Car maker Daimler and utility company RWE plan to open recharging stations for electric autos in Berlin from the end of 2009.

Daimler's planning a limited production run of their Smart minicar, the Smart Electrodrive, which runs on lithium-ion batteries, which can be "refuelled" at around 500 recharging stations.

But environmental group Greenpeace says electric autos still have a way to go before they become really environmentally-friendly.

Joanna Partridge reports for Reuters