Tesla Motors to supply batteries, components for electric Smart car

[Spudboy]

Tesla Motors to supply batteries, components for electric Smart car
By Matt Nauman


Mercury News

Posted: 01/13/2009 09:45:52 AM PST


Tesla Motors said today that it will supply batteries and other components for the electric version of the Smart, a micro car built by the German auto maker Daimler.

At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Elon Musk, Tesla's chairman and chief executive, said the company would supply about 1,000 power trains. The electric Smarts are due to arrive in 2010.

Musk said Tesla has been working with Daimler for a year and a half, and he previously talked about this side of the business as a money-maker for Tesla, but wouldn't identify the auto maker.

Tesla said it delivered 150 of its $100,000-plus electric Roadsters in 2008 and continues to ramp up production. Smart began selling a gasoline-powered version of its Fortwo model in the United States in early 2008. It sold 24,622 of those cars last year.

[rob13572468]

Originally Posted by Spudboy

Tesla Motors to supply batteries, components for electric Smart car
By Matt Nauman


Mercury News

Posted: 01/13/2009 09:45:52 AM PST


Tesla Motors said today that it will supply batteries and other components for the electric version of the Smart, a micro car built by the German auto maker Daimler.

At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Elon Musk, Tesla's chairman and chief executive, said the company would supply about 1,000 power trains. The electric Smarts are due to arrive in 2010.

Musk said Tesla has been working with Daimler for a year and a half, and he previously talked about this side of the business as a money-maker for Tesla, but wouldn't identify the auto maker.

Tesla said it delivered 150 of its $100,000-plus electric Roadsters in 2008 and continues to ramp up production. Smart began selling a gasoline-powered version of its Fortwo model in the United States in early 2008. It sold 24,622 of those cars last year.

Now this is a good move for tesla: use their IP and build parts and sell them. Of course 1000 units is not much but its a good start. At the numbers that smart cars will sell at worldwide they should be selling more like 50,000 units.