Daimler AG has released the first official photos and technical details of the Smart electric scooter which will be unveiled at the 2010 Paris Auto Show next week. The Smart escooter is addressing customers living in big cities who are looking for a practical, unconventional way of transport. For those who might be concerned about safety issues, the Smart escooter is offered with pioneering features like an airbag, ABS and Blind Spot Assist.
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The scooter is powered by a 4 kW (5hp) electric wheel hub motor which will allow the rider to perform swift acceleration maneuvers, as its torque is available from the start. The 5hp motor enables a top speed of 45 km/h (28mph) and a range of up to 100 km (62 miles) thanks to its 48Volt lithium-ion battery pack. The Smart escooter can be recharged at any regular power outlet within 3 to 5 hours. Dr. Annette Winkler, head of Smart says “When our customers speak enthusiastically about their smart they describe the perfect city car that is manoeuvrable, flexible, safe, spacious and fast and offers lots of driving fun – on the road and when looking for a parking space. Lots of people are already looking forward to the zero-emission continuation of the “vision smart” with the smart electric drive, which will soon become a firm part of the cityscape. And now we are bringing all these features to two wheels with the escooter.”
The eScooter features ABS
Daimler has integrated advanced safety and telecom technology into the eScooter, which is designed for one or two persons. An airbag is integrated into the paneling beneath the handlebars, and the eScooter has been fitted with antilock brakes and blind-spot assist. A tech feature that is likely to appeal to the target audience – younger consumers who don’t yet have a regular driver’s license — is the integration, via a Smart drive kit app, of smartphones into the eScooter. The smartphone is held in a specially designed cradle in the center of the handlebars and, via the app, is linked to the eScooter, providing such functions as speedometer, range indicator and even a navigation system. The eScooter rides on 13-inch tires and its steel and aluminum frame is clad with interchangeable plastic body panels, painted white with green accents on the show vehicle. Headlamp, taillamp and brake light are equipped with LEDs. While the smart eScooter will debut as a concept, Daimler said it has the possibility of being produced after the company evaluates some consumer reaction at the Paris show.
