Smart Electric Drive to conquer streets of the North American cities from the autumn

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 of 2010. It will then also be launched in cities in the USA and Canada, and from 2011 in some Asian countries. From 2012 the smart fortwo electric drive will be available to anyone interested in almost 40 smart markets.

In 2008 smart presented the second generation smart fortwo electric drive, a more advanced electric drive with an innovative lithium-ion battery developed by Tesla Motors Inc. with electrical energy of 16.5 kWh. It is neatly accommodated between the axles, which means that space is not compromised in any way in the intelligent two-seater vehicle. 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. 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.

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. 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.

Clever drivers can air condition their smart fortwo electric drive in advance as long as their vehicle is being charged at home.

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.

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 km. 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. From 2012 the smart fortwo electric drive will be available to anyone interested in almost 40 smart markets.

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.