Electric and Hybrid Smart Cars: Fuel efficiency gone mad

Filed under: Autos | By: Peter

The Smart car is not known for its speed but what it is known for is its superb fuel efficiency, which is why we thought it was very strange to hear that there is to be an Electric and Hybrid version of this small Mercedes vehicle. The electric version will have a 41hp electric motor, which will be able to reach speeds up to 69mph and will have a range of 70 miles.

Charging time for the electric smart car is about 8 hours, and that will cost you about $3 in electric. Do not expect it to break any land speed records, as the electric Smart will only get from 0-60 in about 19.8 seconds. But that is not what the little car is about, it is about helping our environment by having zero emissions.

The Hybrid Smart MHD or Micro Hybrid Drive has a starter generator, what happens is when the Hybrid Smart car comes to a complete stop or just under 5mph, the gas engine switches off and the electric motor kicks in. The emissions on the Hybrid Smart MHD are thought to be much lower than that of the Toyota Prius.