German manufacturer Daimler is striving to provide an affordable electric vehicle for its European customers. The company hopes that the Smart ForTwo Electric Drive will re-energize the brand by being the least expensive electric car in the German market.
Commonly referred to as e-Smart, the Smart ForTwo was reported by AutoBlog to see its main competition in the field as the Volkswagen e-Up!, which is around the same price as the e-Smart and the German automaker could be rolling out an improved model soon. Other competitors, such as the BMW i3, Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i-MiEV are more expensive but also come with the size and features that many drivers are accustomed to.
Daimler's goal is have 10,000 units sold per year, which constitutes about 10 percent of the annual electric car sales. A price tag around $13,000 should help attract buyers, but the distinctive style of the vehicle may turn some people off.
CTV News reported on the price of electric cars earlier this month. The newspaper claims that, despite government subsidies and loans, electric vehicles remain significantly more expensive than gasoline-powered vehicles. Until electric cars become more affordable and widespread, most American drivers will have to make due {do} with fuel-efficient models and scheduled maintenance to keep current vehicles running smoothly.