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Zytek develops electronic drivetrain for Smart

Technology company Zytek has developed an electronic drivetrain which has been selected by DaimlerChrysler for use in trials as an alternative to the petrol engine in the Smart Fortwo.

DaimlerChrysler has commissioned 100 of the new breed of Smart cars, named the ev (electric vehicle) from Zytek with discussions under way for a further 100. The cars, built by Zytek at its technical centre in Fradley in the UK go on trial from November.

Neil Heslington, managing director of Zytek, said: “We are looking for companies making innovative use of the ev. For example, Knight Frank, a London estate agency is asking employees to leave their cars at home, travel into work by public transport and then use the evs throughout the day.

“This means the cars can also play a role in reducing congestion and not just the CO2 emissions.”

The ev is powered by a dc motor calibrated to produce 120Nm peak torque and 30 kW (40 hp) peak power. The entire system including motor, gearbox, inverter and control electronics together weigh 70 kg.

The drivetrain is installed on existing mounting points in the engine bay, so Smart cars coming off the line can be fitted with the electric motor without modification.

Power is provided by is a liquid sodium nickel chloride battery, which can be charged by plugging the cable located behind the fuel filler into a standard socket.

Zytek says that two and a half hours are sufficient to take the battery from 30 per cent full to 80 per cent, and on a full battery the ranges of up to 115 km have been achieved in a standard extra-urban driving cycle (EUDC) test. The cost of running the ev is €0.02/km.

The electric motor produces maximum torque up to 12,000 rpm, so the ev can function without gears, accelerating from 0-48 km/h in 6.5s.