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that's what I was thinking.......PAG/smartUSA is only the 'distributor' and i would highly doubt they have a say in the products configuration.
'if' they DID, they would have more than likely kept the Yellow as a color choice even though Europe and other markets didn't care for it.
This would really be something nice to know. My assumption that the distributer would have a lot to say about what they were willing to support. From the manufacturer's side, I would think that they would happily provide more options. The information I have gotten from PAG is that they are evaluating engine options. This is the response I got from them when I asked about the cdi:
Quote:
Dear smart Enthusiast, The smart fortwo has a 3-cylinder, naturally aspirated gas engine. The engine capacity is 61 cubic inches, which delivers 70 horsepower, 68 lb-ft of torque, and is electronically limited at 90 miles per hour. The engine is made by Mitsubishi and requires premium gasoline. Additional technical specifications will soon be available on smart USA - open your mind to the car that challenges the status quo. This will be the only engine offered through smart USA at this time. smart USA is exploring the possibility of offering alternative engine options, such as the diesel or the micro hybrid engine in the future, though details have not yet been finalized. As this information becomes available, it will be posted on smart USA - open your mind to the car that challenges the status quo. If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact us via email or by phone at 1.800.smartusa. Thank you for your interest in smart USA. You will be hearing from us soon! Jessica Ratcliff Customer Service 1.800.smartusa smart USA - open your mind to the car that challenges the status quo
Perhaps there are engineering challenges to make this car adaptable for US regulations, those are possibly being worked on now and entry into the market will come in the future.
The lack of MHD in the USA is more likely due to in many states it is illegal to shut down a gas engine (not the same as a hybrid as they have electric motor + gas) and coast. Would need to get the laws changed in all the states for this to be feasible.
Micro Hybrid Drive -MHD- is NOT a different or hybrid motor... it is simply a hardware/software scheme to reduce motor idle times when no power is needed
A MHD smart car does NOT have a traditional strater.
The MHD uses a different componet in place of the Alternator.. to Start, and Stop the motor. It will also provide electrical energy to run systems and recharge the battery.
A Belt drive Motor Generator is used in place of the seperate starter and alternator.
This Motor generator is computer controlled to detect Idle time, properly shut off the motor in a position when the motor can be instantly started in 1 (one) revolution... (typically when a motor stops, it may be in any random cycle where it can take 3 to 5 revolutions to fire and start)
There is NOTHING about this system that requires any more EPA or import testing. The system does not impact emissions in any way other then some claim of reduced CO2 due to less motor run time per mile driven.
I suspect PAG will eventually introduce some of the optional variants but obviously not until Model Year 2010 or 2011... They are contractually set right now to distribute only 2 models of the fortwo in three trim levels with only one power train option.
We are lucky in that the original contract was only for 16,000 2008 units...PAG sucessfully got that allocation increased as we all now know
Micro Hybrid Drive is NOT a Hybrid power train package...just a interesting and complicated scheme to halt the motor and instantly re-start it during those periods of long idle. Saving some modest amount of fuel and slightly increasing average MPG.
Those living in areas that have super long light cycles will see a remarkable MPG benifit... those of us with a long freeway commutes and very few traffic lights, might never even know the system was there
I do not care if MHD ever is an option, as I am in the later camp and do not need the added complexity considering the miserly short warranty offering.
Micro Hybrid Drive -MHD- is NOT a different or hybrid motor... it is simply a hardware/software scheme to reduce motor idle times when no power is needed
A MHD smart car does NOT have a traditional strater.
The MHD uses a different componet in place of the Alternator.. to Start, and Stop the motor. It will also provide electrical energy to run systems and recharge the battery.
A Belt drive Motor Generator is used in place of the seperate starter and alternator.
This Motor generator is computer controlled to detect Idle time, properly shut off the motor in a position when the motor can be instantly started in 1 (one) revolution... (typically when a motor stops, it may be in any random cycle where it can take 3 to 5 revolutions to fire and start)
There is NOTHING about this system that requires any more EPA or import testing. The system does not impact emissions in any way other then some claim of reduced CO2 due to less motor run time per mile driven.
I suspect PAG will eventually introduce some of the optional variants but obviously not until Model Year 2010 or 2011... They are contractually set right now to distribute only 2 models of the fortwo in three trim levels with only one power train option.
We are lucky in that the original contract was only for 16,000 2008 units...PAG sucessfully got that allocation increased as we all now know
Micro Hybrid Drive is NOT a Hybrid power train package...just a interesting and complicated scheme to halt the motor and instantly re-start it during those periods of long idle. Saving some modest amount of fuel and slightly increasing average MPG.
Those living in areas that have super long light cycles will see a remarkable MPG benifit... those of us with a long freeway commutes and very few traffic lights, might never even know the system was there
I do not care if MHD ever is an option, as I am in the later camp and do not need the added complexity considering the miserly short warranty offering.
The advertized benefit is 8-10% improvement in city cycle mileage.
I'll wait for the PHEV or even the EV before going for the MHD. My 2 cents.
I wouldn't be surprised if hydrocarbon emissions are higher with the MHD as most HC emissions occur at startup (granted, with a cold engine). I haven't seen any data so I will be glad to hear otherwise. But without testing I don't think you can make a blanket statement that it would not affect emissions.
I can because I read every shred of testing and system description from the German and Brit sites on the MHD system. Europe is so sensitive to CO2 and any Green house Global warming issue they make our most Green tree huggers seem like environmental assasins... They loudly tout this system exactly because it reduces CO2 while modestly increasing Liters Per 100Kilometer fuel efficiency. Point is, MHD is all about emissions reduction
The whole point of the computer controlled stop cycle is to preset the HOT motor to start in first revolution... I have driven some of these start stop systems and most of the time you are never aware that the motor shut down if you don't watch the tach...
As some of you report it correctly, I would just had some information :
- an MHD engine is not only a normal engine with some adding software component.
There is compltly change on motor architecture, specifically in the belts structure.
There also couple of alternator and pcu needed.
- Mr Peske is not only the retailer in US for smart, he is really in a joint-venture situation with daimler. So he has some word to say in the story.
- effectivly we cannot introduce such new engine concept in US without deep change car powertrain system, such change need new approvement (crash, consumption, emission...).
As it is said, there some studies on this, to know what will be decided to.
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