Where's My Camera! - Smart for Two Electric Car

I work at EPA's National Vehicle and Fuels Emissions Laboratory.  The Laboratory was established in 1971, shortly after the creation of EPA.  It is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, near the headquarters of domestic automobile manufacturers to facilitate transfer of test vehicles back and forth.  One of the functions of the facility is to certify that vehicles and engines meet federal emissions and fuel economy standards. 

Front of building with sign

From where I sit in my viewbicle (cubicle with a view), I can see new model year cars delivered for fuel economy testing - the MPG ratings that are on new car stickers. 

Silverado on a dynamometer

And today I saw the cutest little car, the Smart for Two Electric Drive.  I didn't know Smart for Two had an electric version so I checked with wiki and here's what was on their webpage.

An electric, rechargeable version is being released in the UK as a lease vehicle on a limited basis. At the Smart Car Brooklands event in July 2008, a Smart EV was on display within "MercedesWorld" and a representative stated that the car would be for sale in the UK in 2010. Daimler will start the production of the electric Smart equipped with lithium-ion batteries in 2009 and production will ramp up to mass production by 2012.^[25] A Smart Forfour has been converted into a plug-in hybrid by Lithium Technology Corporation and Zytek Systems. The lithium-ion battery can propel the vehicle up to 84 miles per hour (135 km/h) and last on its own for up to 20 miles (32 km). The engine is a combination of a 68-horsepower (51 kW), 1.5-liter (92 cu in), 3-cylinder turbo charged diesel engine and two high-efficiency permanent-magnet electric motors. It was awarded by the Energy Saving Trust for the “Ultra Low Carbon Car Challenge” project.^[26]

Daimler AG and RWE AG have launched the world's largest joint project for environmentally friendly electric cars. Daimler will provide more than 100 electric cars from Mercedes-Benz and Smart as well as the vehicle service.The new generation of Smart ED (electric drive) and electric-battery driven vehicles from Mercedes-Benz will come in use within the "e-mobility Berlin" project. RWE is handling the development, installation and operation of the charging infrastructure". The new project is also benefiting from the experience gained by Daimler during the current pilot project involving electro-mobility in London. Since last year, there has been a test fleet of first-generation Smart Fortwo ed cars . The start of serial production of battery-powered vehicles by Mercedes-Benz and Smart is in 2010.^[27] Smart ED is going to be sold in the European Union in 2010-07-01.^[28]

Naturally, I didn't have my camera in my back pocket so I couldn't show you and actual real live Smart For Two, so I had to resort to Yahoo Images. 

Astrid