Electric Mercedes-Benz coming in 2010

Unlike Audi and friends, Mercedes has actually had its eye on non-gasoline burning vehicles for some while. According to a recent interview, Daimler's chief executive was quoted as saying that an "electric Smart [was planned] for 2010," and he continued by asserting that an electric Mercedes model would be arriving "the same year." Sadly, he didn't budge when pushed for pricing details, but he did note that cost would depend greatly "on whether it sells the batteries or leases them." Heck, there was even a mention of a fuel cell car in 2010, but we'd prefer to keep our hopes and expectations well beneath the stratosphere.

[Via BenzInsider]

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 23rd 2008 6:29PM]

Mercedes Eee lectric

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 23rd 2008 6:55PM]

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Electric Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive SUVs, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So Lord, won’t you buy me a Electric Mercedes Benz ?

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a UMPC ?
Dialing For Dollars is trying to find me.
I wait for delivery each day until three,
So oh Lord, won’t you buy me a UMPC ?

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a gigawatt wind turbine ?
I’m counting on you, Lord, and i will opine.
Prove that you love me and wind power my line,
Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a gigawatt wind turbine ?

Everybody!
Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Electric Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive SUVs, I must make amends,
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Electric Mercedes Benz ?

For Janis Joplin's original lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/janisjoplin/mercedesbenz.html

[Jbalkind Posted Jun 23rd 2008 7:47PM]

The Electric Smart was in the InGear (generally pretty terrible) section of The Sunday Times yesterday in the UK. By the sounds of things, they don't have much left to change, so might even be available before 2010.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 23rd 2008 9:04PM]

Okay cool an Electric car, but we need to ask where will the energy come from? Nuclear power stations, hydro electric stations..... But considering that most electricty is still generated by coal and oil, there is no real significant gain for the environment. other options def need to be explored as Honda is doing with the Hydrogen car. Bio-fuel sounded like an answer, until countries started clear cutting land to make way for corn and other source materials, raising green house gases that would have been absorbed by vegetation growing there in 1st place This had a double negative effect. 1. land used for other crops to support food staples where being abandoned to grow corn raising the cost of food. 2. Crops used nutrients in the soil that had only a few years of usefullness, and then the land had to be left to rejuvenate.
Electric Car intriguing on the surface, problematic on the whole below the surface!

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 24th 2008 12:44PM]

So what? Taking a lesson from the world of OOP: Encapsulate what varies.

Say you've got a single power plant and 1 million cars..
Which do you suppose is harder to change? If a new process was developed to significantly optimize energy throughput, which adaptation would take considerably longer? Which will experience greater cost overhead in replacing?

Do you have any idea how hard it is to push innovation when the success of the innovation is reliant on the end-consumer?

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 23rd 2008 9:51PM]

Agree it's problematic, but it's a start surely!

The next step will be to force coal / gas producers to "cost in" thier CO2 emmissions, which will force a long term exodus towards Nuclear and renewables. Wind, Wave, Solar all racing along in terms of technology advancement.

http://www.economist.com/opinion/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=11580723

[Gregorian Posted Jun 24th 2008 1:04AM]

I do agree that an electric car is not going to use less energy that a petrol car. What is so cool about petrol is that it is such a concentrated, relatively efficient, easily stored and transported fuel.

But one of the issues with Hydrogen fuel cells is how to distribute large quantities of the stuff. An electric car at least solves the distribution issue... plug it in at home and work. And then it comes down to the problems surrounding the generation of electricity, which need fixing anyway.

And yes, I think this is a Urban solution. Doesn't help long distance drivers.

[LJKelley Posted Jun 23rd 2008 8:24PM]

I'm very excited about this. Main problem would be road trips which I why I lean more towards plugin hybrid as a current solution until Fuel Cells are mass produced.

Though I could have the electric MB and my bf keep his current MB.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 23rd 2008 9:45PM]

LJKelly,

The future of automotive technology spells death for road trips. Integrated transport will lend itself to trains and planes for long trips supplemented by a choice of local mass transit, "on the spot" hire cars or even bikes.

Does anyone actually enjoy being gridlocked for 8 hours to visit the relatives anymore. Any journey of 2 hours+ sees me heading for my local choo choo. And don't get me wrong - I LOVE my cars!

[LJKelley Posted Jun 23rd 2008 10:15PM]

Well sadly I am not in the UK. In the US, I don't wanto fly and trains don't exist for the places I wanto go. I don't really encouter that much gridlock and was recently on a long trip that went really well.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 24th 2008 3:01AM]

Ah....the famous "only works for the rest of the world" arguement!

I see what you did there. Well done.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 24th 2008 6:38AM]

pff, cars are so yesterday.
I want a Benz Segway.