London ready to go electric (01 July 2010)

Nicola Giuggioli, CEO at Eco Age; "For us, at Eco Age to be part of the smart electric drive trials is amazing and has such a great synergy with our business. The smart electric drive is the perfect city car, you can park it anywhere and it has zero-emissions so we can drive around guilt-free.  I can't wait to see the face of our clients when we arrive for our eco surveys in our smart electric drive."

Quentin Wilson, motoring journalist and broadcaster comments: “The fact that Mercedes-Benz, the people who invented the car, say that the future of driving is with the advent of cars like the smart electric drive, is a monster milestone for electric vehicles.”

Funded by the Government’s Technology Strategy Board, the nationwide trial is the first of its kind with over 340 vehicles being trialled on the UK roads. The programme sees 60 smart electric drives exclusively tested by residents in London and the South East for 12 months. A further 40 will be trialled by residents in the West Midlands.

David Bott, Director of Innovation Programmes at the Technology Strategy Board said: "It’s great to see the smart fortwo electric drive being handed over to the first drivers. This London based experiment is part of a much larger UK–wide trial  funded by the Technology Strategy Board and the Department for Transport. Low carbon vehicles are being put into the hands of real drivers in eight different projects. Vehicle performance and user behaviour is being monitored by computers in over 340 cars and data from trials across the UK will be collated and published in an act of open innovation designed to support the development of Low Carbon Vehicle technology”

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, said: “We are now on the brink of an exciting era of cleaner, greener electric motoring. London is already taking steps to ensure drivers in the capital will be able to embrace this new technology and plug in with confidence.”

The handover coincides with the publication of the smart Plugged-In report, commissioned to understand the UK perceptions around electric vehicles. The report reveals that the London consumer is ready to embrace the electric revolution with about two-thirds of consumers stating that they’re willing to consider an electric vehicle if the charging infrastructure is improved. Other key report findings reveal:

• 86% of Londoners think it is their community’s responsibility to make sure residents living there can live ‘greener’ lives  with easier local recycling facilities, electric vehicle charging points and cycle lanes.
• 66% of Londoners think the area where they live would be less polluted if there were more electric cars
• 71% of Londoner’s admitted they make a conscious effort to drive less in order to save money (asked of drivers)
• Londoners are the most vocal to their council about how they can improve the area where they live. 33% of Londoners claim to have made improvement suggestions to their council (compared with a UK average of 24%)

Smart awarded £2.5m funding to create further electric car trials (25 June 2009)

With the support of the Technology Strategy Board grant, smart is inviting applicants to take part in two electric drive research trials: one project in London and the South East with smart as lead partner of a larger consortium, and one in the West Midlands alongside a number of other organisations with Ove Arup & Partners as lead.  The research is a unique opportunity for users to influence the product development and design process, and will include a focus on domestic recharging behaviours over a 12 month period.

The Technology Strategy Board - the government body that exists to promote business innovation in technology - announced the winners of its Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator competition yesterday.  The successful bids bring together car manufacturers, power companies, councils and academic institutions in eight consortia to accelerate the availability of innovative low carbon cars to consumers.

Dermot Kelly, Managing Director Mercedes-Benz, said: “smart has been conducting real-life trials of 100 electric cars with partner companies across the country since 2007.  The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and this has been instrumental in our decision to put the car into small series production and bring another 100 cars to the UK early in 2010.“

Kelly continued: “We’re delighted that smart has been awarded this funding.  It means we can offer electric smarts with state of the art lithium-ion battery technology at affordable monthly lease rates to participants.“

Interested parties can find out more information about the smart electric drive trial, including an application form, by calling 0808 000 8080.

Electric smart to go live (22 June 2009)

Reaction from customers taking part in the UK trial, including the Metropolitan Police, universities, local councils, architects and energy companies, has proved so encouraging that smart’s parent company, Daimler AG, can confirm that the smart electric drive will go into small series production, with cars coming to the UK in early 2010. 

The second generation smart electric drive will also be taking part in projects in Rome, Milan and Paris. Several cities in the US are also due to start trials of the fully electric car and the invaluable feedback will be incorporated into the development of future production models.

Featuring a lithium-ion battery the second generation smart electric drive’s power source will have a longer range, boast a shorter charging time and will give improved performance.

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, said: “It is absolutely fantastic to see manufacturers like smart leading the way to make the electric vehicle an easy choice for Londoners. The move to electric vehicles, which emit zero pollution on London's streets, will have a massive impact on cutting carbon emissions to curb climate change whilst improving air quality and noise levels for our citizens.”

Financial incentive scheme for electric cars  (17 April 2009)

• The smart ed was the top selling electric car in 2008 and continues to outsell the competition so far in 2009
• The smart ed emits no carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, unburned hydro-carbons, particulate matter or any harmful substance – in fact it emits nothing at all
• The smart ed retains all the safety equipment you would find on a regular smart. So unlike electric quadricycles you will find ESP, ABS brakes two Airbags and seat belt pre tensioners on the ed.
• The ed also is exempt from London Congestion Charging & Vehicle Excise Duty
• Drivers of the smart ed can expect to achieve the equivalent of around 300 mpg
• The smart ed has no engine oil, oil filter, spark plugs or exhaust. In fact there are only a handful of moving parts in the driveline, resulting in very low service and maintenance costs.

Major role for UK’s Zytek in electric Smart project   (08 March 2009)

Zytek has developed an integrated electric drivetrain to drive the rear wheels of the Smart Fortwo. The drivetrain integrates the electric motor, power and control electronics, into one assembly with only three connections: water, high voltage electrics (300V) and low voltage electrics (12v). This replaces the conventional petrol engine and rear axle, and removal of the fuel tank allows room for a battery pack below the floor.

The second-generation electric Smart will represent a major upgrade on the first version, which has been tested extensively in London since 2007. The new version is based on the second-generation Fortwo model, and the biggest technical change is a move to Lithium Ion batteries instead of sodium-nickel-chloride. This will increase the range life of the battery pack, while cutting recharge times. The batteries are to be supplied by US-based electric sports car maker Tesla.

The new Smart Fortwo ED will go into production toward the end of the year. It will be used mainly in organised EV test programmes in major European cities, including Berlin, Paris, Rome, Milan and Pisa, with further cities planned.

In Berlin, the local government and energy providers are installing 500 electricity charging stations, and Daimler is providing more than 100 electric Smart and Mercedes-Benz cars. Several similar programmes are also being considered in the US.

The plan is to refine the design as a result of feedback from these tests, and make a major ramp-up of production volumes in 2012. Two versions of the Smart ED were shown at Geneva – a standard version and a more exclusive Brabus version, with matt green paint, a cabriolet soft top, LED daytime driving lights, sports suspension and Brabus Monoblock VII alloy wheels.

Aston University trials electric Smart car (15 Jan 2009)

smart is working with around 60 business partners and green energy suppliers to test the car in ‘real-life’ situations, in advance of the market launch in 2010. The trial offers an alternative transport solution for businesses to help them tackle environmental concerns. 

In the Midlands, both Aston University and Amey are taking part in the trial, demonstrating their commitment towards sustainable motoring.  They will be using the smart ed to promote the future of driving, cut their carbon emissions and reduce fleet running costs.

Dermot Kelly, Managing Director Mercedes-Benz UK, comments: “The smart ed market trial is an important part of our commitment towards developing sustainable transport solutions across the Mercedes-Benz business.  smart continues to be a pioneer in the world of environmentally friendly and economical driving and we’re delighted that Aston University and Amey are our partners in the trial as we move towards the future of driving.”

The smart ed emits no carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, particulate matter or any harmful substance – in fact it emits nothing at all.  It retains all the safety equipment you would find on a regular smart, so unlike many other electric vehicles, a smart ed has ESP (traction control), ABS brakes, driver and passenger airbags and seat belt pre-tensioners. The iconic two seater cars have a top speed of 60mph (electronically limited), a range of 70 miles on a single charge and can achieve the equivalent of 300 mpg. The smart ed is charged by simply plugging it directly into any UK mains 3 pin plug socket, and a meter on the dash swivels through 90 degrees making it possible to see the state of battery charge.

"e-mobility Berlin” - Locally emission-free driving  (09 Sept 2008)

Daimler will provide more than 100 electric cars from Mercedes-Benz and smart as well as the vehicle service. RWE is handling the development, installation and operation of the charging infrastructure accounting for some 500 charging points. The payment system takes the form of the exchange of data between a special in-car communication system and the intelligent charging point.

Daimler will contribute its wealth of experience of the automotive business to the joint project, above all the knowledge it has gained from its many years of successful research and development work in the field of emission-free vehicles using electro-drive and battery technology.

The new generation of smart ed (electric drive) and electric-battery driven vehicles from Mercedes-Benz will come in use within the “e-mobility Berlin” project. One of the most important vehicle innovations is the lithium-ion battery developed specifically for the use in these cars. Compared to conventional batteries, this technology provides a greater range and a shorter charging time, with the possibility of smaller and lighter batteries as a result.

The new project is also benefiting from the experience gained by Daimler during the current pilot project involving electro-mobility in London. Since last year, there has been a test fleet of first-generation smart fortwo ed cars in the British capital, successfully operated by authorities such as the police and others.

“e-mobility Berlin” represents an initial step towards a successful future of electro-mobility. The same applies for further similar projects in other metropolises around the world and also for the start of serial production of battery-powered vehicles by Mercedes-Benz and smart in 2010.

Met Police make a smart choice for the capital (25 June 2008)

smart is helping the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) cut carbon emissions in London as they take part in the market trial of the fully electric, smart ed (electric drive).

Four versions of the iconic, low emission, two-seater car will be used in congested urban areas for routine police operations.  Two of the cars have Metropolitan Police livery and will be deployed in Central London and at Heathrow Airport. 

The smart ed is powered solely by electricity and is charged using a standard three-pin plug.  The car emits no carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons or particulate matter.  It is incredibly economical and can achieve the equivalent of around 300 miles per gallon.

Stuart Middleton, Director of Transport Services, Metropolitan Police Service, said: “The public might be surprised to see smart ‘police’ cars on the streets of London but we’re very excited about taking part in this market trial.  Policing a city like London brings its own particular challenges and we’re always keen to try out new innovations and ideas.  The smart ed enables us to have a police presence in very congested areas.

Dermot Kelly, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Cars, commented: “This smart ed market trial is an important part of our commitment to sustainable mobility.  It’s positive news that a very visible organisation like the Metropolitan Police understands the benefits of the car and we’ll be working closely with them to gather data about the cars’ performance in everyday life.”

The smart ed has a top speed of 60 mph and has a range of up to 70 miles in between charges.  The car has all the safety equipment that customers expect: ABS, ESP, passenger and driver airbags and seat belt pre-tensioners. 

First electric smart delivered to Coventry City Council (21 Dec 2008)

Coventry City Council takes delivery of an early Christmas present this year, in the form of a fully electric smart.

The iconic car is the first of 100 cars to be delivered as part of a UK-based market trial for the introduction of a fully electric version of the popular two-seater (smart ed).

The car will be made available on a lease arrangement to selected UK corporate customers.  It sets a new benchmark in the electric vehicle sector; it has 30kW output and a top speed of 60 mph.  It offers nippy in-town performance with 0-30 mph in 6.5 seconds.  With a range of up to 70 miles, the smart ed is exempt from vehicle excise duty and congestion charge.

Coventry City Council will be using the electric smart within their fleet of pool vehicles.  This facility allows employees to leave their cars at home when they travel to work, but to still have access to a vehicle for business journeys. 

Dermot Kelly, Managing Director Mercedes-Benz Cars, said: “This market trial is an important part of our commitment to sustainable mobility and the first car to be delivered is a significant milestone for smart and Mercedes-Benz Cars.”

Cllr Gary Ridley, Cabinet member for Climate Change, Housing and Sustainability said, "The Council is proud to be the first owner of the new electric smart and is glad to be part of the drive for new cleaner and greener technologies in cars.  To make its running costs even greener, the electricity used to recharge the car is from renewable resources.  As the biggest employer in the city, we should be leading by example and encouraging other businesses to think about their carbon footprint and their impact on their environment while carrying out their day to day activities."

The smart ed emits no carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, particulate matter or any harmful substance – in fact it emits nothing at all.  It retains all the safety equipment you would find on a regular smart, so unlike other electric cars, a smart ed has ESP, ABS brakes two airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners.

In terms of practicality, the car has its own charger on board, which means it can be plugged directly into any UK mains 3 pin plug socket to recharge.  A meter on the dash swivels through 90 degrees so it is possible to see the state of battery charge.