Daimler's Smart EV Cars to be Powered by LG Chem Batteries

By CIOReview | Tuesday, March 31, 2015

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FREMONT, CA: Daimler AG selects LG Chem as the supplier of lithium-ion batteries for its Smart EV cars that are set for launch in 2016. LG Chem will now provide battery cells to Daimler which the car company will convert them into packs and installs them in the Smart EV.

Smart is a line of compact cars that stand for agility. The Smart series include a 2 seater car called Smart fortwo and a 4 seater car called Smart forfour. As part of the Daimler’s e-mobility project, the company plans to build emission-free and affordable electro-mobility solutions which are easy on the environment and the customers’ pocket as these cars are driven by electricity with no room for emission and are fairly priced. These Smart cars have already been launched in the European region and the company is all set to bring them to newer markets including the U.S.

Daimler’s Smart electric drive cars first entered into production in 2009 and they have been used widely in the European region. One striking feature of Smart cars is that they can be easily set in motion: a domestic power socket or public charging station is enough to charge a two-seater Smart car. Just single battery charge can drive a vehicle to a distance of 135kms.

LG Chem on the other hand has expertise across the full spectrum of vehicle batteries and hence perfectly fits the bill for Daimler. LG Chem started its R&D in lithium-ion battery back in 1995. The company now does mass production of lithium-ion polymer batteries for electric vehicles.

Hyundai, Kia, Ford, GM, Renault, Volvo are all using battery solutions from LG Chem in their production line. Driven by ‘safety comes first’ philosophy, the diversified chemicals company provides its automotive customers with superior energy density for volume and weight. The company is developing high-capacity, high-power batteries as an answer to the challenges posed by global warming and the depletion of oil resources.