berlin/

Posted by: ianjay Nov 26 2009 - 06:36 AM

Wait a minute...a "plug-in calendar featuring the new electric smart?"

Hope the Vogons really are on the way to Earth. It's time.

Posted by: SameGuy Nov 26 2009 - 06:39 AM

I know Lithium batteries do better in cold than NiMh or NiCad, but I wonder what they're doing for a battery warmer for northern climes...

Posted by: Mike T Nov 26 2009 - 07:04 AM

So far, mum has been the word on whether the smart ED will even see the light of day in Canada. The west coast would be no problem, weather wise, but the rest?

Posted by: Huronlad Nov 26 2009 - 07:22 AM

Even as a fair weather only car in Ontario, the ED would be most welcome.

Posted by: SameGuy Nov 26 2009 - 08:11 AM

Yeah, according to Dr. Z, the expanded rollout tests in 2010 may include several cities in Europe that are installing e-car infrastructure -- Rome and Paris being the largest -- as well as Los Angeles. No word on Canadian tests, though I've heard there is a technology-sharing agreement between Tesla and Bolloré (whose biggest Lithium polymer battery plant is in Quebec).

Posted by: smart142 Dec 14 2009 - 05:28 AM

PR-USA.net



As the first European car manufacturers smart and Mercedes-Benz are entering the age of electric mobility with vehicles that are fully suitable for everyday use.

The new smart fortwo electric drive has taken on a pioneering role among battery-powered electric vehicles. With a range of up to 135 kilometres the two-seater car is the ideal solution for zero-emission motoring in towns and cities. The Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL is the perfect complement. As an electric vehicle with a fuel cell it combines driving without any local emissions with the advantage of a large range of up to 400 kilometres which makes it suitable for longer trips as well. Both vehicles are now being handed over to customers.

Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Daimler CEO and Head of Mercedes-Benz cars says "As a global supplier of premium cars we want to meet the mobility requirements of our customers all over the world. This is why we are broadly positioned and have developed a modular drive mix to suit different requirements. The smart fortwo electric drive and the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL are already demonstrating the contribution that electric cars can make to sustainable mobility.

Experts are unanimous in their belief that the "coexistence" of different drive technologies will shape the face of road traffic for years to come. This is why Daimler’s approach is to develop vehicle concepts with modular drive technologies which ensure that the focus is always on both customer benefits
and environmental compatibility. In addition to the optimisation of vehicles with state-of-the-art combustion engines and further efficiency increases with hybridisation tailored to customer needs, the third central focus of development is on fuel cell and battery-powered vehicles that do not produce any local emissions. Dr. Thomas Weber, Daimler AG board member responsible for Group Research and Development at Mercedes-Benz Cars says "Each of these technologies demonstrates its advantages with regard to optimum consumption and emission figures in specific fields of application. We are the only manufacturer worldwide to offer our customers appropriate solutions for all fields of application – from personal mobility to local public transport and goods transport on the roads"

Electric cars are now being delivered to customers

With the electric cars from smart and Mercedes-Benz that are fully suitable for everyday use, zero-emission driving is already a reality. The new smart fortwo electric drive is a pioneer among battery electric vehicles which are primarily suited to use in urban areas. The second generation is already being built and now boasts a highly efficient lithium-ion battery which enables a range of 135 kilometres and impressive performance. Following the start of series production in Hambach, France in mid November 2009, the first small series of 1000 vehicles will be handed over to customers in Berlin on 17 December. The two-seater car will initially be delivered to selected customers in six European countries plus the USA and Canada within the framework of a leasing or rental model. Volume production will start in 2012 and the smart fortwo electric drive will then be available to anyone interested.

Thanks to its range of around 400 kilometres, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL is suitable for both zero-emission driving in city traffic and also for travelling longer distances. Small series production of this electric car has also started. Next year the first of approximately 200 vehicles will be delivered to customers in Europe and the USA.

Both electric cars are fully suitable for everyday use. All the main components are housed in a space-saving position between the axles where they are optimally protected, and this means that the interior space is not compromised in the electric versions of the standard cars. Furthermore, the smart – the ultimate city car – has an extremely comfortable range for city driving and it can be charged at any household socket. The B-Class F-CELL offers a large range and is suitable for travelling longer distances as well. As its hydrogen tanks can be fully refuelled in around three minutes it is also the electric car with the shortest charging time.

Infrastructure is essential

An appropriate refuelling and electricity charging infrastructure is essential for wide customer acceptance and quick widespread use of electric vehicles. This is why Daimler is committed to setting up a comprehensive network of electricity charging stations and hydrogen filling stations. In September 2009 together with the Federal Ministry of Transport and partners from the energy sector the company presented a plan for establishing a hydrogen infrastructure in Germany. At the same time Daimler reached an agreement with other leading car manufacturers to bring several hundred thousand fuel cell cars to the roads from 2015.

Parallel to this, together with various partners in Europe the Stuttgart car manufacturer is advancing the expansion of a public electricity charging infrastructure. This is because although electric vehicles like the smart fortwo electric drive can easily be charged at a domestic garage socket, around 40 percent of European vehicle owners do not have a parking space of their own. Publicly accessible charging stations are therefore needed. To enable this to be realised Europe-wide as far as possible with standardised framework conditions, Daimler is developing corresponding standards together with other car manufacturers and utility companies.

Electric mobility – an affordable alternative?

New technologies generally entail high investments and costs. This means that at the current stage of development electric cars are still more expensive than comparable models with combustion engines. Daimler is applying all available levers to reduce the costs to a level that is economically acceptable and attractive to customers. For example, by industrialising lithium-ion technology with the company Deutsche Accumotive GmbH and the economies of scale resulting from this. Furthermore, in product development Daimler is systematically using a modular E-drive system. This enables synergies to be ideally used between the different vehicle segments.

There are also numerous other factors that make electric mobility attractive for customers. Tax relief and other government subsidies are an important aspect. For example, the state of Monaco offers tax relief of up to €9,000 to electric car owners. Other countries have also set up funding programmes for sustainable mobility. France offers a "super environment incentive" of €5000 for vehicles that emit less than 60 grams of CO2 per kilometre. China and Japan have announced subsidies of €6,500 and €11,000 respectively.

Customers benefit from lower running costs

In addition, owners of electric cars can benefit from lower running costs. For example, in Germany the electricity costs for a distance of 100 kilometres currently stand at between two and three euros. And many experts believe that in the long-term the costs for hydrogen will level out at a price that makes it an inexpensive alternative to fossil fuels.

However, the question of the future taxation of new fuels has not yet been clarified. Dr. Thomas Weber says "It would make sense to find a solution that supports the introduction of new drives during the transitional period – for example with temporary tax exemption for electricity and hydrogen, just as various countries offer tax relief today for natural gas used to power vehicles"
For example, electric cars like the smart fortwo electric drive are exempted from the city congestion charge in London, enabling their owners to save considerable sums of money.

Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Head of Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz Cars says "All things considered we see good prospects for electric mobility with fuel cells and batteries. Whilst other companies are still presenting electric show cars, we at smart and Mercedes-Benz are already bringing two vehicles that are fully suitable for everyday use to the roads"
...................
http://pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=302514&Itemid=30

Posted by: echo Dec 14 2009 - 08:37 AM

How much is this electric Smart going to cost me? I got a feeling its going to be like $35,000. If so I will hold out for the Flintstone version.

Posted by: SameGuy Dec 14 2009 - 08:07 PM

Canada? Really? The first time I've seen it in print (online).

Posted by: VRsyncro Dec 15 2009 - 11:20 AM

I think we are really on the verge of a whole new generation and type of vehicle transport. I hope that in 50 years I can look back and tell my grandchildren (either in person or from the grave) that "Back in the old days we used batteries and we only got 250km's per charge!"

I saw some press yesterday regarding the Nissan Leaf being launched here in Canada. I guess they have a viable option for the batteries in winter?

The coldest my Smart got to last winter was -38C, which ironically points out the weather extremes as this summer the hottest my Smart hit was +32C.

Posted by: smart142 Dec 19 2009 - 03:47 AM

Preview: Smart fortwo Electric Drive

Urban commuter; 45 units due to arrive in Canada late next year

Graeme Fletcher, National Post
Published: Friday, December 18, 2009


When the original Smart fortwo debuted in Canada, many wondered how something so small could be of any practical value. More importantly, how could a car that measured just 2.5 metres from bumper unto shining bumper survive the rigours of a major highway such as the 401? Well, survive it did, and in the process built quite a following -- more than one million customers around the world.

After enduring the 40-horsepower diesel engine (it was rather clattery and less than refined), the second-generation fortwo arrived with a smoother 70-hp gasoline engine. Today, the little car that could moves on to the next stage of its evolution -- the second-generation all-electric Smart fortwo ED (electric drive).

The decision to hold the first drive in Monaco was rather apt -- the zero (0) on a roulette wheel just happens to be ... green. At this point, 1,000 Smart EDs are being readied to roll, 45 of which arrive in Canada late next year. Full mass production of the ED begins in 2012.

Outwardly, there is little difference between the regular Smart coupe and cabriolet and the ED counterparts (decals aside). The reality is very different. Gone is the gas engine and its fuel tank. In its place is an electric motor and a 300-to 370-volt lithium ion battery (Smart is coy about the exact voltage) that replaces the tank. It sits beneath the car protected by a substantial steel plate.

The electric motor delivers its power in two stages. Under normal circumstances, it puts out 27 hp; however, if the driver floors the accelerator, it goes into "kickdown" mode and delivers 41 hp, and it can sustain this output for up to two minutes. More important, however, is the 88 pound-feet of torque the motor twists out when it's kicked down.

As the numbers appear on paper they do not leap off the page. However, driving the ED reveals a different story -- as the torque turns up from Rev One the fortwo ED feels surprisingly spry. No, it's not going to out-drag many cars over the long haul, but it does surprise a few drivers off the line, and so it works very well in an urban setting -- it hustles from rest to 60 kilometres an hour in 6.5 seconds. It is almost silent (only a whir emanates from the electric motor). This could be problematic because pedestrians do not hear the car coming -- more than one stepped off the curb in front of me during the test drive.

Standing next to the Smart, it feels as though you should pick it up, tuck it under your arm and take it indoors to keep it warm on a frosty night. No need. Simply plug it in and the Smart fortwo ED looks after itself. It does take an overnight charge (using a 220-volt outlet) to fully recharge the battery, but once topped off the ED delivers a 135-kilometre driving range. In colder climes such as Canada's, the charger is also used to keep the battery warm when parked. While the battery is affected by cold weather, keeping the battery toasty when it's plugged in maintains its range down to -20C.

Down the road, the hope is to establish an infrastructure of quick-charge stations. This would increase the appeal of all electric vehicles. Ironically, there is a major hurdle-- there is not an industry standard for the charger plug (it's the cellphone syndrome all over again). M-B is working, at least in Europe, to establish said standard.


When it comes to the ride, the Smart ED again surprises. No, it does not eat fast corners for lunch, but it more than managed to hold its own in Monte Carlo amid the Ferraris and Bentley Continentals. The suspension keeps the amount of body roll well within acceptable limits and the electrically assisted steering delivers decent feedback -- certainly better than many other electric systems. Indeed, the Smart's road manners are fairly described as pleasantly tight. Of course, the tiny, spin-on-a-dime turning circle makes it a snap to park.

The good news is the electric version retains the standard electronic stability/traction control systems, anti-lock brakes and its hill-start assist (the brakes hold the car on a hill for about half a second, which is enough to get from brake to accelerator). The brakes do differ in operating principle. The first level of braking is done by the electric motor. The energy captured (regenerative braking) is used to charge the battery when on the road, which helps to maintain the driving range. If the driver needs more stopping power than the motor can provide, the regular hydraulic system kicks in.

The only difference I noted on the drive was the lack of creep -- lift off the brake and the ED does not pull forward until the accelerator pedal is nudged. This was done deliberately -- it shaves the power consumption in much the same way as a gas engine's idle stop feature.

So, there you have it. An electric car without compromise -- the ED is about 140 kilograms heavier than its gas counterpart, but that's it. As such, it is a viable player. No, it's not a highway cruiser (top speed is 100 km/h), but in an urban setting, it has the right blend of performance, handling and the sort of driving range most commuters demand. It also satisfies the need to find a cleaner form of transportation.

automotive@sympatico.ca
.......................
http://www.nationalpost.com/cars/story.html?id=2355082&p=1

Posted by: yellow bumble bee Dec 19 2009 - 08:05 AM

Hi
I always figure to get a good feel for how the electric smart would do in central Canada then give one to Duck and let him test it out for a year or so. Should quickly learn the pros and cons of the vehicle in regular everyday use.
Roy

Posted by: Mike T Dec 19 2009 - 11:20 AM

45 in Canada, eh? I would beta-test one

Posted by: smartzuuk Dec 22 2009 - 11:02 PM

I did 80 thru northern Ontario, so I say to heck with 'city car', although, an eEV thru northern Ontario would be a problem

Posted by: smart142 Dec 24 2009 - 06:14 AM

Berlin’s EV Charging Stations Get Smart

By Keith Barry December 23, 2009

German drivers have begun pilot testing a new intelligent charging infrastructure that allows electric car owners to take their home utility bill with them while charging on the go.

E-mobility Berlin, a joint venture between utility company RWE and Daimler, has installed 500 “intelligent charging stations” across Germany’s largest city. The charging infrastructure is coupled with a fleet of electric Smart ForTwos that can communicate with the intelligent stations. The arrangement will allow drivers to add the cost of an electric charge to their existing utility bill — a tool that’s especially valuable for fleet customers.

In addition to simplifying payment, customers can use the intelligent charging stations to instantly monitor electric rates, battery status and even interior temperature using an iPhone or computer. Drivers have the flexibility to charge their cars in off-peak times when rates are lower, or even remotely turn on the air conditioning or heat.


In the biggest test of the new setup since it was announced last September, Daimler handed over intelligent charging-equipped electric Smart ForTwos to selected fleet, business and private customers last week. The drivers get 18 months worth of free electricity for charging, during which time the folks at E-mobility will monitor how well the system works.

According to RWE CEO Dr. Jürgen Großmann, all 500 charging stations get power from renewable energy. “We are setting up a comprehensive system with an intelligent and user-friendly charging infrastructure that is suitable for quick everyday charging at home, work and in public areas,” Großmann said in a statement. “Our technology is already creating the basis for even more climate protection in future, especially the more efficient use of renewable energies.”

While the first participants get to drive the all-new electric ForTwo, with a 71 mile range and 0-37 mph time of 6.3 seconds, Daimler will also test the technology on the new A-class E-Cell when it debuts later in 2010. RWE says they plan to add new charging stations to private homes, parking structures and businesses, with complete charging infrastructures debuting in other major German cities by the end of 2010.

Photo: Daimler. L to R: Dr. Jürgen Großmann, CEO of RWE; Dr. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler and Rainer Brüderle, German Minister for Economics and Technology show off an electric Smart ForTwo connected to one of RWE’s intelligent charging stations.
......................
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/12/berlin-smart-ev-charging/

Posted by: smrtie Feb 11 2010 - 11:43 PM

Hi All,

Long time no write.

I have been in talks with MB Canada to lease one of the 45 ED's coming to Canada.

Don't know any more than what's already published.

I'll update from time to time as I get more info.

Pedro

Posted by: smart142 Feb 12 2010 - 01:10 AM

Welcome back! Weren't you the first smartie to remove the front panels???

Good luck with the purchase of the ED

Posted by: Mike T Feb 12 2010 - 06:55 AM

Cool, you will have to bring it to a club event Pedro! Assuming you get one. I thought the lease rates in Europe are fantastically expensive but maybe this won't be the case for Canada.

Posted by: smrtie Feb 12 2010 - 12:31 PM

Yup, that's me. Did it while the wife was out shopping. Ever since then she's been keeping an eye on me and keeping her shopping trips short (which is a good thing). I was also the first to document the install of the clock and tach cluster too (in Canada anyway).



Very true. One story has the German lease rate for an ED at 800 Euros a month. With exchange, that's around $1,100 a month plus tax. For that money I could be driving an E-Class with Bluetec.

I'll take a pass if it's that high.

Little bit of new info.... Although I doubt the ED will look like the neon green Brabus equipped machine at one show, many people have assume the ED's will all have white panels and green tridion and wheels (as seen on the UK site). That may not be true.

I asked if I could pick the colour and MB replied that they didn't know at this point. Can it be that the 45 cars can all look different? Only time will tell.

Cheers,

pedro

Posted by: smart142 Jun 9 2010 - 11:33 PM

Katherine Tweed: June 9, 2010

Taking the Smart Fortwo Electric Car For a Test Drive

This eco-chic city car ups the ante for those looking to make a statement around town.


I was feeling good as a truck cab packed with construction workers were genuinely excited as I pulled along side them at a red light. One guy gave me a thumbs up, another asked how much my ride retailed for. Then, two lights up the road, the reaction to my smart fortwo electric drive car was slightly more critical.

"Hey guys, look at that funny little car," a father shouted to his two small boys as he pointed at my tiny white and green convertible. I suspect smart cars get that a lot: A mix of wonder, excitement and ridicule. Dropping in an electric motor is likely to only increase all of those reactions.

Smart USA, a subsidiary of Penske Automotive Group, will roll out 250 EVs in the U.S. beginning in October. That's small potatoes compared to what the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf plan to produce later this year, but Smart is happy being niche.

"This is a car grounded in sustainability," said Jill Lajdziak, president of smart USA, referring to the gas-powered smart automobile. "The electric car just expands on that."

The smartfortwo electric drive has a 30 kW electric motor in the rear of the call and can accelerate as fast as its gas cousin, about 0 to 40 mph in 6.5 seconds.

The car holds a 16.5 kWh lithium-ion Tesla Motors battery, although Mark Langenbrinck, managing director for smart, said that cars for larger-scale consumer production in 2012 will have a different battery.

The car will have a range of about 82 miles on a full battery at average city speeds, or four to five hours. It can charge at a standard 110 volts, but like other electric vehicles, 220-volt charging is recommended. It takes 8 hours to get a full charge, but Langenbrinck said it could go from about 20 to 80 percent in about 2.5 at 220 volts.

The car will be released in five regions this year: Portland, OR; San Jose, CA; Orlando, Fla.; Indianapolis, IN. and the I-95 corridor from Washington, D.C. to Boston. The car, which will only be available on lease for $599 per month for 48 months, will mostly go to corporations while 20 percent will go to individuals, who can sign up on a first-come, first-serve basis on smart's web site.

And if you're one of those eco-trendy individuals (I'm looking at you Leonardo DiCaprio), don't think you'll cash in on the $7,500 government tax credits. Because the car is leased, that discount has already been worked into the lease price, Langenbrinck said.

So, how did it drive? The automated manual transmission felt smooth around the streets of Brooklyn. Earlier models of the gas-powered transmission got some complaints of jerkiness between first and second gear, which engineers went back to correct -- and I didn't feel it at all.

It's the same size as the regular smart car so it's, well, small. It was zippy and fun on city streets, and if you were to get one of the 50 or so cars slated to go to consumers, you'd definitely be the quietest vehicle in traffic (so quiet that even with the radio on, you can still hear everyone's comments as they point at you). However, for those who want an electric vehicle to take out on the open road, be warned the smart fortwo EV tops out at about 100 kph, or 60 mph.

Smart, like other electric vehicle manufacturers, is still working through how to help customers manage the permitting process to get 220 volt charging in their garages. "Permitting is one of the most complicated, yet one of the most mundane issues," said Langenbrinck. It is also one of the partners with Coloumb Technologies, so customers who live in select cities could get a free charging station thanks to a DOE grant.

If you're itching for a tiny electric car and you're outside one of the first few cities, fear not, phase three volume production will start begin in 2012 for the 2013 model year.

.............................
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/taking-the-smart-fortwo-electric-car-for-a-test-drive/

Posted by: John & Angela Jun 10 2010 - 04:31 AM

Looking forward to a test drive. Re the 100 KM speed limitation. Even when the speed limit is 110 I rarely go over 100. You get used to people passing you. Can't say I have ever caused an accident by being under the limit a bit. If people have difficulty with it they can always go to driving school to improve their skills. Il be the one over in the right hand lane chortling along at between 90 and 100.

I wonder if the governor will keep it under 100 going downhill or will it just cut out the drive and let it coast faster.

Posted by: PrairieBoy Jun 10 2010 - 03:36 PM

The reason the electric smart's' transmision shifted smooth' is because it DOESN'T shift.
It's locked in second gear and has only one speed: 0 to top-speed in one gear.

Posted by: SameGuy Jun 10 2010 - 03:39 PM

I was waiting to see if someone here would mention that small tidbit!

So how come we haven't seen $599 a month mentioned anywhere else?

Posted by: PrairieBoy Jun 10 2010 - 03:44 PM

$599.00 per month is a bit steep,but it might be O.K. to be one of the first to own (lease) an electric car.

After all you don't have to buy ANY gas.

It doesn't seem so expensive now!

Posted by: John & Angela Jun 10 2010 - 04:59 PM

No air filters, fuel filters, fuel, oil etc etc etc. I would buy (depending on price) but not lease one.

Posted by: Mike T Jun 10 2010 - 05:18 PM

That will make it about 800/mo in Canada.

Posted by: smart142 Jun 11 2010 - 03:26 AM

Autoblog green

250 Smart EDs coming to U.S. this fall with $599/month leases attached

by Sebastian Blanco on Jun 10th 2010 at 3:50PM

This is a post about the numbers. Here are three important figures about the second-gen all-electric Smart ED that was on display in New York City yesterday:

250 units are coming to the U.S. starting in October 2010
Leases will be $599 a month for 48 months (plus $2,500 due at signing, for a total of $31,252 before taxes or any potential governmental rebates), and Daimler takes the cars back at the end of the four years.
The car has a top speed of just 62.5 miles per hour.
These numbers are all huge hurdles to overcome on the road to electric vehicle (EV) acceptance if Daimler were trying to make a big splash with the Smart ED. Its not; that comes later, in January 2012, when the production models arrive. These first 250 vehicles make up a focused, limited test program that gives Daimlers a chance to learn about EVs in America. Find out everything you need to know about the program after the jump.

Smart USA debuted the second-gen Smart ED (Electric Drive) in Brooklyn this week because it considers urban environments to be the car's "natural habitat." Long time readers will know that Daimler has been testing electric versions of the Fortwo in Europe for a few years (and that we got a sneak peek of the second-gen Smart ED in Las Vegas a few weeks ago) and that the cautious testing period is now, finally, expanding to North America. Globally, Daimler will make and test 1,500 second-gen Smart ED units. Originally, the company was going to make just 1,000 at Hambach, but discovered demand was quite high for a battery-powered Smart car. Maybe that's because people just expect this car to be electric. Smart USA president Jill Lajdziak told us that she's been asked if her Fortwo is an electric car when she was literally at the gas station pumping fuel into it. The Fortwo in the U.S. wasn't electric before – now it is.

Before we get into the weeds about the program, here are some more Smart ED numbers from the briefing:

20 kW constant/30 kW peak power motor
88.5 ft lbs single fixed gear ration transmission
0-60 kph in 6.5 seconds
16.5 kWh li-ion battery
308 lbs heavier than the gas model (car goes from about 1,800 pounds to around 2,100)
3.3 kW onboard charger
83 mile range (Daimler's "conservative estimate")
4-5 hours of travel at typical city speeds
.2 kWh/mile efficiency
Has Level 1 and 2 charging, with Level 2 (220V) charging being the "sweet spot" that takes 3.5 hours to go from a 20 percent full battery to 80 percent full. The car charges from 0 to 100 percent full in about eight hours.
The lessee breakdown will see 80 percent of the 250 vehicles going to corporate entities (and some municipalities), with just 20 percent – so, only around 50 units – leased by individuals. First come, first serve.
We talked with Smart USA vice president Derek Kaufman and Smart ED product manager Pitt Moos, about the Smart EDs in America and how they might be received. While Kaufman said, "We think we've positioned a car here that's perfect for urban transport," the truth is that this car is going to be a hard sell. Just look at those first three numbers at the top of the post again: $599 a month for a car that only goes 63 mph (by comparison, Smart USA's lease for a standard gasoline-powered Fortwo costs just $169 a month)? Also, the lease limit is just 10,000 miles a year. Without a doubt, this is not the car that will change the general public's impression of electric vehicles in the U.S. forever. Both Kaufman and Moos said, though, that the Smart ED has the right stuff.

Moos has been watching the Smart ED testing (first and second generation) in Europe, and said that once people actually drive the car, their mindset about what a car needs to do changes. "We don't have to teach them," he said. "They learn." Kaufman said that he hasn't had any complaints from customers yet about the 62.5 mph speed limit, which is also in place on the first-gen models, but that's one of the the things this U.S. trial is all about. "If we get a huge push-back on this, changing it may be something we discuss."

The problem with the top speed, though, is that even though it is electronically limited, it's not just a matter of changing a line of code to increase it. Moos explained that the 30 kW peak motor power, which is required to get the car going faster, can only be called up for about two minutes. So, should Daimler and Smart USA want to up it, it could be difficult and may require a different motor.

As for the monthly cost of the lease – which gets kind of close to double what the Nissan Leaf will be ($349/month for three years) but is less than what the Mini E cost in its first year ($850 then, $600 now) – Kaufman said that money "covers the cost of the cars." This does not include the R&D costs that have gone into the program over the years, just what is required to actually produce this subset vehicles, he said. Moos said it was a reasonable amount, because, "Anyone who tells you they're making money on electric cars is lying. It's simply not possible now."

In its European testing, Daimler has seen the typical Smart ED drivers only needing to recharge once or twice a week. In the U.S., Smart USA will be introducing the car into five key launch areas: Portland, San Jose, Orlando (where there will be an EV corridor built soon), Indianapolis (where a lot of commuters from outside 465 drive around 20 miles each way to go to work downtown. Kaufmann said there are around 20 cities in the U.S. that have a similar setup in the U.S.) and the I-95 corridor around Washington, D.C., New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts. Some of the cars will also go to Austin, Detroit and Los Angeles. Smart will also follow Coulomb Technologies to the nine areas of the country where the DOE gave them money to install chargers. Smart USA hasn't negotiated any sort of special electricity rates for Smart ED drivers with the utilities it is working with in these areas, but it has discussed ways to incentivize electric vehicle purchases in the areas where the cars will be available.

These test areas will lay the carpet for the production Smart EDs to show up in January 2012, and who knows what those vehicles will cost or be able to do. We certainly expect changes of some sort. Right now, the Smart ED doesn't make the most sense from a purely numerical point of view. But that's not what Smart USA is counting on. No, the brand is working the lifestyle angle, a message Lajdziak explained earlier this year. Kaufman said that people who are interested in the Fortwo – no matter what powertrain it has – aren't usually interested in shopping different brands. People love this car for what it is, and Smart USA is confident there will be plenty of them willing to make the jump from gas to electrons once the first vehicles in the test batch arrive in about four months. Are you one of them?

The other bit of news from Brooklyn was the announcement of the $10 Smart ED iPhone app. We'll have posts up about that and what it's like to drive the Smart ED shortly.
..........................

PRESS RELEASE

smart fortwo electric drive

The smart with electric drive is coming to the USA

New York – Following the successful launch in European cities the new smart fortwo electric drive will take to the roads of North American cities from the autumn. The electrically powered trendsetter has been rolling off the production line since November 2009 – and due to the huge demand the initial production volume has been increased from 1000 to 1500 vehicles. The second generation smart fortwo electric drive is equipped with an innovative and highly efficient lithium-ion battery. It is neatly accommodated between the axles, which means that space is not compromised in any way in the intelligent two-seater vehicle. A 30 kW electric motor is fitted at the rear. This provides for very good acceleration and high agility with 120 Newton metres of torque that are immediately available. The smart fortwo electric drive can be charged at any normal household socket. The fully charged battery has sufficient power to cover approximately 135 kilometres in accordance with the New European Driving Cycle, making it ideal for urban use. smart has made electric drive a practical alternative for mobility with zero local emissions in urban areas.

The first of the new smart fortwo electric drive vehicles were handed over to customers in Berlin at the end of 2009, and the environmentally friendly pioneer will now demonstrate its suitability for everyday use in further cities in Europe, North America and Asia. From 2012 the smart fortwo electric drive will be available to anyone interested in almost 40 smart markets.

Marc Langenbrinck, responsible for brand management at smart says "In 1998 smart revolutionised urban mobility with the unique smart fortwo vehicle concept. Now smart is once again taking on a pioneering role and redefining zero-emission urban mobility. We are the first manufacturer to launch a series-produced electric vehicle. Daimler is spearheading electric mobility with the smart fortwo electric drive. The smart fortwo electric drive is a further logical step in the evolution of the smart brand which boasts the fleet with the lowest fuel consumption anyway."

Environmental friendliness and state-of-the-art functionality have been defining features of the smart fortwo ever since it was launched more than ten years ago. Since then its innovative concept has combined sustainable, forward-looking technologies with individual urban mobility. With a length of just over two and a half metres the extremely compact vehicle can also park perpendicular to the flow of traffic. In addition, the space-saving and environmentally friendly two-seater currently has the lowest fleet consumption and it brings its occupants to their destination comfortably and safely. Its design is fresh, youthful, modern and yet sophisticated and has made it an automotive lifestyle icon which shows that mobility, responsibility to the environment and joie de vivre are compatible with one another. The smart fortwo has established a class of its own.

smart fortwo electric drive offers innovative driving fun

The new smart fortwo electric drive, which started rolling off the production line in November 2009, is a logical continuation of a very ambitious goal: the production of a well-engineered, attractive city car that has no local exhaust gas emissions i.e. a zero emission vehicle. In 2007 smart kicked off zero-emission motoring in London with its tough city traffic conditions. Since then 100 smart fortwo electric drives of the first generation have been in practical customer operation there. The feedback from the UK capital has been very positive and confirms the high degree of maturity of this vehicle concept.

In 2008 smart presented the second generation smart fortwo electric drive, a more advanced electric drive with an innovative lithium-ion battery. Lithium-ion technology has decisive advantages over other types of batteries including better performance, shorter charging times, a long life and high reliability.

Marc Langenbrinck says "The second generation smart fortwo electric drive is based on a successful and accepted vehicle concept with character and inherent environmentally friendly characteristics. Its innovative electric battery drive makes it the perfect car for the city: it is agile, economical and climate-friendly. Motoring with zero local emissions in an urban environment has become a reality. This equates to driving fun with no compromises."

Electric drive factored in from the very first concept

The smart fortwo electric drive is a smart fortwo that does not make any compromises with regard to safety, agility, comfort and space. Electric drives have been part of the smart concept right from the start. The later integration of the components needed for electric drive was planned at a very early stage. For example, there is space for the battery in the underfloor between the axles where the tank is located in other smart models. The electric drive module does not limit the space available in the smart fortwo electric drive in any way; there is just as much interior and luggage compartment space as in a smart fortwo with a combustion engine.

Powerful drive

A 30 kW magneto-electric motor is installed at the rear of the new smart fortwo electric drive and reacts directly without delay. Powerful torque of 120 Newton metres is immediately available. This results in a surprising amount of power when pulling away. The smart fortwo electric drive accelerates from 0 - 60 km/h in 6.5 seconds – just as quickly as a petrol model which it initially leaves behind it. After a year of driving the first generation smart fortwo electric drive in everyday conditions on British roads one of the participants in the large-scale London trial said "You can beat anything at the lights". The maximum speed of the smart fortwo electric drive has been deliberately limited to 100 km/h, a suitable maximum speed for the city.

Thanks to the power characteristic of the electric motor, just one single fixed gear ratio is required. There is no need for any gear changing – a major advantage in dense city traffic. To reverse, the engine's direction of rotation changes. "Fantastic and easy to drive. You just get in, turn on and go" was how experienced users from London summed up the smart fortwo electric drive.

The second generation smart fortwo electric drive is powered by a lithium-ion battery developed by Tesla Motors Inc. with electrical energy of 16.5 kWh. It is simple to charge at any fused 220 Volt socket. A fully charged battery is sufficient for up to 135 kilometres of driving fun (NEDC). This range is more than enough for city traffic as studies have shown that cars drive an average of 30 - 40 kilometres per day in towns and cities. For this, the vehicle only needs to be charged for three hours. At an average speed of 25 - 30 km/h that is normal in city traffic the smart fortwo electric drive can drive for around four to five hours continuously before it needs to be recharged. Plugging the car in overnight will fully recharge the battery.

Electronics optimise the battery status and power consumption

Special electronics ensure that all is well with the battery. This battery management system constantly monitors voltage, electricity and temperature. If one of these parameters reaches a specified limit – for example when driving up long hills at constant peak power (kickdown) – the electronics reduce the power output. However, this is barely noticeable and it rules out the risk of battery overload.

The electronics also monitor the charging process and control the capacity display. The vehicle's power electronics supply the vehicle's electrical system with electric current from the battery via a DC/DC converter. In addition, they also control the heating and air conditioning, for example, to minimise the strain

on the battery. Clever drivers can air condition their smart fortwo electric drive in advance as long as their vehicle is being charged at home – the long-standing dream of stationary cooling becomes a reality! No other car offers this comfortable option.

Extensive equipment

The new second generation smart fortwo electric drive is based on the smart fortwo coupé/cabrio with high quality equipment. As well as air conditioning with automatic temperature control and pre-air conditioning, the equipment includes smart radio 9, electric power steering, electric windows, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, a two-spoke leather steering wheel, leather gear knob and 12-spoke alloy wheels. In addition to the battery indicator, an ammeter shows the consumption and the recuperated energy. Furthermore, all new second generation smart fortwo electric drives have green painted alloy wheels, green mirror caps, green contrast components and a green tridion cell created with green adhesive foil. The words "electric drive" on the rear and in the mirror triangle also draw attention to the vehicle's special status.

Very low costs

There are also numerous factors in different countries that make electric mobility attractive for customers. Tax relief and other government subsidies play an important role. For example, the state of Monaco offers tax relief of
up to €9,000 to electric car owners. Other countries have also set up funding programmes for sustainable mobility. France grants a "super environment incentive" of €5000 for every vehicle emitting less than 60 grams of CO2 per kilometre. In Great Britain there is a bonus of up to ₤5000 and in Belgium of €4540. In Denmark such cars are exempt from the extremely high registration tax and there are lots of further examples in Europe. In the USA there is a federal tax benefit of up to $7500 plus additional benefits depending on the state or city. China and Japan have announced subsidies of €6,500 and €11,000 respectively.

The maintenance costs are considerably lower than those of a smart with a combustion engine as the battery, motor and other components of the electric drive are maintenance-free.

smart fortwo electric drive in major cities in Europe and the USA

Since the end of 2009 the second generation smart fortwo electric drive has been delivered to selected customers. Leases are offered for a period of four years and 60,000 kilometres. The first vehicles were handed over to customers in December within the framework of the "e-mobility Berlin" project. Here, in cooperation with the energy provider RWE and with the support of the German government and the city of Berlin, Daimler is creating ideal conditions for running battery-driven vehicles with no local emissions. This includes setting up a network of electricity charging stations that enable intelligent communication between electric vehicles and the power network so that the battery can be charged when electricity is cheapest. But as mentioned, the smart fortwo electric drive can also be charged at any household safety socket with a 16 amp fuse (standard in Germany and other countries).

Further new generation smart fortwo electric drive vehicles will take to the roads of Hamburg, Paris, Rome, Milan, Pisa, London and the Midlands, Madrid, Zurich, Portugal, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands during the first half of 2010. In the autumn of 2010 the smart fortwo electric drive will then also be launched in cities in the USA and Canada, and from 2011 in some Asian countries. There is already a very lively demand for the smart fortwo electric drive, and from 2012 it will be produced in large volumes as a normal part of the smart range and sold via the smart dealer network. This third generation will be fitted with a new lithium-ion battery which Daimler is developing to production maturity in cooperation with Evonik. The lithium-ion battery currently used comes from Tesla and represents state-of-the-art technology. However, further progress is anticipated. The main differences between the two batteries lie in the structural design. The Tesla battery consists of lots of cylinder-shaped cells. The Daimler battery will be made up of fewer but larger plate units. This will first and foremost enable a greater energy density to be achieved (with greater energy content for a higher range) and an even longer life.

With the smart fortwo electric drive the brand is underlining its pioneering role on the road to attractive individual mobility with no local emissions in cities and urban areas. Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Head of Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz Cars says "All in all we believe that the outlook for electric mobility is good. Whilst our competitors are still presenting electric show cars, smart brought production models that are fully suitable for everyday use to the roads last year. This once again demonstrates our technical expertise and responsibility."
.................
http://green.autoblog.com/2010/06/10/250-smart-eds-coming-to-u-s-this-fall-with-599-month-leases-at/

Posted by: John & Angela Jun 11 2010 - 04:30 AM

At about 800 per month Canadian and even that just a lease, I doubt it will ever happen for us but we can keep dreaming I suppose. Thanks to all the posters who keep posting info on this great little but probably unatainable little car.

Posted by: Duck Jun 11 2010 - 06:23 PM

Fail.

-Iain

Posted by: Mike T Jun 11 2010 - 07:10 PM

Even at $599 US it is a weak offer as Duck notes in his laconic fashion. They will be eaten alive; it is a 2 seater after all, which puts the car behind the 8-ball to begin with. Factor in the CDN surcharge and it will be an E-Class AMG substitute in terms of cost.

Posted by: SameGuy Jun 12 2010 - 12:11 AM

Again, we are only speculating, and doing so on a tester batch of just (supposedly) 45 EDs to be run in Canada before Phase 3 series production begins. There is a lot of jumping the gun on "fail" pronouncements here. The MINI E test batch was snapped up at $800 a month each, as was the Rav4 EV before it at closer to $1000 a month.

When the final pricing is announced for the 2012 ED is when I'll decide if it's not right for me. Chances are that many -- if not all -- BEVs will have some form of battery subscription plan to give value to the EV's purchase. In other words, the ED cabrio might be priced at, say, $19K, with a battery lease of $120 a month.

Posted by: smart142 Jun 12 2010 - 12:22 AM

The Electric Smart: A Car That Seems to Demand Batteries

By JIM MOTAVALLI (The New York Times)

The battery-powered Smart car is based on the 1-liter, 3-cylinder gas version introduced to the United States in 2008, but it sure doesn’t drive like one.

It drives better.
Some battery conversions suffer in comparison to their internal-combustion siblings. But the electric Smart, during a short ride in rainy Brooklyn, seemed to offer superior acceleration and braking compared with its tailpipe-equipped brethren.

With a 30-kilowatt peak-power motor and a 16.5 kilowatt-hour battery pack sourced from Tesla Motors, the electric Smart can reach about 38 miles per hour in 6.5 seconds. It has a cruising range of 83 miles. A charge from 20 to 80 percent capacity (which some people will experience in real-world conditions) takes 3.5 hours, and a full 100 percent charge from zero is less than eight hours (with a 220-volt outlet).

With narrow streets, tight corners and rough pavement, Brooklyn was a good proving ground for the battery Smart. The car has responsive steering and a tight turning circle, which helps fulfill its duty as a city vehicle.

Electric vehicles benefit from great torque availability at low speeds, but the Smart doesn’t leap forward. Instead, power builds slowly but surely, a somewhat welcome contrast to the lag-prone gas version. As in the gas car, there’s plenty of brake pedal travel, but also reassuring stopping power. The Smart cabin is very quiet, with no audible squeaks or rattles.

In October, Smart USA will begin deployment of 250 electric Smart cars in a pilot program that will be aimed at corporate users, governments, nonprofit groups and individuals (the latter perhaps 20 percent of the total). The electric Smarts, based on the Fortwo, will be available for a four-year lease at $599 a month. The first markets will be Portland, Ore.; San Jose and Los Angeles, Calif.; Indianapolis; Austin, Tex. (home to Daimler’s Car2go car-sharing program); Detroit; and the I-95 corridor between Washington and Boston. That includes New York City, of course.

On Wednesday, Smart had a Coulomb charging station set up on the sidewalk.

According to Derek Kaufman, Smart USA’s vice president of business development: “It was natural for us to move to electric drive. Some people already assume that because of the car’s looks it was already electric. We intend to come in with low volume and grow from there.”

The electric Smart, with some changes from the pilot version, will go into series production in the 2012 model year.

A total of 1,500 preproduction electric Smarts are being built for Europe, the United States and Canada, and the first deliveries in Germany began late last year. According to Pitt Moos, product manager for the electric drive Smart, more than 300 cars will go to Germany, 200 to France and 100 to Italy. An earlier pilot program introduced in 2007 put 100 electric Smarts in London. According to Mr. Moos, drivers in that program expressed early trepidation about the car’s range, but that evaporated after they’d spent time behind the wheel.

The electric Smart is also part of a program with General Motors and Ford that (with $15 million from the Energy Department) will put 4,600 Coulomb cost-free chargers in nine regions around the United States that are roughly analogous to those that will be part of the Smart pilot. According to Mr. Kaufman, the intent is to concentrate the cars in areas that have shown some interest in E.V.’s. “We didn’t want to just have one car in Austin, one in Boise and one in Birmingham,” he said.

Smart seems to be looking for some youth appeal in its plug-in car. The electric Smart features an application for the iPhone (variations for the Blackberry and other units are coming) that will, among other things, inform the driver of the car’s state of charge and locate it when it’s lost in a parking lot. It also has navigation features. When plugged into an iPhone cradle, it also plays the phone’s music collection through the car’s stereo.
.................
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/11/the-electric-smart-a-car-that-seems-to-demand-batteries/

Posted by: Duck Jun 12 2010 - 02:08 PM

How am I even remotely jumping the gun? The exact terms are outlined specifically in Glenn's post. It's a total ripoff.

-Iain

Posted by: SameGuy Jun 12 2010 - 04:03 PM

First: we haven't seen any confirmation of anything from MB Canada about the Canadian test fleet. Second: assuming the terms are similar for our test fleet as the American test fleet, these are the terms for the TEST FLEET.

We have no clue what the car will sell or lease for once it is in full, "phase 3" series production starting in 2012.

Posted by: Mike T Jun 14 2010 - 05:32 AM

courtesy of Daimler Media Services

smart fortwo electric drive: The smart with electric drive is coming to the USA and Canada

New York – Following the successful launch in European cities the new smart fortwo electric drive will take to the roads of North American cities from the autumn. The electrically powered trendsetter has been rolling off the production line since November 2009 – and due to the huge demand the initial production volume has been increased from 1000 to 1500 vehicles. The second generation smart fortwo electric drive is equipped with an innovative and highly efficient lithium-ion battery. It is neatly accommodated between the axles, which means that space is not compromised in any way in the intelligent two-seater vehicle. A 30 kW electric motor is fitted at the rear. This provides for very good acceleration and high agility with 120 Newton metres of torque that are immediately available. The smart fortwo electric drive can be charged at any normal household socket. The fully charged battery has sufficient power to cover approximately 135 kilometres in accordance with the New European Driving Cycle, making it ideal for urban use. smart has made electric drive a practical alternative for mobility with zero local emissions in urban areas. The first of the new smart fortwo electric drive vehicles were handed over to customers in Berlin at the end of 2009, and the environmentally friendly pioneer will now demonstrate its suitability for everyday use in further cities in Europe, North America and Asia. From 2012 the smart fortwo electric drive will be available to anyone interested in almost 40 smart markets.

Marc Langenbrinck, responsible for brand management at smart says "In 1998 smart revolutionised urban mobility with the unique smart fortwo vehicle concept. Now smart is once again taking on a pioneering role and redefining zero-emission urban mobility. We are the first manufacturer to launch a series-produced electric vehicle. Daimler is spearheading electric mobility with the smart fortwo electric drive. The smart fortwo electric drive is a further logical step in the evolution of the smart brand which boasts the fleet with the lowest fuel consumption anyway."

Environmental friendliness and state-of-the-art functionality have been defining features of the smart fortwo ever since it was launched more than ten years ago. Since then its innovative concept has combined sustainable, forward-looking technologies with individual urban mobility. With a length of just over two and a half metres the extremely compact vehicle can also park perpendicular to the flow of traffic. In addition, the space-saving and environmentally friendly two-seater currently has the lowest fleet consumption and it brings its occupants to their destination comfortably and safely. Its design is fresh, youthful, modern and yet sophisticated and has made it an automotive lifestyle icon which shows that mobility, responsibility to the environment and joie de vivre are compatible with one another. The smart fortwo has established a class of its own.

smart fortwo electric drive offers innovative driving fun
The new smart fortwo electric drive, which started rolling off the production line in November 2009, is a logical continuation of a very ambitious goal: the production of a well-engineered, attractive city car that has no local exhaust gas emissions i.e. a zero emission vehicle. In 2007 smart kicked off zero-emission motoring in London with its tough city traffic conditions. Since then 100 smart fortwo electric drives of the first generation have been in practical customer operation there. The feedback from the UK capital has been very positive and confirms the high degree of maturity of this vehicle concept.

In 2008 smart presented the second generation smart fortwo electric drive, a more advanced electric drive with an innovative lithium-ion battery. Lithium-ion technology has decisive advantages over other types of batteries including better performance, shorter charging times, a long life and high reliability. Marc Langenbrinck says "The second generation smart fortwo electric drive is based on a successful and accepted vehicle concept with character and inherent environmentally friendly characteristics. Its innovative electric battery drive makes it the perfect car for the city: it is agile, economical and climate-friendly. Motoring with zero local emissions in an urban environment has become a reality. This equates to driving fun with no compromises."

Electric drive factored in from the very first concept
The smart fortwo electric drive is a smart fortwo that does not make any compromises with regard to safety, agility, comfort and space. Electric drives have been part of the smart concept right from the start. The later integration of the components needed for electric drive was planned at a very early stage. For example, there is space for the battery in the underfloor between the axles where the tank is located in other smart models. The electric drive module does not limit the space available in the smart fortwo electric drive in any way; there is just as much interior and luggage compartment space as in a smart fortwo with a combustion engine.

Powerful drive
A 30 kW magneto-electric motor is installed at the rear of the new smart fortwo electric drive and reacts directly without delay. Powerful torque of 120 Newton metres is immediately available. This results in a surprising amount of power when pulling away. The smart fortwo electric drive accelerates from 0 - 60 km/h in 6.5 seconds – just as quickly as a petrol model which it initially leaves behind it. After a year of driving the first generation smart fortwo electric drive in everyday conditions on British roads one of the participants in the large-scale London trial said "You can beat anything at the lights". The maximum speed of the smart fortwo electric drive has been deliberately limited to 100 km/h, a suitable maximum speed for the city.

Thanks to the power characteristic of the electric motor, just one single fixed gear ratio is required. There is no need for any gear changing – a major advantage in dense city traffic. To reverse, the engine's direction of rotation changes. "Fantastic and easy to drive. You just get in, turn on and go" was how experienced users from London summed up the smart fortwo electric drive.
The second generation smart fortwo electric drive is powered by a lithium-ion battery developed by Tesla Motors Inc. with electrical energy of 16.5 kWh. It is simple to charge at any fused 220 Volt socket. A fully charged battery is sufficient for up to 135 kilometres of driving fun (NEDC). This range is more than enough for city traffic as studies have shown that cars drive an average of 30 - 40 kilometres per day in towns and cities. For this, the vehicle only needs to be charged for three hours. At an average speed of 25 - 30 km/h that is normal in city traffic the smart fortwo electric drive can drive for around four to five hours continuously before it needs to be recharged. Plugging the car in overnight will fully recharge the battery.

Generation differences
First generation smart fortwo electric drive Second generation smart fortwo electric drive
In everyday use in London since 2007 Production of a small series started at the end of 2009
Battery: NaNiCl (sodium-nickel-chloride), works at temperatures between 280 and 320 degrees Celsius, and therefore needs to be heated. Also has an insulated casing like a thermos flask. Battery: lithium-ion, works at normal temperatures. The lithium-ion battery enables a cold start at minus 25 degrees Celsius. More useable energy with the same size. The same battery size as for the first generation smart was chosen. The range has increased from 100 km to 135 km.
Power output: 20 kW Power output: 20 kW plus peak power output of 30 kW for approximately 2 minutes. The peak power can be called up with the kickdown function.


Electronics optimise the battery status and power consumption
Special electronics ensure that all is well with the battery. This battery management system constantly monitors voltage, electricity and temperature. If one of these parameters reaches a specified limit – for example when driving up long hills at constant peak power (kickdown) – the electronics reduce the power output. However, this is barely noticeable and it rules out the risk of battery overload.

The electronics also monitor the charging process and control the capacity display. The vehicle's power electronics supply the vehicle's electrical system with electric current from the battery via a DC/DC converter. In addition, they also control the heating and air conditioning, for example, to minimise the strain on the battery. Clever drivers can air condition their smart fortwo electric drive in advance as long as their vehicle is being charged at home – the long-standing dream of stationary cooling becomes a reality! No other car offers this comfortable option.

Extensive equipment
The new second generation smart fortwo electric drive is based on the smart fortwo coupé/cabrio with high quality equipment. As well as air conditioning with automatic temperature control and pre-air conditioning, the equipment includes smart radio 9, electric power steering, electric windows, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, a two-spoke leather steering wheel, leather gear knob and 12-spoke alloy wheels. In addition to the battery indicator, an ammeter shows the consumption and the recuperated energy. Furthermore, all new second generation smart fortwo electric drives have green painted alloy wheels, green mirror caps, green contrast components and a green tridion cell created with green adhesive foil. The words "electric drive" on the rear and in the mirror triangle also draw attention to the vehicle's special status.

Very low costs
There are also numerous factors in different countries that make electric mobility attractive for customers. Tax relief and other government subsidies play an important role. For example, the state of Monaco offers tax relief of up to €9,000 to electric car owners. Other countries have also set up funding programmes for sustainable mobility. France grants a "super environment incentive" of €5000 for every vehicle emitting less than 60 grams of CO2 per kilometre. In Great Britain there is a bonus of up to ₤5000 and in Belgium of €4540. In Denmark such cars are exempt from the extremely high registration tax and there are lots of further examples in Europe. In the USA there is a federal tax benefit of up to $7500 plus additional benefits depending on the state or city. China and Japan have announced subsidies of €6,500 and €11,000 respectively.

The maintenance costs are considerably lower than those of a smart with a combustion engine as the battery, motor and other components of the electric drive are maintenance-free.

smart fortwo electric drive in major cities in Europe and the USA
Since the end of 2009 the second generation smart fortwo electric drive has been delivered to selected customers. Leases are offered for a period of four years and 60,000 kilometres. The first vehicles were handed over to customers in December within the framework of the "e-mobility Berlin" project. Here, in cooperation with the energy provider RWE and with the support of the German government and the city of Berlin, Daimler is creating ideal conditions for running battery-driven vehicles with no local emissions. This includes setting up a network of electricity charging stations that enable intelligent communication between electric vehicles and the power network so that the battery can be charged when electricity is cheapest. But as mentioned, the smart fortwo electric drive can also be charged at any household safety socket with a 16 amp fuse (standard in Germany and other countries).

Further new generation smart fortwo electric drive vehicles will take to the roads of Hamburg, Paris, Rome, Milan, Pisa, London and the Midlands, Madrid, Zurich, Portugal, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands during the first half of 2010. In the autumn of 2010 the smart fortwo electric drive will then also be launched in cities in the USA and Canada, and from 2011 in some Asian countries. There is already a very lively demand for the smart fortwo electric drive, and from 2012 it will be produced in large volumes as a normal part of the smart range and sold via the smart dealer network. This third generation will be fitted with a new lithium-ion battery which Daimler is developing to production maturity in cooperation with Evonik. The lithium-ion battery currently used comes from Tesla and represents state-of-the-art technology. However, further progress is anticipated. The main differences between the two batteries lie in the structural design. The Tesla battery consists of lots of cylinder-shaped cells. The Daimler battery will be made up of fewer but larger plate units. This will first and foremost enable a greater energy density to be achieved (with greater energy content for a higher range) and an even longer life.

With the smart fortwo electric drive the brand is underlining its pioneering role on the road to attractive individual mobility with no local emissions in cities and urban areas. Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Head of Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz Cars says "All in all we believe that the outlook for electric mobility is good. Whilst our competitors are still presenting electric show cars, smart brought production models that are fully suitable for everyday use to the roads last year. This once again demonstrates our technical expertise and responsibility."

Posted by: gordo.bernard Jun 14 2010 - 06:28 AM

It's cute the way they say

"This third generation will be fitted with a new lithium-ion battery which Daimler is developing to production maturity in cooperation with Evonik. The lithium-ion battery currently used comes from Tesla and represents state-of-the-art technology. However, further progress is anticipated."


What they really said was "We hope to have a different supplier ready to roll out batteries if the rumored bankruptcy of Tesla happens sooner than we anticipated"

There are also quotes thrown in of the American real world benchmark of 0-60 times...oh wait that's in kilometers not miles.

They say the lease rate covers the expense of the car. Is that the lifespan of this vehicle? Is it absolutely worthless after this?

BTW when one thinks that this price is OK considering that you never need to buy fuel again...exactly how cheap is your electricity at home? Just wait till the cities start tapping into charging premium rates for charging stations.

This is also touted as "a practical alternative for mobility with zero local emissions in urban areas." What this means is the pollution will be indirectly transferred to a rural (or suburban) area...Hey, that's where I live.

Posted by: SameGuy Jun 14 2010 - 07:11 AM

My electricity at home *is* very cheap (5¢/KWh after tax). And there is nothing wrong with the "zero local emissions" statement. Smog almost always happens where there is the greatest concentration of tailpipes, and that is in urban centres. Where I live, there is no "transfer" of pollution to rural (or suburban) areas; 99% of my power is from hydro. Even using "dirty" power generation, the plants still produce power whether or not cars are plugged in. And plants can't shut down during times of low demand, such as at night, when BEVs are most likely to be plugged into the grid. In fact, this is of net benefit, as plants won't have to burn off this excess power at night (moving water uphill, etc.); BEVs will become a mesh storage network for the power generators.

Posted by: gordo.bernard Jun 14 2010 - 08:59 AM

I thought the whole aim was to be greener and cleaner not just greener and cleaner in the city but rather the planet. If your power all comes from hydro I think you might be misled. Power is bought and sold with mega contracts involved. Quebec has committed to sales of specific quantities of electrical power to the U.S. If they can't meet these demands with cleaner energy, they are still committed to supplying it and that means dirty electrical energy. If everyone were to reduce the amount of energy used, we could rely on just the greener sources...but we can't because we won't.

Posted by: Henry Jun 14 2010 - 10:04 AM

Electricity generated in mass is a lot cleaner energy than diesel or gasoline burnt to propel our vehicals. If one is super concerned about going green they could run solar pannels to take the load off the grid.
Alan

Posted by: SameGuy Jun 14 2010 - 10:23 AM

Misled? OK, sorry. 96% hydro, 2% nuclear, 1% "dirty" thermal, and 1% "other."

http://www.hydroquebec.com/sustainable-development/documentation/pdf/etiquette_achats_en.pdf

Please read up on Hydro Québec's contracts, projects and activities. It's very interesting.

But you are also missing (or choosing to ignore) one important facet about the introduction of BEVs to the national fleet, as I mentioned above. Power is generated 24/7, whether from clean sources, renewables, nuclear or fossil fuels. During off-peak hours, utilities must burn off the excess electricity that is constantly being generated. BEVs will likely most often be charged overnight, which is indeed off-peak time. This makes a fleet of BEVs into a large mesh-networked storage bank, increasing any electrical utility's overall efficiency. With some renewables such as wind, generation is at the whim of Mother Nature. A storage bank made up of BEVs helps mitigate the inefficiencies associated with wind power generation.

http://articles.latimes.com/2007/feb/24/business/fi-pge24

Posted by: gordo.bernard Jun 14 2010 - 11:19 AM

Still about 40% of my (since I live in Ontario) electricity is generated by coal, oil or gas. To exaggerate the point, if we would reduce our use by say 50%, then we would not need the say 40% that is generated with these 3 fuels...that was my point.


During off-peak hours, utilities must burn off the excess electricity that is constantly being generated.(if they choose to run the turbines)


From my understanding, this may be true of "hydro" but not of fossil fuels .

You're not trying to tell me that they run at 100% capacity 24/7/365.

Posted by: SameGuy Jun 14 2010 - 11:34 AM

No, the opposite actually. Hydro plants can reduce flow during off-peak time and allow reservoirs to fill up -- which is beneficial for peak-usage periods. Thermal and nuke plants must be kept running 24/7 -- it is far too inefficient and time-consuming to shut down and cool a thermal plant and fire it up again the next day. Yes, that's what they do.

Posted by: John & Angela Jun 14 2010 - 05:56 PM

Interesting you should mention that. Although we are currently around the 1KW size for our array on the motorhome (actually a little less as they are flat mounted) we have enough room to expand to 1.4 KW with a little shuffling. We already produce enough power to live off grid except for heavy air conditioner use on very hot days. We use dual inverters to run everything else that uses 110. If we ever were to purchase a smart EV )assuming I could afford it) I would consider adding the remainder capacity and a dedicated sine wave inverter to power the smart charger. Based on our expected mileage we would not produce enough power to both charge the smart and live normally but on sunny summer days there would be enough to provide our household needs and charge the smart. Unfortunately it is not sunny every day and of course there would be a net shortage wiithout the grid. Motorhome roofs are just not big enough to hold enough panels for this kind of thing. I love the hobby though. Doesn't play out well with BC power prices but at our place in California we are paying 18 cents per KWH on average.

Posted by: Mike T Jun 14 2010 - 08:13 PM

Car and Driver has done a review of the smart Erectile Dysfunction: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/10q2/2011_smart_fortwo_electric_drive-first_drive_review

Posted by: bilgladstone Jun 15 2010 - 10:57 AM

One wonders about battery performance at -15 degrees Celsius for 6 months of the year.
One wonders about cabin temperature at -15C in winter and +35C in summer
One wonders about charge-time at North America's 115v versus EU 220v household current.
One wonders where apartment dwellers (largest growing housing trend in Canada) will be able to charge the car.

Rather than individual electric cars, the development of comprehensive and efficient public transit is the best way forward. Unfortunately, that isn't going to happen either.

Bil ... feelin' a little crotchety today...

Posted by: xakinedmonton Jun 15 2010 - 12:16 PM

For apartment dwellers
the building has to provide 247 power for you.. so if you have a plug for a block heater.. they have to energize it for you..
thats what they are going to do for us! ( we spoke with our building management company and that was what they said they were doing for us)

Posted by: robm Jun 15 2010 - 02:09 PM

good news. I asked about it, here is MB response June 15 2010...

Thank you for your recent inquiry. Please note the smart fortwo electric drive will be available in Canada sometime during the fourth quarter of 2010 as part of a very limited worldwide production. These particular cars will be marketed and retailed differently than the smart fortwos that are currently available in smart centres across the country. Subsequently, we have no further information at this time and we are not taking names at this point. We expect to have more details sometime late in the 3rd quarter (September) of 2010.

Posted by: Duck Jun 15 2010 - 04:33 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_Canada#Ontario

Closer to 30%, but still too high. Canada on a whole is much cleaner (mostly thanks to the other provinces).

I was absolutely shocked when we visited the UK a few weeks ago at how much of their electricity comes from Coal. On the M62 we passed about 4 giant coal plants!

France is all nuclear, which is fantastic - I hope to visit Cadarache someday, once ITER is running.

-Iain

Posted by: smart142 Jun 18 2010 - 04:06 AM

FOXNews

Quick Spin: 2011 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive
By Gary Gastelu

Published June 17, 2010

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2010/06/17/quick-spin-smart-fortwo-electric-drive/

Posted by: Uisge Jun 19 2010 - 08:14 AM

I figured out how to extend the range...

Posted by: smart142 Jun 20 2010 - 04:19 AM

Smart ED: Conservation on Four Wheels

By EV World Video Productions

http://evworld.com/EVWORLD_TV.CFM?storyid=1879

Posted by: smart142 Jun 20 2010 - 04:23 AM

Smart's penny-a-mile electric car

By Quentin Willson on June 19, 2010 10:01 PM in Quentin Willson's Sunday column . Daily Mirror.co.uk

Here's another ­landmark in the ­electric car ­revolution. Next week Smart's new Fortwo Electric Drive goes out to 100 customers, as part of a 12-month ­research trial to explore the pros and cons of living with electric wheels.

With a new lithium-ion battery made by Tesla, the cute Smart can now run 84 miles on a single charge, which works out at a penny a mile in juice.

Three-and-a-half hours plugged into a domestic socket and it's back up to 80 per cent of its capacity, ­making it eminently usable.

I spent a day whirring round and managed 70 miles of brisk progress. Top speed is no great shakes at an electronically limited 62, but it ­scampers to 30 in 5.8 seconds and makes the perfect urban shopping shuttle. And here's the thing. It works. Really well.

There's a gauge on the dash that tells you the percentage of charge you've got left, how much power you're using, and when the on-board charger has kicked in.

What's more, it's got ESP, ABS, electric windows, air conditioning, sat nav, Bluetooth and a touch-screen display.

After the trial, it'll go on the market with a monthly lease price of around £400, which may sound hefty, but with minimal servicing, no road tax and that penny-a-mile fuel cost, running one will be anything but expensive.

And every day more mainstream electric cars appear. We've already got the Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi i MiEV, Think!, Citroen C-Zero and Tesla, and next year there'll be even more.

As recent events in the Gulf of Mexico have proved, the electric car revolution can't come a moment too soon.
.........................
http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/cars-motorbikes/2010/06/smarts-penny-a-mile-electric-c.html


.

Posted by: Leadwing Jun 20 2010 - 05:08 AM

Henry mentioned solar panels. That is actually one very good option to get the recharging off the grid.

Another usable option is small wind turbines. (not the huge ones that you see on 'wind farms') I have seen a couple of these in action near Caledonia and the owners are quite happy with the results. Obviously, they are not charging smarts, but the wind turbines are running store lights and other systems to help bring down the cost of their operations.

Posted by: smart142 Jun 26 2010 - 10:30 AM

Electric Smart Car Put Through the Paces with Generally Favorable Results


· Nick Chambers · 23 hours ago

AutoblogGreen had a chance to take the Electric Smart Car (I really can't bring myself to call it the Smart ED... reminds me too much of a certain "condition") for a test drive and have reported that changing the ForTwo into a plug-in has actually made it a better car.

The Smart ForTwo was quite the hot commodity when gas prices peaked two summers ago, but since then sales have dropped off with the low price of oil. The combustion-powered ForTwo was plagued by its noisy 3-cylinder engine and a choppy automatic transmission that has been credited with giving drivers sore necks. So... take the transmission and the engine out of the picture, add in an electric motor and some batteries, and, apparently, the Smart becomes "downright enjoyable to drive," as AutoblogGreen remarked. In fact, the added weight of the batteries seems to lend a more planted feel to the car through the twisties and over potholes.

Even though the Smart ED (okay, I said it) only has a 20 kW engine with an on-demand boost up to 30 kW when needed (~26/40 HP), the test drivers note that they never had a problem keeping up with traffic due to the excess amount of torque that the electric motor puts out.

Certainly the Smart ED has a lot going for it. The ForTwo body is one of the most recognizable and owner-defining looks on the planet. It could also be one of the best city cars on the planet, if it weren't for one issue: the price. Starting this summer the Smart ED will be leased to select business fleet customers for $599 a month for a 48 month lease. Those lessees will also be required to cough up a $2,500 down payment for the privilege.

Smart says that by the time the vehicle actually goes on sale to consumers sometime in the middle of 2012, that cost will have come down significantly. But with the Nissan LEAF reaching market at the end of this year for $33K or a lease price of $349 per month for 36 months with a $1,999 down payment, Smart will have some serious catching up to do to compete... Especially considering that by the time the 2013 LEAF is ready to reach the market at the end of 2012, Nissan will have the capacity to lower prices even more.
..................http://www.plugincars.com/electric-smart-car-put-through-paces-generally-favorable-results-44515.html

Posted by: Mike T Jun 26 2010 - 10:36 AM

With the Leaf at that price, smart's ED will be a limp performer in comparison....

Posted by: gordo.bernard Jun 26 2010 - 03:26 PM

"There's a gauge on the dash that tells you the percentage of charge you've got left, how much power you're using, and when the on-board charger has kicked in."

Does this imply there is a charger that runs on fuel and it "kicks in"?

Is this true?

Posted by: Mike T Jun 26 2010 - 07:42 PM

It's a braking energy recovery system like the Prius etc.

Posted by: smart142 Jul 4 2010 - 02:56 AM

Smart Fortwo Ed

the way ahead for electric cars?Smart's second-generation Fortwo Electric Drive could transform city motoring – with the help of subsidies and easier recharging

Adam Gabbatt The Observer, UK

Sunday 4 July 2010

At the launch of Smart's second-generation electric car last week, Quentin Willson – best known as Jeremy Clarkson's former Top Gear co-host – quoted Aldous Huxley describing how "speed is the only truly modern sensation" in the novel Brave New World.

"Now you've got silent speed," Willson said. "I challenge any motoring nutters to get into one of these electric cars and not be completely blown away."
Except the thing about the Smart Ed – or Smart Fortwo Electric Drive, to give the vehicle its proper title – is that it is not silent. It is whiney. It seems to loathe acceleration, emitting a wail when the pedal is depressed and making a sound of relief when the foot is removed.

Never having been in an electric car before, I was cautious before borrowing the Smart Ed for three days. Would pedestrians fail to hear it and step out into the road in front of me? In reality, road crossers looked sharply over their shoulders, wary of being hit by what sounded like a washing machine performing a full spin cycle.

But driving one is surprisingly good fun. After running round London in a Smart for three days, I struggle to think of a car better suited to the rigours of city motoring. Gearless, it resembles a go-kart in its simplicity, and with the main weight of the vehicle evenly distributed along its floor, it handles better than the petrol or diesel versions.

Its acceleration matches that of the petrol model (not necessarily an impressive boast) and while the top speed is limited to 62mph to conserve battery power, as the Smart is designed for city use this limitation will rarely be noticed.

This version is the company's second electric-powered effort, part of a small-scale production run of about 3,000. One hundred of these will be leased for 12 months, at a heavily subsidised price, to drivers in the UK as part of a wider electric car experiment part-funded by the government's technology strategy board.

The quango has pumped £25m into supplying 340 electric cars, of varying manufacture and size, to people across the UK, and both the government and manufacturers will collect information on how they are used, through data loggers fitted to each car.

Smart is the largest contributor to the scheme, with 60 of these second-generation vehicles loaned out in London and 40 in the West Midlands.

The main advantage over the company's first effort, trialled in London more than two years ago, is the increased battery power, which, according to Smart's figures, gives a range of 84 miles as opposed to 50.

Another obstacle, however, is charging the car. Living in a ground floor flat with no parking space, this issue was eventually resolved by wrestling the communal bin out of its usual location, much to the bemusement of a crowd of children. After backing the car into the bin's normal position, hurling the yellow charging cable through a flatmate's window, locking the car, entering said flatmate's room and plugging the charging cable into a normal plug socket, I was ready to go.

If the car charged in 30 minutes, or even an hour, it might just about be bearable. As it is, it takes eight hours to charge from 0% to 100%, which is a little too long to deprive neighbours of their refuse unit.

Recognising the problem of home charging, supporters argue that increasing the number of electric cars is dependent on increasing the number of publicly accessible charging points. As it is, there are fewer than 300 in the UK, the vast majority of them in the capital.

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, has pledged to expand the number of points in the capital to 25,000 by 2015, but a bigger threat to the success of electric cars may be looming. Last week business secretary Vince Cable pointedly refused to confirm the former Labour government's pledge to subsidise new electric cars by up to £5,000 – sparking a letter of warning from manufacturers, who are now concerned that the new government is jeopardising the switch to green cars.

Given that, at the moment, the cost of batteries makes electric cars significantly more expensive than their more traditional counterparts, the loss of the subsidy could be a huge blow for the bid to boost their numbers on the road.

THE BOTTOM LINE
Smart says it is "extremely difficult to estimate even a ballpark figure" on how much the electric drive will cost. However judging by other electric car makers, it is unlikely to be cheap.

On average, electric cars tend to cost at least £10,000 more than similar-sized petrol or diesels. The Nissan Leaf goes on sale next February at £28,350 – around £10,000 more than an equivalent petrol or diesel, while the Mitsubishi iMiEV is priced at £38,699 – four times the cost of the petrol version.

For the extra money, purchasers will save almost £800 per year (assuming 10,000 miles a year) in fuel costs compared with a petrol smart, getting a vehicle that costs less than £2 to fully charge and just 2p per mile to run.

But the electric smart will reduce CO2 emissions by 2.6 tonnes per year over 10,000 miles when compared with the industry average.

Adam Gabbatt
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/04/smart-ed-car-pros-cons
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2010/jul/04/smart-car-electric#/?picture=364533006&index=0

Posted by: smart142 Jul 7 2010 - 10:27 PM

Smart goes electric with new car aimed at reclaiming sales

By Clifford Atiyeh

Globe Staff / July 8, 2010

The tiny Smart car, fighting sluggish US sales, is getting a jolt under the seats.

That is where the lithium-ion battery pack sits in the new electric version of the two-seater, located where its 8.7-gallon gas tank used to be.

The Smart ForTwo Electric Drive made its local debut yesterday at the Herb Chambers dealership in Somerville. Taking a cue from BMW, which leased its prototype electric Mini Cooper last year to 500 American drivers, Smart is bringing 250 test models of its electric car to the United States. They will be available through special lease programs, but most will be sold to corporate fleets.

Smart plans to build 1,500 before official production begins in 2012. The four-year lease is expected to cost $31,500, about $10,000 more than the most expensive gasoline-powered Smart, according to Derek Kaufman, one of the brand’s vice presidents.

“What we’re really trying to promote here is the electrification of transportation,’’ he said.

The Smart car, made by Daimler AG, was introduced in Europe in 1998, and brought to the US market two years ago, when gas prices hovered around $4. Nearly 25,000 of the tiny two-seaters were sold that year.

Now that fuel prices have ebbed, Smart has struggled to market a microcar with scant luggage space and average fuel economy. Smart’s US sales through June are down 61 percent over last year, with only 577 sold last month. Herb Chambers, who owns two Smart dealerships, says that in a “good month,’’ he sells up to 20 of the cars.

“If fuel were $4 a gallon, there wouldn’t be a car sitting here,’’ Chambers said in his Somerville showroom.

Other than green wheels, decals, and two circular gauges atop the dashboard to show battery life and available power, there’s no apparent difference from the regular Smart. Power cables stow inside the tailgate, and the motor and other electrical components hide under the cargo floor.

Despite adding roughly 300 pounds worth of batteries engineered by California-based Tesla Motors, the 8-foot, 10-inch ForTwo barely weighs a ton. Maximum speed tops out at 60 miles per hour and its range is 84 miles. A complete charge from a standard outlet takes about eight hours.

Later this year, a wave of electric cars is expected to go on sale from Nissan, Chevrolet, Ford, and Coda, a California start-up. Buyers of electric cars can qualify for up to $7,500 in federal tax credits.

Clifford Atiyeh can be reached at catiyeh@globe.com.
.......................'
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2010/07/08/smart_rolls_out_electric_car/

Posted by: Mike T Jul 27 2010 - 11:13 AM

The Leaf will be cheaper and so will the Volt. GM just announced that a lease for the Volt will be $350 US a month over 3 years with $2500 down.

This is $250 per month LESS than the smart ED. Kiss of death for the smart ED I am afraid.

Posted by: SameGuy Jul 27 2010 - 11:59 AM

The price for the production smart electric drive has yet to be announced. That €500 or $600 figure that keeps floating around is for one of the extremely-limited-pre-production test fleet cars, probably to try to recoup some of the $100 Million they put into lame-duck Tesla Motors.

Posted by: Mike T Jul 27 2010 - 04:49 PM

So, given the choice between a "pre-production" smart ED and a "regular production" Leaf or Volt at close to half the cost, will smart even be able to lease any of them?

Posted by: SameGuy Jul 27 2010 - 06:32 PM

Most of them will be going to fleet (corporate) customers just like with the 450 EV trial in London. Those agreements are likely already in place for the most part. Also, the Volt is only "cheaper" based on the estimated monthly lease payment that is using GM's early guess of a very high buyback value. The MSRP is still an other-worldly US$41,000 for an economy car with compact dimensions.