Powered solely by electricity – the smart fortwo electric drive burns no fossil fuels and drivers can expect to achieve the equivalent of around 275 mpg and save 80% in fuel costs when compared to a petrol smart. EDF Energy estimates that to charge the smart fortwo electric drive will cost £1.10p. Based on 3 charges per week the typical annual electricity cost is £172.

Zero emissions – the smart fortwo electric drive emits no carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, unburned hydro-carbons, particulate matter or any harmful substance….in fact it emits nothing at all.

Plug it in anywhere – the smart fortwo electric drive has its own charger on board (maximum output power 3.3kW), meaning it can be plugged directly into any UK mains 3 pin plug socket.

Tonnes of savings – compared to the industry average emission level, each smart fortwo electric drive will reduce C0₂ tailpipe emissions by 2.6 tonnes per year if driven a typical 10,000 miles.

Excellent performance – the smart fortwo electric drive can reach 38mph in 6.5 seconds, has an electronically limited top speed of 62mph (100kmh), and the ability to cover up to 84 miles (NEDC) between charges. The vehicle also benefits from rack-and-pinion steering, electric power steering, electric windows, and electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors.

Low maintenance – the smart fortwo electric drive has no engine oil, oil filter, spark plugs or exhaust, resulting in significantly lower servicing and maintenance costs. Depending on use, the high tech battery can last up to 10 years, after which it will be recycled.

Full complement of safety features – the smart fortwo electric drive retains all the safety equipment you would find on a regular smart. So unlike other electric cars, a smart fortwo electric drive has ESP, ABS brakes, multiple airbags and seat belt pre-tensioners, and benefits from smart’s NCAP tried and tested tridion safety cell.

In car entertainment – the integrated audio navigation system offers full sat-nav capability, Bluetooth, iPod/USB connectivity, CD, DVD, micro SD and radio operation via a user-friendly touch-screen display.

Exempt from congestion charges and Vehicle Excise Duty – once the smart fortwo electric drive is registered it will be exempt from London congestion charges and low emission zones. Zero emission cars are also exempt from paying road tax every year.

Parking– at only 2,695mm in length, the smart fortwo electric drive is easy to park, and an increasing number of local authorities are offering either free or discounted parking for zero emission vehicles.

Charging – from a fully flat battery, the smart fortwo electric drive will take approximately 8 hours to charge to 100%

Battery Powered – the lithium-ion battery developed by Tesla Motors Inc. has an electrical energy of 16.5 kWh and is simple to charge at any fused 220 Volt socket. A fully charged battery is sufficient for up to 84 miles of driving fun – more than enough for city traffic with studies showing that cars drive an average of 18-25 miles per day in towns and cities. For this, the vehicle only needs to be charged for three hours. At an average speed of 15-18mph (normal in city traffic) the smart fortwo electric drive can drive for around four to five hours continuously before it needs to be recharged.

Motor – A 30 kW magneto-electric motor is installed at the rear of the new smart fortwo electric drive and reacts directly without delay, meaning a powerful torque of 120 Newton metres is immediately available. This results in a surprising amount of power when pulling away, accelerating from 0 – 38mph in 6.5 seconds – just as quickly as a petrol model. Just one single fixed gear ratio is required so there is no need for any gear changing, a major advantage in dense city traffic.

The energy Electric vehicles have the potential to offer significant carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions reductions compared to conventional petrol / diesel fuelled internal combustion engines. This applies over a full lifecycle, taking account of emissions from power generation and emissions relating to production and disposal. Based on the current UK grid mix there are already significant benefits of the order of approximately 40% reduction; these benefits have the potential to become much greater with further decarbonisation of the UK power mix (source: BERR & DfT report Oct ’08 – Investigation into the scope for the transport sector to switch to electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids).

Infrastructure – There are 296 known charge points nationally (232 of which are in London). There are also three installed at Mercedes-Benz UK in Milton Keynes, three at Mercedes-Benz World, Brooklands, four at Mercedes-Benz Brentford, three at Mercedes-Benz Colindale, and seven at three Mercedes-Benz locations in Birmingham; and there are plans to make further installations across the network. The UK government has made available £30million for a Plugged in Places scheme, and cities/regions can apply for funding towards infrastructure development. The new coalition has already confirmed its support of this initiative. The first three successful bidders were London, Milton Keynes & the North East, with installations to start this fiscal year. Second round of bidding has opened and results are due in September 2010.

Availability – As of 2012, the smart fortwo electric drive will be produced as a regular part of the smart product portfolio and will be sold through the smart sales network.