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We're already jealous of people who get to test drive the all-electric smart ed, but what about people who get to drive them day after day? Daimler released photos today (see gallery below) of just such a test fleet in Islington, UK. The test of the diminutive two-seaters is being conducted by partners Urban Splash, Islington and Coventry Councils, Foster & Partners, CarbonNeutral Company, EDF Energy and Amey, according to BenzInsider.

If you're curious why we like the smart ed so much, check out Daimler's own description of the ride, which reminds us that these cars can go over 70 miles between full, eight-hour charges and get 300 mpge. Thanks to the UK's increasing availability of public EV charging stations, Daimler says that the smart ed's daily operational range in the London area is around 100 miles. Yeah, we're jealous.


[Source: BenzInsider, Daimler]

We've seen two reviews now of the smart ed, one favorable, the other... not so much. Regardless, we hope that smart is able to offer an electric version of their little runabout sooner rather than later. Whether using the Zebra batteries of the ed or newer lithium ion packs, an electric smart car is just what the market needs in the U.S. We'd like a diesel and the micro-hybrid too, of course.


Halfway there: Number 10.

The first of a fleet of 100 battery-powered Smart ForTwos that will be field tested in England over the next couple of years has been delivered. The Coventry City Council took delivery of the electric Smart on Dec. 21. The car will be used in the city fleet to evaluate its real world performance and range. Coventry will be using only renewable sources to recharge the electric Smart which is being leased from Daimler. The electric Smart has a 30kW electric motor which can get the car to 30mph in 6.5s and on to a top speed of 60mph. The nickel metal hydride batteries can propel the car for up to 70 miles.

[Source: Coventry City Council]

In mid-December Daimler AG will start turning over about 100 battery-powered Smart ForTwos to customers in Central London for a large-scale field test. The cars will be leased mainly to fleets, including the London police, for a four-year trial that will eventually also include two other European cities. The first batch of cars will be equipped with a nickel metal hydride battery packs that should give a range of about 65 miles from a three and a half hour charge. London was chosen for the first trial because they already have a network of free public charging stations. If the test goes well, Daimler plans to launch the electric Smart commercially as soon as 2010.

[Source: Financial Times]

Last week in Frankfurt, Mercedes-Benz showed off a flurry of alternative fuel and drive vehicles of various types. Of the eighteen vehicles shown, seventeen of them will be in production by 2010 with at least a half dozen of those coming to the US market. The only one that won't hit the streets by the end of the decade is the HCCI engined F700 concept. All the rest of the assorted micro, mild and Two-Mode hybrids and diesels will be on sale by then.

The Two-Mode hybrid ML450 and mild hybrid S400 will be on the market in the US in 2009. In addition, fifty-state legal ML, GL and R-Class models with BlueTec diesels will be available here in 2008. The next generation of the E-Class with the Tier 2 Bin 5 diesel will be here by 2010. Mercedes will also be evaluating US sales of the micro-hybrid Smart ForTwo and US Smart distributor Roger Penske would also like to see the electric version of the Smart brought over. Smart currently has a 100-car test fleet of battery-powered Smarts running in Britain.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. req'd]