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0 – 60 in 7 sec, 100 + mile AER, 1,500 + 80% DOD cycles, a somewhat controversial LiPo chemistry and $35,000 later makes for an interesting Holiday present. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7839)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/SMART_Fortwo_BEV_from_Hybrid_Technologies.jpgWayne Gerdes – CleanMPG (www.cleanmpg.com) – Dec. 20, 2007

Glen Ellman Photo

Mooresville, NC. - Hybrid Technologies and Sam’s Club presented an all-electric - Li-Ion equipped SMART Fortwo to a once-in-a-lifetime online promotion winner in North Texas last Sunday. Attorney Keith Branyon of Fort Worth purchased his Hybrid Technologies SMART Fortwo BEV for $35,000 with more then a little luck. Along with being the first in the country to “click to own” the Converted SMART Fortwo, the purchase includes a behind-the-scenes, VIP trip to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to witness a shuttle launch first-hand.

The NASA STS-118 wrapped 2007 Hybrid Technologies Lithium-powered Smart Car is a zero-emission vehicle and features cutting-edge battery control technology from the National Space Center.

"We're offering the fully electric Smart Car to Sam's Club members as it represents the latest in advanced lithium technology. This vehicle, originally developed under a Space Act Agreement with NASA, has created a strong following throughout environmental, celebrity and automotive circles. This Limited Edition STS-118 Smart Car will be the perfect addition for car collectors or the environmentalist wanting to make a difference by driving a zero emissions vehicle," said Richard Griffiths, Strategic Relations for Hybrid Technologies.

An included LCD Touch Screen monitors miles remaining, power consumption, each cell's charge level, battery temperature, drive time, distance traveled, and average speed.


Hybrid Technologies SMART Fortwo BEV at a glance

Performance|
Speed|70 + mph
Acceleration|0 - 60 in 7.1 seconds
AER (all electric range)|100 + miles
Charge Time|6/12 hours on 220/110 VAC from discharged
Cycle Life|1500 + cycles
|
Powertrain|
Electric Motor|3 phase, brushless A/C motor - 43 kW peak (58 hp)
Batteries| 10 (440 lbs) maintenance-free Kokam Li-Ion packs
Charger|Onboard 110 VAC or 220 VAC input
Battery Management System|HT Proprietary
* The Hybrid Technologies SMART Fortwo BEV is built from the previous generation Fortwo from Europe.

1500 cycles is about 5 years worth of use. Of course, there might be better battery chemistry by the time these wear out.

Hi Ashen Grey:

___I looked up the Kokam sourced packs and if they are controlled properly with the NASA based control algorithms, 1,500 cycles at 100 + miles or 150K miles is a slam dunk. Because nobody would drive from max to fully discharged before charging, I would suspect these packs to last beyond 3,000 cycles at 90 + % cap. Longevity due to age however is an unknown.

___While searching around for the limiting factors of LiPo (the RC market has been using that chemistry for a while now), the charging and cel balancing control has to be very robust or you can destroy this chemistries capabilities very quickly. With tight control, it has as good a specs and in some cases better then the best A123Systems LiFePo4 configurations but it is not as safe nor does it appear to handle nearly the same high C-Rates.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

seems pretty cool

Fast, wow!

Does it have a heater? How much does it affect range?

Still, I am thrilled this is a real semi-affordable option.

Sign me up when the price drops below 30. I'm in the market for a new car, and I could afford to spend a little more for the car if the energy costs are so much lower.