Dear Reader

April was a phenomenal month for us and we have enjoyed a really strong start to 2008.

This month alone we unveiled another world-first vehicle at the Commercial Vehicle Show in the UK, announced the manufacture of the world's first all-electric, high performance taxi cab (more about this in our next newsletter) and launched our eagerly anticipated new look website with interactive vehicle selector!

If you missed our outstanding display of 2.3t to 12t commercial vehicles at this year's CV Show, you can view the full range on our new website at www.SmithElectricVehicles.com.

Regards,
Darren Kell, Chief Executive, Smith Electric Vehicles

Another World Class First - The New Smith Ampere 2.3t

On 15th April, at the CV Show in Birmingham, Smith Electric Vehicles unveiled the first pure electric version of one of the most recognisable vans on Europe’s roads.

The Smith Ampere, a 2.3t zero emission vehicle, is based on the Ford Transit Connect chassis and has a GVW of 2,340kg, with payload capacity of up to 800kg.

This compact and light vehicle is capable of a top speed of 70mph and a range in excess of 100 miles on one battery charge. It is powered by a 50kw motor and an under-slung lithium-ion battery pack, which means the power source does not impact on the vehicle’s cargo area.

The Ampere is a pioneering electric vehicle in its class and brings leading edge zero emission technology to the car-derived van sector for the first time.

As a pure electric vehicle, Ampere is exempt from the London Congestion Charge and qualifies for a free Road Fund Licence (road tax disc) in the UK.

It is aimed at urban operators using large fleets of light vans, in sectors such as postal & courier, utilities and telecommunications.

Further details on the Ampere are available at www.SmithElectricVehicles.com.

Smith Utilise New Battery Technology

We also revealed earlier this month that we are breaking new ground in advanced battery technology with the use of Lithium Ion Iron Phosphate batteries.

Leading edge Lithium Ion Iron Phosphate battery packs will now be used as standard in the Edison Panel Van and the all-new Minibus range.

Edison, built using the Ford Transit chassis, was launched at last year’s CV Show and went into volume production with a Sodium Nickel Chloride battery pack.

The new Lithium Ion Iron Phosphate battery comes in much smaller unit size, so it can be packaged much more intelligently around the Transit chassis. This means there is no loss of carrying space and the floor is completely flat. The lithium-ion battery also does not require heat charging and is more robust than sodium nickel chloride, offering a longer life and making it more receptive to fast charging.

For the first time, this new battery technology gives Edison complete parity with the conventional Transit when it comes to cubic carrying capacity.

Leading telecoms company, BT Openreach, has purchased the first production model of Edison fitted with this li-ion battery pack- a great first customer for this product, as BT has one of the largest commercial vehicle fleets in the UK!

Read more about our advanced battery technology at www.SmithElectricVehicles.com.

Smith Launch New Website with Interactive Vehicle Selector

The eagerly anticipated new look Smith Electric Vehicles website is now live.

The website showcases new photography as well as cutting edge 3D models of each vehicle in our range.

The site is easy to navigate and highly informative. It has a number of dedicated sections as well as a user-friendly interactive vehicle selector.

The full 2.3t to 12t electrric vehicle range is featured on the website, as are technical specifications and PDF downloads.

View the new website with interactive vehicle selector at www.SmithElectricVehicles.com.