graham

This is true. As I said.
Well, we have confirmation that Daimler and Tesla have some sort of agreement together, just not what. Tesla's most marketable technology is their battery. Knowing that Daimler and Tesla are in an agreement - if not for that, what do you suggest?

We also have pictures of Smart Cars at Tesla motors without tailpipes.

We also have press from many places stating that Tesla is part of this deal, just not official confirmation from either Tesla or Daimler.

You can make many arguments that Tesla and Daimler are not working together for this particular deal, all the speculation may be mistaken. But it is incorrect to say they are not working together at all. We have had many confirmations of this fact.

Finkenbusch

No wonder - Thats normal.
I can send you tons of pictures showing Smart Cars without a tailpipe.

Due to the arrangement of the Smart's pipe its pretty much hidden from onlookers view - no matter if in EV flavor (like the 100 cars currently as test-fleet on the London streets) nor the standard gasoline one (the ten-thousands roaming European streets). Even if you stand exactly behind a normal Smart - you can hardly locate the pipe.

By the way - Smart Cars are pretty save as well.

see:

Euro NCAP's independent / unbiased test site

stopcrazypp

Which is why we did a comparison between the claimed picture of the electric smart car at Tesla headquarters and a standard one:
Electric Smart Car by Tesla?
You can see in the top picture there is clearly no pipe and the bottom picture the pipe is clearly visible even though the bottom picture was taken at a higher angle than the top picture (from the reflections Jorg is kneeling in the top picture and the bottom picture was taken sitting in a car, so the angle is higher in the second picture).

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GSP

Finkenbusch,

The Daimler-Chrysler marrage did seem challanged from the start. But, haven't they already divorced (except for Daimler keeping some Chrysler stock)?

Sorry about your Daimler Stock. At least it has much better future than my GM stock. :-)

If Tesla has technology that could benift Daimler, it would be available for much less than the outrageous price that was paid for Chrysler.

I know you don't agree, but Tesla does have a very advanced powertrain. It would take time for another firm to duplicate the same level of performance and efficiency. With so little to lose, it would make sense for Daimler to evaluate what Tesla has to offer.

Joseph

Something interesting to add.

http://www.informationweek.com/news/...ubSection=News

Lithium-Ion Smart Fortwo Stalling Over Battery Supplier Issues?

Cobasys is partly owned Energy Conversion Devices and Chevron. (I know the edmunds article says they're owned by "CSC" but I have no idea what company they are talking about. I have read numerous times, and once in a book, that the company is partly owned by Chevron and Energy Conversion Devices)

An article was saying how Mercedes is having problems with them as a supplier and that the company might be sold and stuff.

Then, Edmunds is saying,

"The electrically powered Smart Fortwo has been delayed because of issues with the battery supplier, Cobasys of southeastern Michigan. Development had progressed to the point that Inside Line has taken the electric-drive Smart out for test-drives"

I don't want to delve into some discussion about conspiracy theories, but it is interesting how Cobasys is coming up again as a barrier to EVs. I'm sure most people here have heard about the patent issue on NiMH. Now, just as Mercedes is delving into EVs, the same supplier is a roadblock to EVs.

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SteveF

The folks at Daimler are smarter than that, you can be sure. If you follow this blog for any amount of time, you will see that some posters have an axe to grind and are blindy negative to whatever Tesla does. After awhile you will learn to ignore the comments and/or the posters.

vfx

It's worth reading the first comment from "Guest". The writer gives a link

Electric Vehicle - Delivery Van - NiMH Battery Powered Manufacturer exporting direct from United States

to another company Innovan, that was suckered by the same Chevron Cobasys "cup and ball" trick earlier. So Chevron is not simply sitting on battery technology, they are actively toying with customers with a NiMH battery cell on a rubberband.

How many times does it take?

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malcolm

The danger signals will come when any of the present alternative energy sources gets an"automotive approved" label attached to it. The Oil Companies will be looking to shift their existing business models sideways into some form of alt-energy cartel.

If they can't control the energy then controlling the preferred storage/transducer technology (whatever that may be) will be the next best thing.

domenick

While Edmunds is usually a good source, this article is not accurate.

Cobasys doesn't make lithium ion batteries. The Smart EDs in London are powered by sodium-nickel-chloride (Zebra) battery. not sodium nickel-hydride.

As you stated, Cobasys owner is not "CSC', whoever the hell that is.

It's possible they might have a supplier problem but given all the errors in this article, it's hard to say for sure.

graham

Another new article speculating that Tesla is the battery supplier:

Berlin to charge up Smart cars | Cleantech Group

But Diamler is not confirming or denying.

I wonder if this means that they are still deciding amongst different vendors, or if they have made their decision and are just not ready to publicize it yet.