With the development of the world's smallest direct-injection diesel engine (cdi), smart has produced the benchmark for engine development and fuel sipping efficiency that even beats a hybrid version of the same car. The only smart that’s smarter or less thirsty than the smart fortwo cdi is an electric smart car.
This micro mini diesel is touted as, “the world's most economical production car utilizing a combustion engine to propel its wheels.” But unfortunately it’s not available in the one country responsible for the most oil consumption in the world. That’s right – the most fuel-efficient car available isn’t sold in the US. How smart is that?
The cdi smart 33 kW/45 bhp two-door car consumes just 3.3 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, or 71.28 miles per gallon, which means that it can travel approximately 1000 kilometres without refueling. Emitting just 88 grams of CO2 per kilometre, the smart fortwo diesel is also the world champion in low CO2 emissions.
Not that a standard issue smart fortwo is a gas-guzzler. It’s still one of the most economical cars on the world’s roads today. It’s also categorized as an ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV) because of its extremely low exhaust emission. If you’re just interested in saving some money at the pump you might appreciate its compact three-cylinder gasoline engine which achieves an official average of of 33/41 miles to the gallon (city/highway) according to 2008 regulations (EPA 2008). But you could do as well and have more room with a Toyota Prius hybrid albeit at more cost.
The smart four two cdi is the real game changer. On a long journey of 1,000 km the Italian car magazine “Quattroruote” measured the fuel consumption of the smart fortwo cdi and confirmed the standard consumption of 3.3 litres per 100 kilometres.
The December 2007 issue of the magazine carried a report of the test drive. The smart travelled 1,000 kilometres from Rome to Salzburgon a single tank of fuel to see whether the stated standard consumption of just 3.3 litres per 100 kilometres could really be achieved.
The route chosen largely consisted of motorways, but there were also detours and traffic jams because of road construction, long uphill stretches and city traffic in Rome, Bolzano and Salzburg.
The result: the smart fortwo cdi traveled the 1,000 km on a single tank of fuel. This corresponds to average consumption of just 3.3 litres per 100 kilometres i.e. the standard consumption. According to “Quattroruote” this makes the smart fortwo cdi the vehicle with the lowest average consumption that the magazine has ever tested in the history of its road tests.
With standard consumption of just 3.3 litres per 100 kilometres and CO2 emissions of just 88 grams per kilometre the smart fortwo cdi is the production vehicle with the lowest consumption and the lowest carbon dioxide emissions. For customers this means that at present there is no more economical and climate-friendly car than the smart fortwo cdi. But you can’t buy one in the United States.
Nor can you buy a smart fortwo micro hybrid drive (mhd) which consumes 8 percent less fuel in the combined cycle, and 19 percent less fuel in urban traffic than the standard model. It gets about 54.7 mpg according to Daimler’s data. Not bad but the smart can do so much better.
Unfortunately, if you live in the United States you can’t buy the only other vehicle that trumps the smart cdi, the smart electric. It comes with everything that makes a smart a smart – but it doesn't have a combustion engine. A 30 kW/41 bhp magnetic motor runs at the rear of the smart fortwo electric drive that is driven by a high-performance, high-temperature battery made from environmentally compatible sodium-nickel-chloride. This is housed in the underbody, which means that the interior space is not compromised.
Boasting NEDC consumption of just 12 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometres and zero carbon dioxide emissions, the smart fortwo electric drive is the most economical and climate-friendly alternative in urban traffic. When charged, the 30 kW/41 bhp two-door car can travel around 115 kilometres (EUDC). When the battery is empty, it can be charged at any 230 volt power socket – at least 1000 times. The battery lasts for up to ten years. It takes four hours to charge it to 80 percent capacity and eight hours to charge it to full capacity.
The NEDC consumption costs stand at around just € 0.02 per kilometre, far below those of a combustion engine – despite offering almost the same performance. Acceleration from zero to 60 km/h is similar to that of the petrol variants and the car has a maximum speed of 112 km/h.
As a zero emission car the smart fortwo electric drive enjoys tax advantages in many countries and is exempt from local restrictions such as the congestion charge. This small electric car offers a combination of agility, economy and environmental compatibility that is unique in this class.
The time has come for smarter cars and it’s a shame that consumers all over the world can’t take advantage of all the various versions.
A History of the smart car
At the beginning of the 1990s, research showed that each car carried an average of only 1.2 people. Commuters stuck in rush-hour traffic can look around to confirm this claim.
In addition to increased urban congestion, vehicles are driven, on average fewer than 18 miles per day. Vehicles are also parked 90 percent of the time. Finding a parking space can also be a challenge in many cities across the country. The smart fortwo offers a perfect solution to many challenges facing today’s cities while at the same time provides a unique transportation solution for others living outside of a city center.
Joint venture with Swatch
In 1972, Mercedes-Benz developed the concept of a super compact automobile measuring less than 100 inches. However, at that time technical implementation of the concept was not possible because of the strict safety standards of Mercedes-Benz.
In 1989, Nicolas G. Hayek, the inventor of Swatch watches, announced that he wanted to bring a small city car onto the market. Hayek’s vision was to create a car that could be changed as easily as a Swatch watch. To this day, smart owners interchange body panels easily creating a new look to their vehicle in a matter of hours.
To realize this idea, Hayek searched for an experienced automotive partner. The joint venture founded in 1994 united the creative strength of Swatch with a hundred years of Mercedes-Benz engineerig experience. The cooperation led to a unique vehicle concept and to a new automotive brand: smart.
Three years after vehicle development work began in 1994, the smart fortwo made its world debut at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in 1997. Production began in July 1998 in a new plant in Hambach, France.
The following October saw the new car being sold for the first time in nine European countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland). During the same year, smart became a wholly-owned subsidiary of what is now Daimler AG. The USA is now the 37th country to sell the smart fortwo.
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