A new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title features fun with static electricity
TORONTO, Nov. 9, 2017 /CNW/ - To celebrate the arrival of the new smart fortwo electric drive in Canada, Mercedes-Benz Canada made history in an unexpected way. The small vehicle now holds a big title: a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the "Most Balloons Suspended by Static Electricity."
Watch the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title setting fun here.
"The smart fortwo electric drive is an ideal urban mobility solution for many reasons, including its small stature. To introduce the new model to Canada, we wanted to have some fun and prove that big ideas can come from small packages with an initiative as modern, fun and quirky as the vehicle itself," says Virginie Aubert, Vice President of Marketing at Mercedes-Benz Canada.
A team consisting of employees from Mercedes-Benz Canada and its advertising and media agencies, BBDO and OMD, set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title by using static electricity to hang 415 balloons from a single wall. The GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title setting feat took place at a sound stage in Toronto's west end on September 29, 2017.
"As adjudicators, we're called upon to judge, and often marvel, at the living embodiments of human imagination," said Philip Robertson, Guinness World Records adjudicator. "Mercedes-Benz achieved an electrifying Guinness World Records title, and introduced a new electric vehicle in an ingeniously creative way."
This electrifying accomplishment took careful planning and several rounds of testing. There was no blood, sweat or tears – moisture isn't conducive to static electricity – but a lot of human energy to generate the electric charge required to suspend the balloons. Per official requirements, the balloons were inflated manually (a handheld pump was permitted) and no participants in the record-setting had product in their hair, as it would have artificially increased the adhesiveness of the balloons.
smart electric drive
The smart electric drive's combination of agility and local emission-free driving makes electric mobility more attractive than ever. It is available in the smart fortwo coupe and smart fortwo cabrio (the only electric cabriolet on the market).
Specifications:
smart fortwo electric drive |
smart fortwo electric drive |
|
MSRP |
$29,050 (eligible for green |
$32,050 (eligible for green |
Motor |
Three-phase synchronous motor |
Three-phase synchronous |
Battery |
17.6 kWh Lithium Ion |
17.6 kWh Lithium Ion |
Charger |
7kW (32A) Type 1 On-board |
7kW (32A) Type 1 On-board |
Approximate |
93 km (MY17) |
93 km (MY17) |
Charging Time |
3.0 hrs (240v/32A) |
3.0 hrs (240v/32A) |
Horsepower |
80 hp |
80 hp |
Torque |
118 lb-ft |
118 lb-ft |
Top speed |
130 km/h |
130 km/h |
Turning radius |
6.95 m |
6.95 m |
About Mercedes-Benz Canada
Mercedes-Benz Canada is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of the Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG passenger vehicles, Mercedes-Benz Vans and smart. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. employs approximately 1,500 people in 21 locations across Canada. Through a nationwide network of 11 Mercedes-Benz owned retail operations and 48 authorized dealerships, Mercedes-Benz Canada sold 48,320 vehicles in 2016. This represents the best year ever for the company and has positioned Mercedes-Benz as the top luxury manufacturer in Canada for the third consecutive year.
Further information about the smart fortwo can be found at www.media.mercedes-benz.ca, www.smart.com, facebook.com/smartCanada and twitter.com/smartCanada.
SOURCE Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.

For further information: JoAnne Caza, 416-847-7550, [email protected]; Sinead Brown, 416-847-7588, [email protected]
Share this article