Smart mild, full hybrid, EV and CNG DRIVES

Believe it or not; one of the most economical vehicles ever made by any major automotive manufacturer, isn't offered in the world’s only major superpower… yet!

Nevertheless it's the greenest car there is in terms of carbon-dioxide discharge and emissions. No it's not the Smart ForTwo available for 2008 in the United States; it's the Smart CDI , a petite in-line three-cylinder 799cc turbo diesel. And it has been on sale in Canada since 2004.

Now Daimler and Smart are taking Smart up a level. Partnering with DaimlerChrysler, Smart is investigating alternative propulsion systems to determine just how "green and planet friendly" the Smart ForTwo can be.

Smart has been researching four pioneering versions of the Smart ForTwo : a mild hybrid, full hybrid, all electric Smart EV and a CNG model that runs on compressed natural gas.

The Smart Mild Hybrid

The Smart mild hybrid is not really a hybrid engine, and it does not make use of braking power. The drive engine is a 61hp, and it uses a belt-driven starter generator to function as both the starter and alternator.

The Smart Full Hybrid

The Smart full hybrid is essentially the Canadian cdi Smart ForTwo, but with an electric motor.
This model uses braking energy to recharge the battery, and during deceleration, the electric motor works as a generator, recharging the battery located under the driver’s seat.

  The Smart EV

The Smart EV electric vehicle runs solely on its electric motor, with an output of 41hp. DaimlerChrysler claims EV models ’ acceleration performance is equivalent to that of the gas model.

The Smart EV offers three different propulsion methods: a non-hybrid, a normal hybrid approach and a "fun" mode.

The fun mode demands more of the electric motor, offering more horsepower for short trips, but runs the battery down rapidly. You'd use this mode for a brief trip to the corner store.

The Smart hybrid mode can run for a short period on the electric motor alone, but ask it for extra acceleration and its diesel engine kicks in.

The Smart EV also utilizes a regenerative braking system, in which the recharging of the battery when slowing down contributes the first part of the braking effort.

Smart ForTwo CNG

By far Smart’s newest concept is the Smart ForTwo CNG. In fact, Smart launched Singapore's first fleet of CNG-powered taxis, last December.

The Smart ForTwo CNG concept car operates on compressed natural gas or gasoline, and allows you to choose between gasoline and natural gas drives. The compressed natural gas version utilizes a homologous gasoline/natural gas drive system.

The Smart ForTwo CNG has the ability to run on either gasoline or natural gas because it has two separate fuel tanks concealed in the car's underbody.

The Smart ForTwo CNG concept car demonstrates the future potential of this Smart driving system for the Smart brand worldwide.

Benzworld.org - Mercedes Benz Discussion Forum 2007 Smart Fortwo Electric Vehicle

From November 2006 the Smart Fortwo will also be available with electric drive. As part of a pilot project, in Great Britain around 100 Smart Fortwo evs will be delivered to selected British customers as lease vehicles. The Smart Fortwo ev (electric vehicle) will celebrate its world premiere at the British International Motor Show (July 18th - 30th 2006) in London.

The vehicle will be driven by an electric motor with a power output of 30 kW / 41 bhp. The running costs per kilometer are considerably lower than those of a petrol-driven Smart Fortwo.

And that’s saying something. While the Smart Fortwo, with fuel consumption costing approx. EUR 0.06 per kilometer, is already well ahead of its competitors, the Smart Fortwo with electric drive costs a mere EUR 0.02 per kilometer to run. Furthermore, the Smart Fortwo ev is exempt from the central London congestion charge.

At its best on short journeys in urban traffic
The Smart Fortwo ev’s driving performance is not to be sniffed at: it can accelerate from zero to 60 km/h in much the same time as its petrol-driven counterpart. It has a maximum speed of 74 mph and economical consumption.

It only takes three and a half hours to charge the battery from 30 to 80 percent of its capacity. An empty battery can be fully charged in no more than eight hours, for example overnight. The charging socket for the power cable is located underneath the filler cap, where the filler neck for diesel or petrol would be in other vehicles.

One forward and one reverse gear
No complex modifications are needed to fit the electric drive. The motor is located in the rear, exactly where the combustion engine would be in a conventional vehicle.

The transmission, which has been locked in second gear, is likewise in the rear of the car. The Smart Fortwo ev therefore does not need the Smart Fortwo’s gearshift knob, since it only uses one forward and one reverse gear.

The charge level indicator for the battery is where the rev counter would be in other vehicles in a central position on the instrument panel, together with the analogue clock. But that’s all that has changed. The interior and the luggage compartment are just as spacious as before, and even the Smart Fortwo ev’s power storage unit – a zebra or a sodium-nickel chloride battery is positioned centrally in the car’s underbody.

Expertise in alternative drives
Smart has already demonstrated its technological expertise in building alternative drives at the IAA 2005. The Smart Crosstown show car was fitted with a hybrid drive combining a petrol engine and an electric motor. Shortly after this smart presented several alternative drives at a technology forum and, in addition to a prototype of the Smart Fortwo ev, a Smart Fortwo with natural gas drive, a mild hybrid and a cdi hybrid were exhibited.