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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.

Perennially troubled Smart USA probably won't get new 4-seat model

Smart, the Daimler-owned brand that has done nothing but struggle in the US market, probably won't be getting a larger model. A new four-seater called the ForFour is slated to go on sale in Europe later this year.
A final decision hasn't been made on US sales of the ForFour, but according to the head of Smart, Annette Winkler, there are concerns that the cost of homologating the car for the North America wouldn't be made back quickly. "There are other regulations to comply with, and to achieve what is needed here costs extra money," Winkler told Automotive News Europe.
Smart's sales were down seven percent, to below 10,000 units, last year. That doesn't mean the brand isn't important, though. According to Mercedes-Benz USA's CEO, Steve Cannon, the brand is a solid niche unit, and should prove effective at padding MB's average fuel economy in the coming years as more stringent CAFE standards come into effect, according to ANE. There's also the fact that killing Smart would mean paying off nearly 100 Mercedes dealers that sell the microcar...

Someone is tipping over Car2go Smart ForTwos again

Reportedly, a Car2go ForTwo was tipped over in Seattle on Wednesday, and the Denver police are currently investigating five incidents. "Technically, yeah it is cow tipping, but I'm hoping that it doesn't catch on," says Car2Go customer Daniel Martin from Seattle. "Car tipping" has been a thing ever since microcars became widely available last century. Many a BMW Isetta or a Mini owner left for work only to find their vehicle lifted to another spot or tipped over. In Europe, where plastic-bodied, diesel-engined quadricycles are popular with teenagers too young for a full driver's license, the light vehicles can sometimes be found lying on their roof or on their side – and it's not uncommon for Dutch microcars to end up in the country's numerous canals. Smart cars are especially vulnerable in the eyes of troublemakers, and Car2go ForTwos repeatedly fall victim to night time shenanigans. Multiple vehicles were also damaged during Vancouver's hockey riots in 2011. San Francisco has also had its share of not-so-Smart car vandalism, and the image above shows a car being inspected after a 2014 incident during a "spree" of Fortwo tippings. Car2go says that if your rental car is found not sitting on its wheels, they should be contacted so a solution can be found. Trying to lift a 1,800-pound city car by yourself isn't the kind of morning workout anyone needs. Related Video: Image Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images Auto News Green Weird Car News smart Transportation Alternatives Ownership car2go smart car vandalism fortwo