2015 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe on 2040-cars

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Mercedes-Benz may create electric-only brand

Daimler's Mercedes-Benz division may follow in fellow German automaker BMW's footsteps by launching its own separate brand for electric vehicles, Hybrid Cars says, citing German publication Handelsblatt, which quoted people familiar with the process. Daimler's board may make the decision to go ahead with the plan as early next month. And the brand may officially be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September. Unlike BMW and the i brand, Mercedes would use its existing factories to produce the newly-branded vehicles instead of operating out of a separate one as the i brand does. The first vehicle under the brand is likely to be an SUV model based on the Mercedes-Benz GLC crossover vehicle and would start sales next year. The product line would be broadened further in 2020. Daimler declined to comment, according to Handelsblatt. Mercedes-Benz and BMW wouldn't be the only two German automakers with plans for more electric vehicle sales. Volkswagen has a plan to unleash as many as 20 electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids to the public by 2020, including the Phaeton and the Audi A8. On that note, reports surfaced last month that VW may build its own "Gigafacory" as it prepares to widen its plug-in vehicle push and bring down their costs. As for US sales, Smart sold 313 ForTwo Electric vehicles, down 43 percent from a year earlier. Meanwhile, BMW's i sales in the US fell 40 percent from a year earlier to 2,723. Currently, Mercedes-Benz's only two electric vehicles are the Mercedes B-Class Electric Drive and the Smart ForTwo Electric two-seat vehicle. In the meantime, take a look at Autoblog's First Drive of the B-Class Electric. Related Video: News Source: Handelsblatt, Hybrid Cars Green Mercedes-Benz smart Electric

Autoblog Podcast #390

Episode #390 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Steven Ewing and Sebastian Blanco from Autoblog Green talk about the 2015 Ford Mustang specs, the 2016 Smart models, a proposal to add real-world numbers to EPA economy tests and the potential downside of autonomous cars. We start with what's in the garage and finish up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Check out the new rundown below with times for topics, and you can follow along down below with our Q&A. Thanks for listening! Autoblog Podcast #390: The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience. Topics: 2015 Ford Mustang specs 2016 Smart FourTwo and FourFour EPA wants road tests The downside of autonomous cars In the Autoblog Garage: 2014 Nissan Leaf 2015 Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron 2014 Scion tC Hosts: Dan Roth, Steven Ewing, Sebastian Blanco Runtime: 01:33:35 Rundown: Intro and Garage - 00:00 Mustang Specs - 34:40 2016 Smart Models - 51:14 EPA Tests - 01:02:57 Autonomous Cars - 01:11:19 Q&A - 01:21:22 Get the podcast: [UStream] Listen live on Mondays at 10 PM Eastern at UStream [iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes [RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator [MP3] Download the MP3 directly Feedback: Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show in iTunes Podcasts Audi Ford Nissan Scion smart Electric Hybrid

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.