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Coventry City Council has taken delivery of a fully electric smart, the
first of 100 cars to be delivered as part of a UK-based market trial
for the introduction of a fully electric version of the popular
two-seater (smart ed).
The car will be made available on a lease arrangement to selected UK
corporate customers. It sets a new benchmark in the electric vehicle
sector; it has 30kW output and a top speed of 60 mph. It offers nippy
in-town performance with 0-30 mph in 6.5 seconds. With a range of up to
70 miles, the smart ed is exempt from vehicle excise duty and
congestion charge.
Coventry City Council will be using the electric smart within their
fleet of pool vehicles. This facility allows employees to leave their
cars at home when they travel to work, but to still have access to a
vehicle for business journeys.
Dermot Kelly, Managing Director Mercedes-Benz Cars, said: “This market
trial is an important part of our commitment to sustainable mobility
and the first car to be delivered is a significant milestone for smart
and Mercedes-Benz Cars.”
Cllr Gary Ridley, Cabinet member for Climate Change, Housing and
Sustainability said, “The Council is proud to be the first owner of the
new electric smart and is glad to be part of the drive for new cleaner
and greener technologies in cars. To make its running costs even
greener, the electricity used to recharge the car is from renewable
resources. As the biggest employer in the city, we should be leading by
example and encouraging other businesses to think about their carbon
footprint and their impact on their environment while carrying out
their day to day activities.”
The smart ed emits no carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, unburned
hydrocarbons, particulate matter or any harmful substance – in fact it
emits nothing at all. It retains all the safety equipment you would
find on a regular smart, so unlike other electric cars, a smart ed has
ESP, ABS brakes, two airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners.
In terms of practicality, the car has its own charger on board, which
means it can be plugged directly into any UK mains 3 pin plug socket to
recharge. A meter on the dash swivels through 90 degrees so it is
possible to see the state of battery charge.
The drivetrain for the smart ed is produced in the UK by technology
partner, Zytek Group, who undertake final assembly of the smart ed in
Fradley, near Lichfield.
The market trial is supported by Cenex, the UK’s first national Centre
of Excellence for low carbon and fuel cell technologies. Cenex is a
project partner and will be assisting in the field trial phase of the
project.
