First Electric smart Meets Owner

Less than one month after the start of production in Hambach, France, the first electric smart was delivered to its owner in Berlin. In fact, a pair of such vehicles have been handed over to Rolf Bauer and Lutz Tamaschke, two of the people who, according to Daimler, have been by the brand for years.

“I’ve always been a fan of smart and am proud to be able to set a new trend once again by driving the electric smart. Thanks to the smart fortwo electric drive, I can make my own contribution to preserving the environment,” Rolf Bauer said.

“I allow myself and my car a rest for the night, so that we can both recharge our batteries. After a few hours sleep, we’re both good to go,”

The smart fortwo will use a new battery, sourced from Tesla Motors, housed between the axles to save space in the two-seater. It powers a 30 kW magneto-electric motor fitted at the rear.

The motor provides 120 Nm of torque instantly, allowing the electric fortwo to reach the impressive naught to sixty acceleration time 6.5 seconds.

“Beside state-of-the-art vehicle technology, we also want to provide our customers the best service possible – for us, this is an integral part of the concept of groundbreaking mobility,” Harald Schuff, Executive Vice President Mercedes-Benz Sales and Marketing Organization added.

Daimler will initially build only 1,000 units, which will be used in various mobility projects, aimed at promoting electric vehicles and generate feedback. From 2012, the electric smart will enter the regular smart line-up.