The new battery, sourced from Tesla Motors and housed between the axles to save space in the two-seater, 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 (about the same acceleration as the Seat Leon Cupra R we presented yesterday).
Daimler reminds us the performance on the EV is the same as the one on the petrol powered version it is based on, even if the speed has been limited to 100 km/h.
When charged (from any any normal household socket) the battery has a range of 115 km. Daimler assures us it is enough for city driving, as "studies have shown that cars drive an average of 30 - 40 kilometres per day in towns and cities." Recharge time is set at around three hours for the 30-40 km/day, while fully charging its battery can be done overnight.
Daimler has big plans for the new electric smart and will deliver it later this year to selected customers. Leases will be offered for four years and 60,000 km. The first city to get it will be Berlin, followed by Hamburg, Paris, Rome, Milan, Pisa and Madrid. Some unnamed US cities will get it as well, while mass production will begin in 2012.
Google News