[ElectricDrive]

Does anyone know if an electric drive smart is earthed like a standard car? Ie is the body the earth ? Trying to wire a power module for my dash cam but have no clue and don't want to damage anything.

 

[Yinzer]

I think I recall seeing an earth (ground) connection to the car body in the 12 volt battery compartment. Test it with a voltmeter to be sure - say between the center of the cigarette lighter plug to a metal part connected to the body.

The high voltage traction battery, of course, is not chassis-grounded.

 

[jimsokoloff]

The Smart chassis is electrically grounded to the low voltage battery just like a conventional car (absent some mostly 40+ year old examples).

 

[Smartman]

Go to your nearest auto parts store and get whoever does the testing to see if it's positive or negative earth.

 

[Yinzer]

The Smart is negative to the chassis. A simple inspection of the battery compartment and what the negative post is connected to will confirm it.

 

[jwight]

Don't know of any current cars using a positive ground system.....

 

[Foolios]

I read an article a few years ago about how to properly jump a vehicle and it mentioned that there were a few old pickup trucks (70's) designed that way.