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Daimler ramping up Smart Fortwo Electric Drive prodution to meet "high" demand

Autoblog -- Like Ford in the US, Daimler makes vehicles with different kinds of powertrains in one plant. Over in Hambach, France, around 750 Daimler elves workers put out all the Smart Fortwos in the world, over 1.4 million and counting. Daimler now also makes the Fortwo Electric Drive there, the first series production EV made in Europe. Daimler invested over 200 million euros to expand the plant for the EV model and future products. So far, over 1,000 electric Smarts have been built and Smart head Annette Winkler said that "production is now being continuously ramped up to meet the high customer demand worldwide."

It's not that surprising that people want this EV, since Daimler is making sure the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive will be crazy affordable (for an electric vehicle) when it goes on sale.

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Submitted Dec 13, 2012 By: BennoBlue

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honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,834 Points:1,638,195 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Dec 15, 2012 7:52:20 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse good beans!
bevmill Champion Author Georgia Posts:2,721 Points:628,225 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Dec 14, 2012 6:42:32 PM Ignore bevmill Report Abuse ok
virostek Veteran Author Virginia Posts:423 Points:90,285 Joined:Oct 2012	Message Posted: Dec 14, 2012 7:18:47 AM Ignore virostek Report Abuse OK.
sydb7 Champion Author Atlanta Posts:3,657 Points:1,941,890 Joined:Mar 2003	Message Posted: Dec 14, 2012 5:35:48 AM Ignore sydb7 Report Abuse Ok. Maybe.
tomok Champion Author Portland Posts:33,605 Points:2,374,185 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Dec 14, 2012 3:06:36 AM Ignore tomok Report Abuse Daimler ramping up Smart Fortwo Electric Drive prodution to meet "high" demand? What demand?? 'Coming out of the closet' Sneeky's lousy, smoke and mirrors, lack of jobs, dog and pony show and in the crapper economy, the jobs are Not here. Sneeky's economy is not improving but continues to hurt the population and the job numbers continue to be down! People will still drive and buy fuel no matter what but it sure helps to have a job too! With much more time, EV's and Inbreds will improve, the vehicles will get better and maybe they will have a greater driving range, a higher battery storage capacity and a much quicker recharging time. What the future may hold is promising but it's Not for me at this time! Whatever the size or shape of the vehicle, vehicle manufactures Produce and the population ‘Drives’ vehicles with high MPG, are very safe, reliable, have a ‘reasonable’ cost and a good ‘value’ for the money. The price of fuel at the pump is too high! XII/XXII/MMXII!
millerin Champion Author Orlando Posts:2,332 Points:487,315 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Dec 14, 2012 12:16:49 AM Ignore millerin Report Abuse hmm...
METEOR49 Champion Author Ontario Posts:2,312 Points:482,925 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Dec 14, 2012 12:12:25 AM Ignore METEOR49 Report Abuse expensive golf carts .
boatfloyd Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:1,863 Points:416,650 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Dec 14, 2012 12:08:11 AM Ignore boatfloyd Report Abuse This will be an interesting EV.
billy44bo Champion Author Mobile Posts:7,343 Points:1,518,440 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Dec 14, 2012 12:07:51 AM Ignore billy44bo Report Abuse Good for them but that is not the car for me
pgerassi Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:11,041 Points:2,160,970 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Dec 14, 2012 12:02:46 AM Ignore pgerassi Report Abuse $70/mo for the 17.4KWH battery lease is too much. A bottom balanced LiFePO4 battery pack at retail is $5,709 (174V@100AH (54S1P) at 175Kg (385lbs)). Such a pack delivers 14KWH usable for 3,000 cycles. That is 210K miles at EPA highway. Considering that the normal US driver goes 1,250 miles/mo, that works out to 168 months or 14 years. $70 * 168 months is $11,760 or more than twice the going rate. Using EPA city, that range is over twice as long. It also delivers 67KW continuously and 97KW peak (15 seconds). Add $11.8K to the price and the ForTwo winds up at $36.8K not far from the $40K Ford Focus BEV which has more range and carries 2/2.5 times the people (four comfortably and 5 in a pinch) on its 23.5KWH pack (35% more than the ForTwo for a range 50% farther).
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:441,265 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:59:26 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse Show me a skateboard with seven airbags, @clermont40miles.
Red7002011 Champion Author Mississippi Posts:3,471 Points:696,400 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:59:02 PM Ignore Red7002011 Report Abuse Less wait and see what happen.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:441,265 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:58:36 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse Rates won't go up, @troutbum7. EVs are almost always charged up overnight when there's a surplus of capacity at the power plant. It's called off-peak pricing.
clermont40miles Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:10,759 Points:1,800,570 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:57:34 PM Ignore clermont40miles Report Abuse I'm doing my part and not adding demand for this joke of a car. Beats a skateboard for getting around but may be more dangerous.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:441,265 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:57:31 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse @milespergallon wrote, "Electric is one of the worst propulsion ideas EVER foisted on the consumer." – Can't be any worse than ethanol.
troutbum7 Veteran Author Nevada Posts:340 Points:181,095 Joined:Oct 2012	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:56:47 PM Ignore troutbum7 Report Abuse Hey neat get a bunch of electric cars so we can see electric rates skyrocket. No thanks just another worthless piece of junk not practical.
ProRogue Veteran Author Vancouver Posts:384 Points:1,095,005 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:56:20 PM Ignore ProRogue Report Abuse No sir, not for me-- not while there's still oil down there. We ain't done drillin' yet! Boy, I tell you what, I love the smell of exhaust fumes in the morning. I got a zillion reasons why Smarts just ain't for me, but I won't bore you with 'em. If you ask me, a car that don't need no gasoline just don't make no sense.
joeschmo12 Champion Author New York Posts:1,108 Points:326,500 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:55:27 PM Ignore joeschmo12 Report Abuse hey, i want one of those. it's cheap and it's french.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:441,265 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:55:15 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse The old dead batteries are recycled, just like the battery in your car, @marion1739. I wouldn't worry about the batteries so much. There are plenty of hybrids on the road and their original, factory-installed batteries are still going strong.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:441,265 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:53:27 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse Why stop at a V8, @mcmonsta? How about a V12? For the record, Tesla's tiny little electric motor can smoke a Corvette off the line so size isn't everything.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:441,265 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:51:31 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse The price keeps on going down. Pretty soon, people won't be able to use that argument anymore.
fuelsaverMN Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:2,282 Points:559,080 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:50:46 PM Ignore fuelsaverMN Report Abuse I DON'T SEE ME DRIVING ONE.
SavALot Champion Author Virginia Beach Posts:8,623 Points:1,739,410 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:50:26 PM Ignore SavALot Report Abuse where is this high demand?
Robert44 Champion Author Columbus Posts:3,668 Points:1,244,955 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:49:13 PM Ignore Robert44 Report Abuse I don't see me driving one.
BREW9 Champion Author Tampa Posts:1,025 Points:2,940,635 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:49:02 PM Ignore BREW9 Report Abuse ok
wild3bill Champion Author New York Posts:2,551 Points:1,696,240 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:45:06 PM Ignore wild3bill Report Abuse I have a car costume for Christmas with ELF eARS!
mcmonsta Champion Author Honolulu Posts:3,347 Points:845,470 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:44:28 PM Ignore mcmonsta Report Abuse don't see one anywhere in my future..just make V8's just more advanced...is that too much to ask?
marion1739 All-Star Author Missouri Posts:969 Points:288,060 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:43:18 PM Ignore marion1739 Report Abuse Anyone think about what to do with the old dead batteries yet? Or like Nuclear fuel we'll worry about it later.
MG_Sputnik Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:7,439 Points:1,987,820 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:40:56 PM Ignore MG_Sputnik Report Abuse "Prodution"?
Yonkers111 Champion Author Scranton Posts:8,342 Points:859,135 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:38:38 PM Ignore Yonkers111 Report Abuse Don't see one in my future.
feldagast All-Star Author Toledo Posts:905 Points:106,695 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:34:03 PM Ignore feldagast Report Abuse golf carts for libs
speedys Champion Author Utah Posts:7,157 Points:2,586,585 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:34:01 PM Ignore speedys Report Abuse Golf carts are cheaper and probably better.
mstearno Champion Author Dayton Posts:8,174 Points:1,755,920 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:29:23 PM Ignore mstearno Report Abuse lets simmer down here HIGH????
karlet Veteran Author Pittsburgh Posts:258 Points:84,490 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:27:42 PM Ignore karlet Report Abuse OK
DEG Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:17,750 Points:3,520,455 Joined:Jul 2003	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:23:52 PM Ignore DEG Report Abuse The Smart For Two is an ugly golf cart on steroids.
lowspeed All-Star Author Akron Posts:856 Points:227,030 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:20:09 PM Ignore lowspeed Report Abuse too small for me
gd83goldwinger Champion Author South Bend Posts:1,428 Points:519,980 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:20:05 PM Ignore gd83goldwinger Report Abuse Bah, bah, bah.
GNo1 Champion Author Nashville Posts:1,060 Points:410,155 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:15:39 PM Ignore GNo1 Report Abuse Really? Not here in the US.
serrog Champion Author Nova Scotia Posts:5,710 Points:1,540,805 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:13:05 PM Ignore serrog Report Abuse Not for me
abcdMA Champion Author Worcester Posts:8,057 Points:1,601,705 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:11:04 PM Ignore abcdMA Report Abuse Electric is good for only some
suzmar Champion Author Texas Posts:2,224 Points:897,080 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:08:53 PM Ignore suzmar Report Abuse Yea, crazy affordable (for an electric) vehicles. I'll bet the biggest buyers are still government entities. The majority of people do not see EV's as practical.
postcard9 All-Star Author Massachusetts Posts:893 Points:529,195 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:06:58 PM Ignore postcard9 Report Abuse Affordable is a great way to make products attractive.
Harry813 Champion Author Iowa Posts:3,140 Points:689,340 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:05:00 PM Ignore Harry813 Report Abuse Yep, affordable is the key ..
lsb1955 Champion Author Salt Lake City Posts:2,168 Points:545,470 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:04:54 PM Ignore lsb1955 Report Abuse ok
Lukus Champion Author Halifax Posts:8,424 Points:1,702,230 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:01:48 PM Ignore Lukus Report Abuse It depends on price in North America. Too pricey and it won't sell.
prorodeo2012 All-Star Author Bakersfield Posts:539 Points:188,895 Joined:Sep 2012	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:00:24 PM Ignore prorodeo2012 Report Abuse Like low prices
mlmeng Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,780 Points:619,285 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 10:57:35 PM Ignore mlmeng Report Abuse Pass
wayoung56 Champion Author Alabama Posts:2,925 Points:845,985 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 10:57:15 PM Ignore wayoung56 Report Abuse Hmmm...
kbierley Champion Author Dayton Posts:10,739 Points:1,417,820 Joined:Nov 2003	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 10:56:51 PM Ignore kbierley Report Abuse Demand?
snerd All-Star Author Pennsylvania Posts:935 Points:663,450 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 10:54:30 PM Ignore snerd Report Abuse No EV for me.