Daimler to start production of electric car next month

clipped from www.energyefficiencynews.com German carmaker Daimler has announced that it will start production on a small series of 1000 smart fourtwo electric cars next month. The initial production line from the Hambach smart plant in France will go to customers taking part in electric vehicle mobility projects across Europe and the US. Earlier this year, in a deal that saw Daimler take a 10% stake in Tesla, the company announced that it will be using Tesla’s lithium-ion battery packs and charging electronics for the first units. In 2012, the company plans to start large volume production of the smart fourtwo electric vehicles and offer them as a regular part of the smart range to all customers. “The smart fortwo electric drive proves that emission-free driving in an urban environment is already feasible today,” says Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. The company says it will be undertaking double-digit million euro investment in the Hambach plant, with 15% coming from French government funding