Daimler’s electric vehicle will go into production

One hundred of the EVs were put on British roads in December 2007, with the Metropolitan Police, utility companies, and local councils testing several of the cars.

Mercedes-Benz UK Managing Director Dermot Kelly is appealing to the wallets of potential customers. ”The smart electric drive is exempt from vehicle excise duty and the London congestion charge and this, underlined with incredibly low operating costs, means that companies taking part in the trial are finding it makes perfect fiscal sense,” he said.

Current Mayor of London Boris Johnson is a fan of electric vehicles in general, citing many benefits to the public. He was quoted as saying, “The move to electric vehicles, which emit zero pollution on London’s streets, will have a massive impact on cutting carbon emissions to curb climate change whilst improving air quality and noise levels for our citizens.”

The second-generation model is getting ready to be tested across the US, and in Milan, Paris, and Rome. Daimler says the second generation model “will have a longer range, boast a shorter charging time and will give improved performance.” These improvements are due, in part, to a new lithium-ion battery.