Electric and Hybrid Smart Cars: Fuel efficiency gone mad

THIS IS NOT A CAR….. THIS IS A GOLF CART WITH HEADLIGHTS!!

There is a definite advantage to an electric over gas version, even taking into account the displaced emissions from coal plants producing the electricity…how much…all things being equal, over 100k miles 75 vs 3008 lbs for emissions & 10 vs 35 tons for CO2. The goal should always be fewer to no emissions, even with a tiny vehicle such as this! Extreme?…no, because this would offset the gas-guzzling vehicles still on the road & will continue to be for the foreseeable future. Hopefully this will be a CHOICE one can make in the near future…We should support such efforts so more companies can join on & it will no longer be an oddity…peer-pressure works. There may be more up-to-date references but this will do to support my claim: http://www.radix.net/~futurev/pwrplnt.pdf

At $3.00 to go 70 miles. Gas will have to stay really high and electricity low to make this cost effective. After all my old Saturn 4 door can gets close to 40MPG and it has a lot more room and pep.

I have seen these close up in Germany. While they are small, they are bigger than the picture makes them seem.

Look at the new Zapp x Crossover SUV… an electric SUV that carries 5 passengers, gets 350 miles per charge and… the battery can be totally recharged in 10 minutes. Now, that’s progress that all the major car companies need to look into. The cost per mile is estimated to be a penny a mile for the electric battery engine vs gasoline at $ 3.00/gallon. Its a no brainer… lower fuel cost, clean to the environment, and an entire new job sector to make these vehicles. A triple win.
AC,
Fresno, Ca

Can it get on the main roads without getting run over? 0-40 mph is a very important safty item. How much green house gases are produced in the production of these little plastic “cars”?

YEAH I’LL BUY ONE TO PULL MY BOAT… OH WAIT MY BOAT WEIGHS MORE AND HAS 3 TIMES THE HORSEPOWER… THIS THING HAS TO BE SOMEONES IDEA OF A JOKE. THERE IS NO WAY THIS COULD BE USED ON AMERICAN HIGHWAYS WITH TRUCK, SUV, 18 WHEEL TRAFFIC, AND FOR THAT MATTER SOMEONE WITH A BICYCLE. LET THEM KEEP THEM IN EUROPE, IN THE 1/2 SIZED CITY STREETS. JUST KEEP IT OFF THE AUTOBAHN. KIND OF REMINDS ME OF A FRED FLINTSTONE PEDAL CAR.

DISTANCE MILEAGE OF 70 MILES WHEN AVERAGING 24 MPH.NOT 69 MPH MAX. AGAIN A JOKE. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE COST OF THIS GO KART?

Wow, even the non-hybrid version was already pushing the Prius on efficiency. The hybrid Smart should handily surpass it.

S.m.: Good to know that people who can’t figure out the caps lock and shift keys are the ones that don’t like the idea.

Have you considered that it wasn’t accident and MEANT to be shouting. It seems that he thinks the hybrid displayed is a big joke. The appearance of the car is ….unique to say the least. My first impression was “HUH, IS THAT A CAR? ARE YOU SERIOUS” I wonder if the designer of this vehicle was drunk, stoned, insane or some combination of the above We have a small electric car manufacturer and I think the oval design looks better than this … thing that Mercedes(?) created. Steve might be screaming AND laughing. That thing is an insult to golf carts and go karts. fyi I know about shouting and it was intentional.

You’ve all been bambozzled …… this is a hoax, the car is a Cracker Jax toy! Gottcha !!!!

Considering if auto makers were to stop ALL productions of oversized vehicles there wouldn’t be any oversized vehicle to run this “Smart Car” over. However I’m a little confused about something… does it only go 70 miles before it has to be recharged? That would really BITE!!!
I have to say that I’m glad that there is a concern for the enviroment by trying to create a electric/ hybrid that will be pleasing for most. I personally couldn’t drive this Mercedes it reminds me too much of those Power Wheels vehicles you get for a toddler.

If that’s all the performance they can squeeze out of it, knowing what we know about now about what is really possible with Tesla and Tango, it’s pathetic… perhaps yet another attempt by Chrysler in league with the oil companies to squelsh EV’s real potential.

I would love to have one. No pollution out of the tailpipe, recharging at home, perfect for daily use. When can we buy one here in the USA?

Thank you Darrell, yes it was intentional. When some try to inflame they resort to linguistics and grammatical musings.

Phil,
I think we have a plant here in Hawaii that has twice the range, AND it has a roof. It does look like an egg though, and doesn’t have a trunk. One of our city representatives got in trouble for plugging it in at work(I’m serious) I’m not sure about the shipping charges.

OOPs, one thing I forgot. It’s an ELECTRIC vehicle so the speed and mileage sucks. This was a few years ago so hopefully they made a few improvements to it.

It all depends on what you are looking for, but if you are looking for real good electric cars have alook at zap.

this is the cutest car ever made. : ]
&& you could still take your boat and campers with a good truck.
the smart car doesnt cost much && peoploe usally gave two cars anyway
but the smart car is for going to the stoor and taking care of errands. EVERYDAY THINGS.
you save tons of money on gas and help the envrioment.
my friend has one and she drives on the highway all the time with no problem at all
she has no problem keeping up with the other cars.

to this car is pimpen blood baby

aaaawwwwwww it is worth it but haw much does it cost i don’t think it is half a million i can’t wait to get one man 70mph! awsome!AANd stop making fun of this car!!!!!!!it will help the invirment. it’s not my fult when gas is gone and ypur car doesn’t run!

Not everyone is going to want one of these cars. Some people have important jobs for their vehicles which requires them to be a decent size. for example, people on farms need something that can pull their trailers, people need something that can pull their boat. this smart car cant do any of that.I dont think these cars will go very far here in the U.S. also too, people that are into truck pulls and things like that are not going to want a tiny car that can get squashed. Some people just like the roar of a big cummins dodge with a flowmaster, or they love covering the crowd in black smoke at truck pulls. They are not going to trade them for anything. So really, how far do you think these little cars will go? i understand that youre trying to make this world a better place and the smart car was a good idea, but it just isn’t fit for everyone and you might not get the business you are expecting.

Problem is not the cars, it is the people who do not match their need (real) with the car they buy. Cars seem to be bought on the basis of ego (my car has 350 HP, or it can go 0-60 in 5 seconds, or it can carry 5 people while smart can only carry 2). How many people buy a 5 passenger car or SUV and drive it alone (or 1 more) 80% of the time? Ask your self, do you realy need 350 horses to pull you to a mall (your ancestors did it with 1 or 2)? Do you really need to go 0-60 in 5 seconds?

If the car weighs 3000 lbs. and you weight 200, are you not wasting 93% of the energy regardless of how effecient you think the car is? Are you being bamboozled by Mpg numbers? Should we be focussed on weight of the car? Where is most bang for the buck – increasing MPG from 25 to 30, or reducing the weight of the car from 3000 lbs to 1500? Are the mpg numbers from car manufacturers real? or the weight of the car? Every manufacturer’s ad claims their’s is the most fuel effecient car (yah! may be if you drive 7 people in a minivan 100% of the time).

People change your thinking, only then this human race may survive. With the way think and live we need 9 earths to sustain us, i.e., we will be extict 9 times sooner.

I wish if i had money, would buy smart car.

This smart car is absolutely superb, i wish i own one.

at least it looks beter that the origional

okay, smartusa.com for more info. max speed 90mph. 0-60 12.8 sec. city/highway 33/41. obviously it is very fuel efficient. it's meant for 1-2 persons & everyday use. not for towing boats and/or other cars, nor for a shopping spree at times or walmart.. duh? if u want so many hours waiting for a bus or if u have so much free time to spend most of your time inside the bus as it go around its route before it gets to your place then for crying out loud get the bus instead. if u want to use ur vehicle for towing then u r in the wrong place. if u always ALWAYS travel with your 5-9 family/friends then geesh get an SUV. 90mph.. here in hawaii speed limit in the freeway is around 50-60.. smartcar can do 90.. geesh u can still get a ticket. but will it save me gas money? YES! will it get me where I need to go?YES!

so before you put your comments.. get your facts straight and use a LOT of your common sense.. if you don't have any.. you're s*** out of luck, because you can't buy that anywhere.

NOPE, not even going to college will help.

it a good car

seen one on isle of wight man what a super fun motor, would swap me old jag for one madfred

IF I HAD THE MONEY OR MEANS TO BUY ONE I WOULD. THEY ARE ALL ABOUT THE ENVIROMENT. IT ALL HAS TO START SOMEWHERE. LETS ALL DO OUR PART AND START THINGS A ROLLING. I WOULD BE PROUD TO BE THE FIRST ONES TO DRIVE THESE ON AMERICAN ROADS.