California-based electric car manufacturer Tesla announced that it has reached a deal with German automaker Daimler AG to sell 1,000 battery packs for use in electric versions of the Smart minicar. Daimler, parent company of Smart, says it is planning to bring the Smart EV to market in the near future.
Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, told the media that, “It is a significant achievement for Tesla that Daimler would choose to work with us.”
Musk said that he hopes the initial contract between the two automakers will eventually lead to a larger contract that could see thousands of Tesla-produced batteries being installed in Smart EVs.
Tesla recently introduced a performance version of its electric Roadster at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Smart is dipping its toes into the electric market in order to compete with the Mini E, an electric-powered, BMW-built Mini Cooper that we recently drove.
01/14, 10:18 AM
posted by:
Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3
Great news for Tesla!
01/14, 10:22 AM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
WOW… gotta give Telsa credit on this on…
I wonder in the Germans watch Top Gear?
01/14, 10:40 AM
posted by:
A4
they should just fill the smart with the roadster battery packs and throw on some fat fat tires and watch it hit 60 in 3 seconds
01/14, 11:13 AM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
Maybe they need to put a Suzuki Hayabusa motor in it, now that will sell…
01/14, 2:32 PM
posted by:
bigjimid
Not unless they put a zx14 engine in it first. Puts a busa to shame.
01/14, 4:47 PM
posted by:
jonmiles
I’m very interested to see the price point that this car comes out at. A plug in car with 20k of range for under $20k? Shiiiiiiiiiiiiit
01/14, 7:36 PM
posted by:
Mutant@DCX
I’m sorry, but we’ve got these twofours all over town, and they look f n ridiculous. totally ghey!
01/15, 1:32 AM
posted by:
Got Handling?
Smart move by Tesla, (see what I did there)
Cash in on their current pioneer status before the big boys steal their thunder and increase volume at the same time, thereby increasing their chances of remaining a player for longer.
Tesla have had the courage to push on with the ev concept when the big boys didn’t and they have forced the major manufacturers’ hands.
Now they are going to face competition and R&D budgets which they cannot reasonably hope to withstand, but perhaps with moves like this one they can capitalise on their expertise and stay in the game as a supplier and engineering partner, much as Lotus have.
01/16, 1:07 AM
posted by:
1c3d0g
bigjimid: since when? Not in the quarter-mile, at least in stock condition.