The spring of 2012 can’t come soon enough for fans of the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive, after Daimler revealed plans to introduce the third generation of the vehicle.
It will be the first time the electric vehicles, which will be available in more than 30 markets worldwide, will boast battery packs from Deutsche Accumotive – the joint venture formed between Daimler AG and Evonik Industries AG in 2008. It is powered by a 55kW electric motor; has a top speed of 75mph; and has a range in city traffic of approximately 87miles. It can also accelerate from 0-62mph in less than 13 seconds.
The Smart Fortwo Electric Drive has been an ongoing success story for Daimler. The first generation was deployed in a test fleet in London in 2007; and then the second generation was introduced in 18 markets in 2009. Its aim was to gather as much experience as possible about how customers use and charge electric vehicles – Daimler initially only planned 1,000 of the vehicles but more than 2,000 have been produced.
Now from consumer feedback, Daimler has established that higher top speeds and better acceleration were at the top of the customers’ list of priorities for future versions. The new 55kW motor delivers torque of 130Nm meaning it offers speedier acceleration and the top speed has been increased significantly.
A full charge takes a maximum of eight hours with a household socket – and a quick charging solution is available.
