Smart Electric Vehicle

Daimler talked about the start of production for the next-generation Smart Fortwo ED last week, but waited until today to give more details on the electric-drive city car (standard details here or below). With a bigger motor from EM-motive, higher top speed (75 miles per hour) and more range (90 miles), the new Fortwo ED has been upgraded with input from "extensive experience and customer feedback from various electric mobility projects," Daimler says in a statement. Smart head Annette Winkler s

Daimler is getting ready to beef up the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive for the third-gen version, but the new EV won't be arriving on schedule, according to new reports. The problem has something to do with the lithium-ion batteries. The cells are being made by Li-Tec and a Daimler spokeswoman told Automotive News that, "There are no technical or quality problems with the batteries, but we don't want to lower our sights in safeguarding quality. That's why we're accepting a delay." Li-Tec is a joint

There's now word that the Daimler AG and Renault-Nissan tie-up, a collaborative deal that was made official back in April of 2010, is set to expand to include a compact Infiniti model that will feature a platform developed by Mercedes-Benz as well as a pair of electric vehicles. These are all slated to launch in 2014.

Smart ED – Click above for high-res image gallery

2009 Smart ForTwo Cabriolet – Click above for high-res image gallery

Smart ED – Click above for high-res image gallery

Smart ED – Click above for high-res image gallery

During the blur of the Detroit Auto Show this week, we checked in with fresh Smart USA president Jill Lajdziak to see what the boss has to say about her new job, sales of the fortwo in the U.S. and what's up with the all-electric Smart Ed. Lajdziak only recently joined up with Penske Automotive and Smart after spending time as general manager at Saturn. She was named to the top post just last week.

smart ed- Click above for high-res image gallery

Smart Ed - click above for high-res image gallery

The next-generation Smart Ed, which just started production in France this week, is out and about on the streets of Berlin being filmed for some sort of promotional video, we think. Treehugger spotted the little all-electric city car zipping around the famous Siegessäule (victory column) landmark with a lens pointed at it. Berlin is home to other electric vehicles, including the Mini E and the first-gen Smart Ed.

Smart ED production - click above for high-res image gallery

Second generation smart ed - click above for high-res image gallery

smart ed - Click above for high res image gallery

smart ed - Click above for high res image gallery

smart ED - Click above for high-res image gallery

Click above for a high-res gallery of the smart ed

We know that smart sold over 20,000 units of the fortwo in the US this year, so it's proven to be a popular car for its market. In LA last month, we saw the new Brabus edition and now we can get our own pics of an electric smart fortwo when the doors to the Detroit Auto Show open in about two weeks. The details of this vehicle, which debuted in second-generation form at the Paris Motor Show, will likely be exactly the same, but 150 miles from a full charge of the lithium-ion battery pack isn't s