2009 Smart Fortwo Brabus on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: Smart celebrates 5 years in China, France wants to quit diesel

Smart celebrated its fifth anniversary in China with a concert and two special editions of the Fortwo. The two editions include a China red version limited to five units and a Chinese New Year edition limited to 666 examples. Smart has 143 dealerships in 77 Chinese cities, with 60,000 cars sold so far. Daimler is also looking to expand its Car2go carsharing network in China using Smart vehicles. The anniversary celebration featured a live concert for 50,000 fans. Read more in the press release below. France has plans to build a nationwide EV charging network and retire diesel cars. Industrial group Bollore plans to build 16,000 public charging points in France, with the blessing of Finance Minister Emmanuel Macron, who says, "Through a private initiative with public support, we are accelerating our route towards having a truly national network of electric car charging points." Valls says, "In France, we have long favored the diesel engine. This was a mistake, and we will progressively undo that, intelligently and pragmatically." Read more at Charged EVs. Ninebot One is a self-balancing, hands-free electric unicycle. Think of it as a one-wheeled, no-hands Segway with some extra features. Like riding a bicycle for the firs time, it requires some getting used to, but the benefits seem worthwhile. Depending on the model, it offers up to nearly 19 miles of range on a single charge. It is fairly compact, using a single, 16-inch tire and it weighs about 30 pounds. Maximum speed ranges from 8 to 12 mph. It uses an app to track your travel and other stats. See what sort of training it takes to ride it in the video below, and learn more at the Ninebot website. A Tesla Model S owner has figured out a way to use a USB mouse with the car's center display. The car detected the mouse when plugged into the USB port, and placed a cursor on the display, allowing the user to control functions with the mouse. Trying some other USB devices, owners found that an external CD drive doesn't work with the audio system, nor does a USB keyboard. However, an owner was able to connect a USB floppy disk drive, for what it's worth. See it in action in the video below or read more at Teslarati. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Daimler teaching teens to drive with EVs, offers Car2go access

If you want to drive the future, perhaps it makes sense to start with future drivers. That's the thinking behind Daimler's new electric vehicle driver's license trial program in Stuttgart, Germany. The automaker is giving teens who are learning to drive a chance to do so in a Smart Fortwo ED and a Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive as they get their Class B or BF17 passenger car driving license. Daimler is also offering test-takers a so-called eDriverLicence for their knowledge of electric vehicles. The minimum driving age is 18 in Germany, and teens who get their license through this program will be able to sign up for the Car2go carsharing program for free. Seems like a good deal for parents, because who doesn't want to put brand new drivers in someone else's car? Learning the future: Daimler introduces electric mobility in driving schools Electric cars make it easier for new drivers to get started. An initiative from Daimler AG and the ACADEMY Holding AG prepares novice drivers for a future of electric mobility. Pilot project with five driving schools in the wider Stuttgart area. eDriverLicence gives quick access to car2go. Drawing on the maxim "electric mobility is something you can learn", Daimler AG and the ACADEMY Holding AG are launching a pilot project with five selected ACADEMY driving schools in the wider Stuttgart area, with the aim of making electric vehicles an integral part of driver training. Kick-off for the project will be on April 10 at the Mercedes-Benz sales and service outlet in Stuttgart, in the presence of the Mayor of Stuttgart, Fritz Kuhn. Driving instructors, educational experts and business representatives will discuss the issue of "Electric mobility in driving schools in the context of current driving licence regulations". From April, the driving schools will be offering learner drivers a simple and timely introduction to today's world of locally emission-free mobility. The specially developed training concept is unparalleled in the way it tackles every aspect of electric mobility, focusing as it does on gaining familiarity and experience, as well as on the correct way to handle and work with alternative drive systems. The aim of the initiative is to integrate electric vehicles into the driver training process and so to generate enthusiasm for electric mobility, particularly among young people. The initiative is also designed to make the first experience of driving significantly easier for learners.

Next-gen Smart ED will use LG Chem battery

LG Chem will be the battery maker of choice for the two-seat Smart ED electric vehicle starting next year. LG Chem says the contract gives the Seoul-based company the prestigious title of the world's largest automotive-battery supplier. In 2016, LG Chem will be making batteries for more than a dozen of the world's largest automakers. The news is a little more fortuitous than some of the more recent times LG Chem and its lithium-ion battery production activity showed up in these pages. LG Chem built a factory about 30 miles outside of Grand Rapids, MI in 2012 to make batteries for the Chevy Volt extended-range electric vehicle. Unfortunately, the plant sat idle for months even though the feds committed more than $300 million combined in funds and tax breaks for the factory. Those factory lines officially cranked up in 2013 and are going to make packs for the next-gen Volt in the near future. For now, you can take a look at LG Chem's press release for the Smart agreement below. LG Chem to supply EV batteries to Daimler Group Seoul, Korea - Mar 31, 2015 – LG Chem, Korea's leading manufacturer of advanced batteries, has been selected by Daimler AG (Daimler) as the supplier of lithium-ion batteries for Smart EV that will be newly launched in 2016. Based on the results of mass supply contract, LG Chem will be providing battery cells to Smart EV and the cells will be installed into packs by Daimler. Smart is a brand of Daimler that manufactures and markets micro cars such as Smart Fortwo and Smart Forfour. Despite the compact size of the vehicle, Smart is renowned for agility on city roads, secured safety and differentiated design. It has a steady sales record of more than 100,000 vehicles annually. LG Chem had been invited to the 'Supplier Day' hosted by Daimler in Stuttgart, February. LG Chem was the only lithium-ion battery maker invited to participate at the event and had the chance to discuss core strategies with numerous automotive partners of Daimler Group. Based on such experience, LG Chem plans to supply a battery that can cope with the prestigious name value of Daimler brands with the best specification and highest output of energy - a battery that has the best driving performance while running through electric motor. With the advent of 'Benz Patent Motor Car' in 1886, Daimler gave birth to the first automobile in the world.