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Taking the US-bound Smart Electric Drive for a spin (video)
The eponymous "Smart car" has been buzzing around city streets in the US for over five years now. It's actually called the Fortwo, thanks to its limited seating capacity, and while it didn't prove to be an immediate hit, sales have been steadily increasing. An electric version of the car has been available in limited numbers overseas for years now, but finally this year it's coming to the US. And this is it. We got a chance to drive a green vinyl-wrapped Smart Electric Drive around some city streets ahead of the opening of the New York International Auto Show and came away reasonably impressed by this $25,000 EV -- the cheapest on the market. Join us after the break for our impressions. %Gallery-184349%
Mercedes-Benz introduces B-Class Electric Drive, we go eyes-on
Electric Vehicle choices keep getting more compelling, and Mercedes-Benz is doing its part by unveiling the upcoming B-Class Electric Drive. The B-Class is among the smaller of MB's cars (one step up from the A-Class), fitting squarely in the MPV category. It's basically a mini-minivan. MPVs are small but big enough to be practical, and they tend to be economical. The fully electric powertrain in this 2014 model that just rolled onto the stage here at the New York International Auto Show should go a long way in that regard. Follow us after the break for more details and some photos.%Gallery-184040%
Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar panel printer, gold producing bacteria and a life-size of horse made of computer keys
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Inhabitat is always interested in finding innovative uses for old technology, and this week we saw artists and designers from around the world produce new things from old, unused or outmoded gadgets. In Osaka, a local goldfish club has been transforming old phone booths into gigantic public fish tanks. In another large-scale art installation, Babis Panagiotidis used 18,000 recycled computer keys to make a life-size rocking horse. London artist Leonardo Ulian also makes beautiful, ornate mandalas from bits and pieces of old circuitry. And Benjamin Yates makes his unique coffee tables from recycled circuit boards, old VCRs and computer components.
Smart unveils third-gen Fortwo Electric Drive EV, we take it for quiet and speedy spin (video)
Now that Smart's second-gen Fortwo Electric Drive EV has gotten its year of time on the roads, the company is ready to announce its successor. For 2013, the car has received some mild tweaks to its design, but the real news is about what's hiding inside this rear-wheel driven EV. For the first time, you'll have to option of owning one outright, rather than being limited to a four-year lease at $599 per month. It's thanks in part to an improved battery, which is now rated for an average lifespan of 10 years. The car has also received a massive power upgrade to 47 horsepower (up from 27 previously), along with an extra boost if you floor the pedal -- this courtesy of a beefier engine and drive-train that gives it about 50-percent more power. Put it this way, this EV will get you from 0-60 in about 11.5 seconds, with top speed of 78MPH. Sadly, there's no concrete word on what kind of range to expect, but it should be well more than the 87 miles of its predecessor. Beyond that, Smart's added in GSM connectivity, allowing you the abilities to pre-start the car and keep track of its vitals remotely, among other features. A quick drive around Brooklyn also confirmed how peppy and smooth the car was in use, however, not exactly on-par with our experience in Audi's A3 e-tron -- but it is considerably less. As our friends at Autoblog detail, the base model coupe is set to sell for a $25,000 MSRP plus fees, along with your choice of two chargers, which can cost up to $2,200 with installation. Here's the good news, the car itself actually works out to just $17,500 thanks to a federal tax credit. All in all, this currently makes the cheapest full-on EV you'll be able to get your mitts on. If you'd prefer to spice it up a bit, Smart will also offer a spruced up cabriolet variant for an extra $3K. Check out our chat with Smart about the car and the press release after the break for all the details.
Venturi announces 300HP, €300K America all-terrain EV, coming in 2014
If you feel the need to rapidly hit the great outdoors without despoiling it, Venturi just may have your ride -- provided you have about $400,000 to spare. The company just launched the America EV at the Paris Auto Show, packing a 300HP powerplant, 53 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and projected 200 mile range to go along with the breathtaking price tag. Venturi's touting the car as more than just a smooth pavement flyer though, saying that it has a go-anywhere attitude with its high stance, generous clearance and tough carbon-fiber chassis. Still, if you want to go fast, the car can hit a top speed of 120 mph, and once you've burned off all the volts, can be fast charged in four hours, or ten from a 230V socket. Despite its off-road gumption, the rear-driver has considerable competition for sports EV dollars -- and a smooth road to its 2014 availability target is no given.
Production-ready Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive supercar unveiled
We're pretty sure we've suffered some amount of vision loss from staring at the ridiculously bright paint scheme on Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cell over the past few years. MB has rolled it out at virtually every auto show it can and we've always stopped for a gander, but now we finally have the full production version -- and it's in a slightly more tame but visually perhaps even more stunning color, a sort of chrome blue that even in the flesh looks CG rendered. It's the SLS AMG Electric Drive, it's launching next June and we have the full details after the break.
Rinspeed gives Smart Fortwo ED two extra wheels, more junk in the trunk
Rinspeed is a Swiss speed shop that is perhaps best known for making rather outlandish concept cars, from glorified golf carts to Bond-inspired amphibious autos. And now the company has unveiled its latest creation, the Dock+Go, a "backpack" for your Smart Fortwo ED. Essentially, Rinspeed has modified an existing Fortwo EV so that it can connect an extra axle to its derriere, providing extra trunk space, a hot box for pizza delivery or even extra speakers and infotainment options. Not only that, but the automotive add-on also packs extra oomph to give your mini EV additional range with a built-in fuel cell, battery or ICE.The Fortwo that the Dock+Go mates with has itself gotten a bunch of show-worthy interior upgrades as well. It's got a 12.1-inch in-dash monitor, infotainment system from Harman with Aha radio and gesture control, plus an incredibly safe smartphone cradle built into the steering wheel to give the Smart's cockpit a second screen. Because it's a concept, you won't see the Dock+Go on the streets anytime soon, but you can see plenty more pictures of it at the source below. Oh, and should customer demand be sufficient, Rinspeed's in talks with manufacturers to make it happen. What say you, dear readers, does a Fortwo EV with a fatter caboose appeal to you?
Tesla's Model X struts its stuff on video, gets serenaded by Elon Musk
We may have attended the Model X premiere, but despite us pleading for a ride-along, Tesla PR insisted only those who'd plunked cash for a pre-order that evening would get the chauffeur treatment. Thankfully there's YouTube user TheSpeedRead, who either threw down enough cash or was swift enough to evade security, slipping into a Model X and gratuitously posting it for all to see. In the video above you'll catch a glimpse of the interior, which features the same 17-inch touchscreen as in the Model S. In addition, a Tesla employee muses about the advantages of its dual motor AWD system and low center of gravity as he sashays the crossover through a slalom course outside Tesla's design HQ. Our friends at Autoblog Green also culled a video from SmartPlanet featuring the company's CEO, Elon Musk, reflecting on the advantages of the Model X's unique "Falcon Wing" rear doors and touting the advantages of not having a space-hogging combustion engine in its front -- enabling the front trunk, or Frunk, to serve as a crumple zone "two to three times longer" than in competing vehicles. Get the full sales pitch from the entrepreneur extraordinaire after the break.
Tesla unveils Model X SUV, wants to be your all-electric crossover
We're here at the Tesla Design Studio in Los Angeles, where Elon Musk just unveiled his startup's third vehicle: an SUV it calls the Model X. It's party piece is a pair of double-hinged "Falcon Wing" rear doors which apparently make loading people and things easier, as you reach into the car not over it. According to Musk they'll open in tighter spots than a traditional door, and swivel high enough to fit a standing human. Powered by an AWD variant of the Model S' drivetrain, it'll do 0-60MPH in 4.4 seconds in its most performant guise, a figure that matches the most brawny variant of Tesla's sedan, despite being a much larger vehicle. And because it's devoid of a space-hogging ICE, that front portion is a trunk, Musk lovingly calls the "Frunk." Per GigaOm, the seven-seater will cost in the $50,000 to $70,000 range, with first deliveries of the "Signature Series" arriving in late 2013 before mass production starts in 2014. If that sounds like your kind of beat, those interested can begin reservations on Tesla's website tomorrow at noon. Update: Want to see the unveiling for yourself? Check out the video posted by Tesla, embedded after the break.
Mercedes-Benz debuts B-Class E-Cell Plus EV concept, the suburban limo revisioned
Family transportation has come a long way since it was all about piling in the back of the humble station wagon -- in particular, we're talking about the new Mercedez-Benz Concept B-Class E-Cell Plus EV that debuted today at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The plug-in series hybrid has a 136-horsepower electric motor with a 62-mile range, and a 67-horsepower, 1.0-liter three cylinder turbocharged gas engine for range-extending capabilities up to 373 miles. At low speeds, the petrol engine charges the lithium-ion batteries. When going faster, it acts on the car's front wheels, while the electric engine also chugs along -- very much like the Chevy Volt. Mercedes promises zero to 62MPH in 11 seconds and top speeds of 93MPH in both battery-only and range-extending modes. No word yet on when this dream ride will be available for family carpools, but eager June Cleavers can check out the photo gallery and full PR after the break. Update: We've added a gallery from Frankfurt! %Gallery-134032% %Gallery-133551%
Smart Fortwo ED gets official EPA ratings: 94 MPG city, 79 MPG on the highway
Looks like "Team 250" is primed to add a few new members now that the EPA has revealed its official MPGe ratings for Smart's Fortwo EDs. Rated at 94 miles-per-gallon in the city and 79 on the highway, the car takes motorists 63 miles per charge -- making it slightly less able than Nissan's Leaf with its 73 mile range, 106 MPG in town, and 92 MPG on the open road. Now that the Fortwo ED has its governmental blessing, interested parties can lease one from selected dealers -- sorry folks, buying's not an option -- for a hefty $599 per-month, which seems staggeringly high compared to the $349 monthly lease rate for the larger, more capable Leaf. Perhaps the Smart squad won't be getting many new teammates after all.
Smart USA won't be stopped by snow, delivers first Fortwo Electric Drive to a customer
Hertz may have been the first to get the suckers on the road, but Mindy Kimball of Silver Spring, MD is the first American customer to have a Smart Fortwo Electric Drive of her very own. She's a US Army Major and now has a funky little green (but not olive drab) and white coupe at home -- probably buried under a foot or two of white stuff at this point. She's member numero uno of Smart USA's so-called "Team 250," which will make up the first 250 owners of the cars, each of which offer a maximum of 72 miles of range and a top speed of 70mph. All while looking super cute. [Thanks, Jason]
Volkswagen and Toshiba to link up on electric drive systems
Volkswagen sure is talking tough about going green, but we've yet to actually see any of these long-teased concepts hit the show floor. In case a plug-in Twin Drive hybrid just wasn't enough to look forward to, the suits in Wolfsburg have just inked a letter of intent with Toshiba in order to form a collaborative agreement that will see the two working together in the development of "electric drive units and the accompanying power electronics for Volkswagen's planned New Small Family." If rumors prove accurate, the NSF crew will mimic that Up! concept we've been drooling over for ages, and if you were wondering where the batteries would be coming from, this here arrangement suggests that it'll be from within the partnership. Oh, and you want a launch date, don't you? How about "forever from now," or as VW's Dr. Martin Winterkorn put it: "A considerable amount of research and development work still has to be carried out until we can produce the electric vehicle."
