Mercedes looks to improve electric drive

Mercedes-Benz is testing its electric Smart cars in ‘real-life’ situations in Britain so that the car manufacturer can understand what improvements could benefit drivers.

Brighton-based firm Elektromotive has been chosen to participate in the scheme and will be testing the Smart electric drive for the next four years.

"The shift towards zero emissions motoring is fast gathering pace and it is vital that fully compatible recharging infrastructures for EVs are put in place across Europe," said Calvey Taylor-Haw, Elektromotive’s managing director.

"With daily access to a smart electric drive we will accelerate the real-world evaluation of new charging technologies, such as fast-charging solutions for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles."

Reliability, range and the car’s battery performance will all be rated for a report produced by Elektromotive, the result of which will then be passed on to Smart.