Micro Hybrid Coming in Two Years

[MicroNut]

Looks like we may get some more interesting variants eventually:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/feedarticle?id=7092596

Also confirmation invites now at 8,000, 90% of which have responded. Orders still pouring in, but smart says backlog will be cleared in 2008 (not sure I believe that, but...).

[jwight]

The Smart is expected to have combined highway and city mileage of 36 miles per gallon based on revised 2008 government standards, Schembri said.

Good info Thanks Micro.

[Brian7]

Not really happy with 36 mpg. It should be higher!!!

[mr_Cash]

Originally Posted by Brian7

Not really happy with 36 mpg. ...

soft foot, may give 44 mpg or more.

[lhoboy]

Originally Posted by Brian7

Not really happy with 36 mpg. It should be higher!!!

Under the old system it would have been rated in the 40-45 range. The Prius has suffered under the new system as well.

[canon1753]

The new way of doing fuel economy for 08 seems to be much less optimistic. I might look at the micro hybrid in a few years, but I'll have to see how much driving i am doing.

[MicroNut]

The only real value of "official" mileage estimates is to compare different vehicles. Consider the North American spec smart:

US Combined Mileage (2007 standard)..........42mpg
US Combined Mileage (2008 standard)..........36mpg
Canadian Combined Mileage (in US gallons)....44mpg

Identical car, three different numbers. Which is right? None of them. Each smart owner will get a different result, depending on their own usage patterns and driving style.

It's worth noting that the change from the EPA's 2007 to 2008 standards was especially unfavorable to small, fuel efficient cars and hybrids (most of which are made by non-US companies) and much less unfavorable to large, inefficient SUVs (most of which are made by US companies). Entirely coincidental, I'm sure...

[rickyaustin]

Originally Posted by Mr_Cash

I'd leave the quote here - but this forum is weird...... nothing works.....

Don't forget the MINI - 32 MPG combined (:

[propes]

One of the bigger changes in the EPA tests is one run at 80 MPG. I could probably easily bring up numbers from the Canadians on the 450s at various speeds, but we'll have to wait a while for the 451s.

Big Honkin' SUV, given the power of the engine, probably doesn't have that huge a difference at 60 MPH versus 80. Speaking as someone who knows little about cars, I would assume the smart engine would have to work a lot harder, and get hammered in comparison.

Originally Posted by MicroNut

The only real value of "official" mileage estimates is to compare different vehicles. Consider the North American spec smart:

US Combined Mileage (2007 standard)..........42mpg
US Combined Mileage (2008 standard)..........36mpg
Canadian Combined Mileage (in US gallons)....44mpg

Identical car, three different numbers. Which is right? None of them. Each smart owner will get a different result, depending on their own usage patterns and driving style.

It's worth noting that the change from the EPA's 2007 to 2008 standards was especially unfavorable to small, fuel efficient cars and hybrids (most of which are made by non-US companies) and much less unfavorable to large, inefficient SUVs (most of which are made by US companies). Entirely coincidental, I'm sure...