Its about time for CDI and MHD

[Westfield 11]

Originally Posted by Orphan-Beggar

TheSmart ForTwo cdi is the world's smallest CDI diesel. It develops a mere 40hp,thus making the Smart CDI have a fuel consumption of 70 miles per gallon. The same technology of the Smart cdi engine is used in the Mercedes-Benz E320diesel engine.

Does the smart CDI use the same urine injection as the Blu-tec Benz? How much does that add to the cost of operation? Is the driver allowed to fill it at home or do you have to buy it at the dealer? If so is German urine so very different from American?

[Alchemy R]

Hell yes! I want a CDI Smart or a MHD... though I'd prefer diesel... I've even been tempted to bring one in from Canada but I know that there's a really good chance I won't be able to get it registered. Ever.

Originally Posted by pdboilermaker

Thank Cali for no CDI

Every time someone makes one of these comments it sounds so whiny to me.

If you're going to parrot lame statements at least know what the hell you're talking about... and perhaps why California, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, and Maine weren't allowing new diesels to be sold until recently. Now add to the mix Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

We now have as a 2009 model the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel. See what a little decent legislation can help accomplish? Next I'm hoping that the Subaru makes it here as well. If not I'll happily buy one out of state and bring it in like I did with my Jeep CRD which was never sold in California, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts and Maine.

The good news is that these 8 states will allow diesels at some point... once the fuel is cleaned up and the cars have cleaner emissions. Of course if we were using more biodiesel this wouldn't be as much of an issue.

Remember states rights? Hell, I'm proud of California for trying to do some of the things that we have here. I also think a lot of our legislation sucks but hey, that's the nature of government.

If you want to whine about how "Cali" is messing it up for you then you should perhaps check into how the Federal Government along with the Shrub and his cronies/pals screwed California out of our mandate that electric cars had to be sold here 15 years ago!

*rant off. I'm done.

[Alchemy R]

Originally Posted by Westfield 11

Is the driver allowed to fill it at home or do you have to buy it at the dealer? If so is German urine so very different from American?

This made me LOL> I can picture it now...

[Old smart]

Originally Posted by Westfield 11

Does the smart CDI use the same urine injection as the Blu-tec Benz? How much does that add to the cost of operation? Is the driver allowed to fill it at home or do you have to buy it at the dealer? If so is German urine so very different from American?

In Europe the aqueous urea (AdBlue™) can be bought off-the-shelf by the owner. It is used in a 1:18 proportion to diesel oil, and costs about 2/3 the price per volume as diesel.

In the U.S. (and maybe Canada too), the refilling of the aqueous urea tank is a dealer-only service item (EPA rule). M-B and VW have plenty of service centers to do re-fills; smart does not.

The "NOx trap" systems do not use aqueous urea injection, but they will only work with an engine of 2-liters or larger (to provide sufficient exhaust heat). And they, like the BlueTec-type systems, involve more (and expensive) hardware than can be jammed into a smart.

The only things the Euro smart CDI uses under EU-4 is a low-sulphur catalytic converter and a particulate filter. Their big concerns are CO2 and soot, not NOx

[Orphan-Beggar]

Originally Posted by gusfraga

I was reading SCOA news letter and make me think that now is the right time to request/demand to PAG and Daimler Ag to sell the smart models CDI, MHD and EV in USA.
Its incredible that Daimler is offering only one car choice to the fastest growing market in the world.
Does PAC and Daimler believed that a brand can only offer one car model only?

Contacts:

dschembri@smartusa.com

kkettenbeil@smartusa.com

[jwight]

Electric Smart Car Headed for States Next Year: Live at 2008 Paris Motor Show - Popular Mechanics

PARIS — While it may be a bit early to plunk down a deposit, expect to see Smart brings its new fortwo ED to the United States, possibly as soon as late 2009. With a hybrid-electric Mercedes also up his sleeve, Daimler's chief confirmed to PM that the electrified Smart car was headed across the pond—and that it's just a matter of time.

The ED, short for electric drive, is Smart's new battery car, which can deliver up to 150 miles on an overnight charge of its lithium-ion battery pack. It joins an expanding line-up of high-mileage powertrains offered by the Mercedes-Benz sibling division, an assortment that also includes diesel and the new Micro Hybrid Drive, or MHD system—all of which PM recently test drove here across the pond after the fortwo's decidedly slow start.

[gusfraga]

Originally Posted by Orphan-Beggar

Contacts:

dschembri@smartusa.com

kkettenbeil@smartusa.com

I've already talked to Dave Schembri 3 times about the CDI and the MHD but h said that they have no plans to sell these cars in the US.
The only way to get cars in the next few years will be group/forum/public demand
Regards
Gus

[Westfield 11]

Originally Posted by Old smart

In Europe the aqueous urea (AdBlue™) can be bought off-the-shelf by the owner. It is used in a 1:18 proportion to diesel oil, and costs about 2/3 the price per volume as diesel.

In the U.S. (and maybe Canada too), the refilling of the aqueous urea tank is a dealer-only service item (EPA rule). M-B and VW have plenty of service centers to do re-fills; smart does not.

Are you sure about the 1 to 18 ratio? That would mean using over a gallon per tankful and returning to the dealer quite often. I assume the urea tank is under the 22 gallons of the fuel tank. Or is the fuel tank tiny and the urea tank huge? What if you are unable to get to an MB center before running dry, does it harm the emissions system to run it without? Also what is the service charge for a refill?

[Old smart]

Originally Posted by Westfield 11

Are you sure about the 1 to 18 ratio? That would mean using over a gallon per tankful and returning to the dealer quite often. I assume the urea tank is under the 22 gallons of the fuel tank. Or is the fuel tank tiny and the urea tank huge? What if you are unable to get to an MB center before running dry, does it harm the emissions system to run it without? Also what is the service charge for a refill?

Yes, 1:18. In the case of the large vehicles using aqueous urea injection, the urea tank would certainly be much larger than just 1/18th of the diesel capacity. There was a proposed EPA ruling that if the urea tank was run dry, the vehicle would be disabled - don't know how far that went. Running dry wouldn't hurt the emissions system, but the system would fail to function, something that EPA doesn't want and why re-fills were taken out of the hands of owners.

A/U is a difficult substance to handle. It must be kept scrupulously clean in special tanks and dispensers. If it gels (at +12F) it becomes non-functional until re-heated. If it is overheated (85F) it becomes less effective. It can be contaminated by exposure to certain metals.

All considered, BlueTec/AdBlue is inappropriate for smarts and the U.S. smart infrastructure.

[Alan Smithee]

First of all, you can't fault the Penske group for not selling the diesel here. When the smart USA project was initiated, gas was still cheap (and even now still is comapred to the markets in which the smart thrives); the current cars' success was a gamble.

I am a huge diesel fan (I also own a MB E320 CDI), but be careful what you wish for...the 40hp diesel really relegates the smart to being a strictly 'city' car. Expect performance on-par with a 1960s Volkswagen; I think it would struggle to find a foothold in the market, especially with advanced hybrids coming from Toyota and Honda in the next couple years.