Mercedes plans demo fleet of electric Smarts
We've been hearing about electric Smart cars for ages now and although some have been made and even test driven, these EVs haven't seemed to have the full weight of Daimler AG behind them. Of course, considering they are headed by CEO Dieter Zetsche who was once quoted as saying, "buyers don't really want electric cars," it's little wonder. Thankfully, the tide may be turning.
According to USA Today, Mercedes-Benz says it will have a demonstration fleet of practical, if small, electric vehicles on the road in two to three years." No, these have nothing to do with the 100 Smart eds being shipped to Britain with the Zebra sodium-nickel chloride battery. It seems these babies will be equipped with modern lithium ion batteries Mercedes has described as "breakthrough".
One of the reasons given by Vice President Herbert Kohler for building this Smart flotilla, according to the article, is "to be sure the setup is right for mass production." Whoa! For a minute there I thought he said something about mass producing electric Smart cars. Hopefully, it won't take the electric Smarts ten years to reach America like the gas version.
Gallery: 2008 smart fortwo
[Source: USA Today]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dave 4:08PM (3/25/2008)
2-3 years? I could be interested if they come out sooner rather than later. No way in hell I'd buy a gas one.
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Mark 5:04PM (3/25/2008)
Bring it to Canada please!. If there is a waiting list, I will put my name on it!.
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hodad66 5:31PM (3/25/2008)
Took my name off the list for the first smarts as the mpg's were just not that great. I'll be looking for what is available in 09 - 10 in the name of electric, diesel-hybrid, etc. Think? Electric Smart? something from Japan?
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BlackbirdHighway 6:36PM (3/25/2008)
We truly live in interesting times. Electric Smart cars, Thinks, Teslas, Miles, Volts, MiEVs, RiEs and more all coming soon.
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kevin 7:29PM (3/25/2008)
Well CEO Dieter Zetsche is officially a moron . N o people do want electric cars but not those who do 0-60 in ten secounds and have a 60 mile range costing 24 thousand dollars. No they want a smart car that has 150 mile range 0-60 in under 7 secounds and goes for no more than 15 thousand dollars . That is the type of car they want . so get with the program get on the ball and dont cause any delays . As it is the regular gas smarts cant stay on the shelves and have a year and a half waiting time.
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Lee 10:56PM (7/17/2008)
0 - 60 in 10 seconds -- that's what the old MUSCLE CARS
were capable of, and a Prius can make that.
Ain't all bad, unless you want to drag down to the next
stoplight burning rubber and jam on the brakes, which was
fun before the socialists got control of the nation and ran up the price.
GenWaylaid 8:59PM (3/25/2008)
Actually, what people REALLY want is an electric car that can go 0-60 in 1 second, can travel faster than light, never needs recharging, and costs twenty bucks. We need more mass-produced electric vehicles just so customers can develop some realistic expectations!
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Mik_Cal 11:41PM (3/25/2008)
Right on, General! LOL!
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Niralisherni 1:44AM (3/26/2008)
"buyers don't really want electric cars,"? What on earth is he talking about. Has he checked the prices of gas recently? EVERYONE wants an electric car these days. People are booking years ahead for one, queuing up, so to speak!
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MikeInNC 8:25AM (3/26/2008)
I really don't think electric cars will start to make real progress in the US market until they can meet a few basic requirements: 85mpg top speed (interstate travel without feeling like a road block), a range of at least 120 miles, 0-60 isn't terribly important but under 8.5 seconds would do it I'm sure, a 90% recharge time of less than 15 minutes (long distance travel) and a cost of less than $35k.
As it stands now, I think the Volt (if/when it appears) may be the closest thing we'll have to these specs but it's not a pure electric. However, if you remember to plug it in nightly, the extender won't be needed very often. Despite what I believe to be the basics of what the market will support in large numbers (above specs), there are plenty of people that will enter the market beneath these specs and every car we have that is electric is one step closer. Toss and solar cell on the garage roof and fuel is free. You can't beat that with a stick.
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Tim 9:28AM (3/26/2008)
I agree with MikeInNC EXCEPT that the price should be under $20K so MOST drivers could afford one in this time of the shrinking middle class and the recharge time is irrelevant. WHY?
According to DOT’s research, 78% of ALL trips are less than 40 miles, 85% are less than 50 miles, 90% are less than 60miles, and 93% are less than 70 miles! The 70 mile range electric car is good for 93% of all daily commutes and would be used as the “daily driver” for most people. These cars would be recharged at night!
http://www.gm-volt.com/2007/12/06/how-did-gm-determine-that-78-of-commuters-drive-less-than-40-miles-per-day/
Electric car drivers could use their old ICE car 8% of the time for those occasional trips, or they could borrow one, rent one or take mass transportation and rent the appropriate car at their destination.
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Throwback 10:51AM (3/26/2008)
What about those of us who live in cold climates? That 70 mile range will be down to 30 after a cold night. A 200 mile range builds in a buffer for weather, (it's cold and raining) and I need to run the heater, wipers and lights.
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Bill 11:24AM (3/26/2008)
200 mile range?
Not on battery at today's prices.
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Tim 11:50AM (3/26/2008)
Throwback - Saying you need a 200 mile range before you buy electric is like saying that you will not fly in a plane unless it goes supersonic or you will not buy a car that does not do 12 seconds in the quarter mile because that’s the distance between stop lights in your area. If these were the original specs for these vehicles, we would still be riding horses.
Batteries (on average) loose about 20% of their energy in low temperatures. These vehicles should be designed for a 70 mile range in the worse case scenario of cold weather requiring a ceramic space heater, defroster & fan. These same vehicles may have an 85 mile range in a best case in temperate weather w/o HVAC loads. (70 miles x 120% = 84 mile range).
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Tim 11:58AM (3/26/2008)
Plus, since you will be plugging in at night, you can use the plug electricity to keep the batteries and cabin warm battery degradation due to cold is irrelevant and you won't drain the battery trying to increase the cabin temperature on the way to work. No more getting into a cold or hot car or waiting for the waste ICE heat to warm the car.
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Mark 1:11PM (3/26/2008)
"9. A 90% recharge time of less than 15 minutes (long distance travel) and a cost of less than $35k."
This is an unrealistic expectation with batteries intended for a car. Think about it for minute. Do you really expect a full car battery, that can go highway speeds, with a 40+ mile range to be charged in 15 minutes? This will never happen. You plug it in at night..when you're sleeping (as in NOT driving), so what does it matter? Stop being an unrealistic bastard.
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mike 2:39PM (3/26/2008)
Here we go with the ridiculous acceleration times. Just build mine with 0-60 in 12 seconds, 80 mph top speed, 80-120 mile initial range, that's the base engine. You guys can pay more for a bigger electric engine.
Here's why I only "need" 0-60 in 12. I never FLOOR it. The tach rarely goes about 3000 rpm's with a 4 cyl. engine. I'm on the road with most of youse guys. You don't floor it either. You all accelerate at a leisurely 0-60 in 45 secs. So, don't make me laugh with your 0-60 in 8.
But, SELL the SMART ELECTRIC already!
I'm ready to buy NOW.
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mike 2:52PM (3/26/2008)
There are plenty of misconceptions in the article.
Can anyone point to were we could get the stats on electric engine efficiency vs. gas engines, pollution produced from plugging into an outlet and using power from coal, vs. a fleet of gas cars, and how we could power an electric fleet "off-peak" and actually make the electric utilities more profitable and more efficient?
All the myth's in the article have already been debunked here previously, but, it seems like someone needs to put up a website just to keep these guys informed.
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