Smart car goes electric

DaimlerChrysler has announced a new version of the Smart car that is 100% electric. You just plug it in to charge it. It’s even quicker than the regular petrol version at city speeds. It’s being tested in Europe first.

The trial will take place in the UK and 200 units will be made available on lease to corporate customers starting in November 2006. Of course the smart is an ideal basis for an electric car – it is small and predominantly urban, so a limited range is less of an issue than with larger models. The electric motor produces 30 KW (41 bhp), enough for a top speed of 110km/h and a range of 117 km.

Smart also says it will work with producers of green energy – important as an electric car will not help much if it uses electricity produced by burning fossil fuels