We’d like to introduce you to a car that’s designed to bring a breath of fresh air to the streets: the refreshingly new smart electric vehicle – or smart electric drive, as we call it. It’s the natural product of smart’s unswerving commitment to the environment and innovation – not to mention fun.
Think of a smart. Then think of an electric socket concealed behind what used to be the fuel cap. Picture the complete absence of exhaust fumes, so no CO2 emissions from the rear. Close your eyes and hear… no sound at all coming from the engine. Imagine no engine oil, no road tax, and no London congestion charge and you’ll start to get a sense of what really makes the new smart electric drive tick.
Powered solely by electricity, and chargeable from any three-pin socket the smart electric drive can achieve the equivalent of 300 mpg – that amounts to a saving of up to 80% in fuel costs over the already highly economical smart fortwo. The electric drive can travel up to 84 miles between charges, which typically take around 8 hours for a full charge – ideal for charging at work between your morning and evening commutes. If your journey takes you into the capital, you will find free electricity provided by some London boroughs, as well as free or discounted parking. With a top-up charge during the day, the smart electric drive’s daily range weighs in at over 100 miles.
What’s more, our electric drive hasn’t had to sacrifice any of the fortwo’s performance or class-leading equipment: expect the full complement of Mercedes-Benz safety features and a powerful Zytek electric motor, electronically-limited top speed of 62 mph. Once it’s up to speed (0-30mph in an impressive 5.8 seconds) the electric drive uses its tiny weight gain to deliver an exciting and stable drive.
Since 2007, we’ve been trialling 100 first generation smart electric drives with selected blue chip companies who are happy to meet our requirements to power the cars using only renewable energy sources. When we say zero emissions, we really mean it! Among the partners enrolled in the trial are e-on, Islington and Coventry Councils, Environment Agency, CarbonNeutral Company, EDF Energy, Amey and the Metropolitan Police Service.
All this is in preparation for volume series production from 2012. smart is inviting applications for up to 100 users to participate in ‘electric drive' research trials across the London / South East and West Midlands regions, beginning in 2010. The research will be conducted using second generation smart electric drive vehicles with new lithium-ion battery technology for a minimum of 12 months and leases will be subsidised by public funds.
The trials are a unique opportunity for users to influence the product development and design process, and will include a focus on domestic recharging behaviours.
Applications for the 2010 trial opened in June and we have recently closed the first phase. Any further applicants will be placed on the reserve list and will be contacted in due course. To apply for the reserve list, just
click here to complete the form.
So there you have it: a zero emission vehicle that is 100% smart; a car that will save money and the environment.
For more information on the smart electric drive please email us:
