1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184 
Smith reveals its current thinking...
Page 12
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
SMITH ELECTRIC Vehicles is spending£15m on launching its range of electric CVs in the US.
The cash will fund a factory to manufacture US-specific versions of its urban delivery vehicles. A spokesman reports:"As in Europe,we will focus on the drivetrain side of things. We are currently talking to various chassis-cab manufacturers to find a shell."
While the driveline technology will not have to change,the vehicles will be tailored to suit US driving licence specifications in terms of weight restrictions The spokesman adds: "The interest is there. We've conducted the market research and given presentations to blue-chip companies."
Smith wants to produce about 1,000 vehicles in the US next year, expanding to 5,000 in 2009. It also plans to increase its European production capacity, from 200 to 1,500 vehicles.
Smith offers the Edison sub-3.5tonne van and theNewton,which extends from 7.5 to 12 tonnes. Both arc capable of 50mph with a range up to 150 miles.