smart awarded £2.5m to create further electric car trials

smart has been awarded funding, as part of two industry consortia, to help create an electric car future for UK motorists.

With the support of the Technology Strategy Board grant, smart is inviting applicants to take part in two electric drive research trials: one project in London and the South East with smart as lead partner of a larger consortium, and one in the West Midlands alongside a number of other organisations with Ove Arup & Partners as lead. The research is a unique opportunity for users to influence the product development and design process, and will include a focus on domestic recharging behaviours over a 12 month period.

The Technology Strategy Board - the government body that exists to promote business innovation in technology - announced the winners of its Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator competition yesterday. The successful bids bring together car manufacturers, power companies, councils and academic institutions in eight consortia to accelerate the availability of innovative low carbon cars to consumers.

Dermot Kelly, Managing Director Mercedes-Benz, said: “smart has been conducting real-life trials of 100 electric cars with partner companies across the country since 2007. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and this has been instrumental in our decision to put the car into small series production and bring another 100 cars to the UK early in 2010.“

smart is leading The London and South East consortium, which involves EDF Energy, Greater London Authority, Elektromotive and Westminster City Council. The West Midlands consortia is led by Ove Arup & Partners, and involves smart.

Kelly continued: “We’re delighted that smart has been awarded this funding. It means we can offer electric smarts with state of the art lithium-ion battery technology at affordable monthly lease rates to participants.“