Smith Electric Vehicles Set to Deliver First Trucks Made in U.S. Plant
By John O'Dell July 21, 2009The 7.5-Ton Delivery Trucks Are Largest Battery-Electric Trucks on the Road
Smith Electric Vehicles U.S
. says it will deliver the keys next week to the first of the 150-mile, 50 mph battery-electric trucks assembled at the company's plant in Kansas City.
The keys to at least six Smith Newton 7.5-ton delivery trucks will be handed over to representatives of half a dozen major companies and utility companies that have acquired the vehicles.
The ceremonial hand-off will take place Tuesday on the Capitol Mall in Washington (never lose a chance to make an impression on Congress, or at least the staffers that members of Congress will send to take a peek).
Smith U.S. is an offshoot of British EV-truck maker Smith Electric Vehicles, which holds a stake in the Kansas City-based company.
The parent company began showing its vehicles in the U.S. in December, 2007, at the EVS 23 conference in Anaheim, Calif.
The Newton, which Smith U.S. bills as the world's largest battery-electric truck, is also the first to win certification from the California Air Resources Board as a Zero Emissions Vehicle.
In Europe, Smith also markets a smaller battery-electric truck, the Edison, and a van, the Amphere, which is based on Ford's Transit Connect chassis.
The Amphere was one of the vehicles Smith initially was going to sell here, but Ford apparently wanted it for its own and has licensed Smith to build it. The Ford Transit Connect EV
(right)
is to be launched next year.
Smith U.S. apparently still has plans for an Amphere, but is concentrating on Newton production at first.
Companies receiving the first U.S.-built Smith Newtons are Coca Cola Enterprises, Frito-Lay, AT&T, Staples Inc., Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and Kansas City Power and Light.
A Smith U.S. representative declined to say how many trucks each company has acquired; whether they were purchased or leased, or how much each truck cost, preferring to save that information for Tuesday's event.
John O'Dell, Senior Editor
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That's a great report. As a small shareholder in Tanfield Group (the UK owner of Smith's UK subsidiary) I am looking forward to further media coverage of the event.
By the way, the Smith vehicle based on the Ford Transit Connect is called Ampere, not Amphere.
Today's fuel prices increase day by day. At same time pollution also increase. Electric cars is good idea of this problems. Although electric vehicles have few direct emissions, all rely on energy created through electricity generation, and will usually emit pollution and generate waste, unless it is generated by renewable source power plants.
Regards,
Micheal
http://www.premiercustomtrucks.com
I think, In future more demanded Hybrid as well as Electric cars. Both are Eco-Friendly cars, but technology is little bit different. But electric cars is costly than hybrid cars. In future, i think many automotive company increase production of electric cars. Which afforded to many of people. We can say, In future Hybrid & electric cars will be getting good demand than regular cars.
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