Lithium Technology Corporation said a battery system developed jointly by its GAIA Akkumulatorenwerke subsidiary and Zytek has been integrated into a four-door demonstration vehicle based on the Smart Forfour and manufactured by DaimlerChrysler. The vehicle, developed by Zytek with £1.8 million funding by the Energy Saving Trust as part of its “Ultra Low Carbon Car Challenge” project, also incorporates technology from I+ME.

The vehicle’s battery system has an output of 288 V, a capacity of 7.5 Ah (approximately 2.2 kWh) and the ability to deliver 25 kW of power. It has a fuel economy of more than 84 mpg and an all-electric range of 20 miles, and it can be charged either by the internal combustion engine (ICE) and regenerative braking or by household current. A battery management system communicates with the vehicles’ energy management system and additional safety features control battery charging from the electric grid.