• Electric vehicle provides information in daily operation
• Further milestone following launch of test fleet in London

With immediate effect, a "smart fortwo electric drive" will be doing service in the RWE vehicle pool. Today, Prof. Herbert Kohler, head of vehicle body and power train research and advanced development at Daimler AG, presented the first test vehicle in Germany to Dr. Jürgen Großmann, Chief Executive Officer of RWE AG.

During daily operation, the electrically driven smart will provide valuable information on the interaction of the vehicle and the electricity charging infrastructure. Following the major test launched last year with 100 smart fortwo electric drive vehicles in London, the first test vehicle in Germany is now entering daily operation.

"I am delighted that this great test vehicle has been made available to us by Daimler. RWE's environmentally-friendly electricity and smart are a good match. We will contribute towards pushing the development of environmentally-friendly and innovative electric cars forwards. In urban traffic, electric cars have enormous potential in which RWE intends to participate in the future - in research and also subsequently in possibly more widespread use", stated RWE CEO Großmann.

On presentation of the two-door 30 kW/41 hp smart, Kohler pointed out the high development potential offered by the electric drive: "Emission-free driving with battery-powered vehicles is equally as firm a part of our drivetrain strategy as fuel cell vehicles. Particularly in combination with renewable energies, these vehicle concepts are a vital step towards sustainable future mobility. In achieving this, we are particularly relying on the support of the mineral oil industry and energy suppliers."

The smart fortwo electric drive will be in daily use at RWE. A range of around 115 kilometres can be achieved with its environmentally-friendly sodium-nickel-chloride battery. This can be recharged to 80 percent of its power in four hours at any conventional domestic 230V socket. Its maximum power is achieved after a charging period of eight hours.

As verified in laboratory tests at Daimler, the high-temperature battery installed beneath the floor of the vehicle is able to withstand at least 1000 charge cycles, corresponding to a service life of approximately ten years. It provides the energy for an electric motor which is installed in the rear of the vehicle instead of the usual three-cylinder combustion engine. This enables the smart fortwo electric drive to reach a top speed of 112 km/h. Its consumption costs are around 0.02 euro per kilometre, therefore giving it the potential to compete against diesel engines.