Later this year compact electric car manufacturer Smart USA announced several U.S. cities have been chosen as test sights for the company’s next models.
The 250 microcar test fleet will deploy to San Jose, California; Indianapolis, Indiana; Portland, Oregon; Orlando, Florida; and on the heavily trafficked Interstate-95 Washington D.C. to Massachusetts corridor.
Smart USA’s tests hope to market the microcars to an urban market. Daimler AG manufactures Smart USA’s microcars.
The vehicle is 95 percent recyclable, an attraction for “green buyers” and is powered by a 16.5 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery made by Tesla Motors Inc.
Jill Lajdziak, president of Smart USA said, “the brand’s core is about sustainability.”
“The goal is to be highly successful, obviously in urban markets.”
The microcar is scheduled to be debuted to the public in early 2012. The electric-powered vehicle will first see the road in Europe and then the U.S.
In a briefing to the media, Smart USA said 100 microcars have been placed in London, and the U.S. test fleet will arrive in the U.S. cities in October.
Wednesday the company said 80 percent of the Smart fortwo will be leased to companies, and the remaining percentage will be leased to individuals.
The vehicles will come with a four-year full warranty, lease for $599 per month and require a down payment of $2,500.
The microcar is capable of driving for 83 miles without a recharge, Derek Kaufman, vice president of Smart USA said.
The average recharge time, Kaufman added during a presentation to reporters, is about 8 hours.
With permission from the owner’s, Smart USA hopes to record data on the user’s driving habits and the vehicle’s durability and efficiency on the road over time.
