London will be the setting for tests of the smart EV next month, according to parent company Daimler AG.
The UK capital was chosen in part due to the availability of recharging stations in the city centre.
In a cautious beginning for the all-electric smart fortwo, an initial 100 vehicles will be leased to public and company car drivers.
The Metropolitan Police are amongst users signed up for the pilot.
Although scheduled to last for four years, if the trial is deemed successful, commercial production of the smart EV could begin in 2010.
Daimler's smart EV is almost identical to the regular two-seater fortwo, except it uses an electric drivetrain and charges from the mains.
The car has a 30kW output and a top speed of 70 mph, with a recharging time of approximately 3-and-a-half hours.
It offers even better in-town performance than its petrol-powered stablemate, with 0-30 mph in 6.5 seconds.
With a range of up to 72 miles, the smart EV is exempt from vehicle excise duty and congestion charge.
The current smart EV uses conventional NiMH batteries, although Daimler engineers are working hard to produce usable Lithium-ion versions. |
