smart News
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We're eagerly waiting for the 2011 Scion iQ to be launched in production form. That may be at next month's Detroit Auto Show or April's New York Auto Show, where the concept version landed from the sky last year. Sold in the rest of the world as the Toyota iQ, the 2011 iQ will go on sale in the U.S. next year as a Scion. It's only slightly longer than a 2010 Smart ForTwo, but seats three adults plus a fourth person of less-than-adult size. Quoted fuel efficiency for the European version, which has a tiny 1.0-liter engine: 54 miles per gallon. The U.S. ratings are likely to be somewhat lower...
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Honda P-NUT Concept Takes On Smart ForTwo and Scion iQThe smallest Honda sold in the U.S. is the 2010 Honda Fit, lauded for its almost infinite combination of interior configurations as well as its sporty driving and handling. But while Honda makes cars even smaller than the Fit for Asian and European markets, it hasn't sold them here. Its latest...
John Voelcker -
Choosing a Smart May Be Getting Smarter
A Small Green Machine That Gets Greener With Electric Powertrain
Jonathan McGrew -
Smart ForTwo Electric Drive Production Gets Rolling In France
Daimler AG reported today that production of the second generation Smart ForTwo Electric Drive (ED) has begun at their plant in Hambach, France. The ForTwo employs modern lithium-ion batteries to store power for the car's electric drivetrain. The new car builds on the first generation vehicle...
Robert Scardino -
Daimler To Produce 3rd Gen Citaro Fuel Cell Hybrid Transit Bus, Uses Stacked Modules and Li-Ion Batteries
If any one company seems to hold an edge in fuel cell powered vehicles, that company has to be Daimler. Though GM has expertise in the field, as does Honda, Daimler has several generations of working fuel cell powered vehicles in daily use around the globe. Recently, the company introduced its...
Eric Loveday -
If Texans Don't Want 2010 Smart ForTwos, Will They Rent 'Em?
Several months ago, we previewed Car2Go, the car-sharing program planned in Austin, Texas, featuring Smart ForTwo mini-cars. Now a pilot program with 200 Smarts has launched for the 13,000 employees of the city of Austin. It's the first U.S. version of a scheme that started in March in Ulm...
John Voelcker -
The Smart fortwo ED is an upcoming pure electric car. It will be built by Daimler and use lithium-ion battery packs supplied by Tesla Motors. Testing of prototypes has been underway in Europe since 2007. Earlier this year Daimler announced it would be bringing the vehicle into global production including the United States. Vehicle deliveries are intended to begin in 2010. Coulomb Technology is the California-based start-up that has been deploying smart networked public electric car chargers. The company has been officially been selected by Daimler to exclusively supply the chargers for home...
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Are Carmaker Sites Using Hybrids (Ineptly) As Spam Bait?
We get a lot of spam. Everyone gets a lot of spam. In fact, Symantec says nine of every 10 e-mail messages are spam. But we're scratching our head over a recent spam that uses the topic of hybrid cars, particularly clumsily, to link (via Dubai, no less) to real carmakers' hybrid, diesel, and...
John Voelcker -
Smart's Fortwo EV Enters Production In November
Daimler/Smart EV will Use Li Ion batteries from Tesla
Jon Vandervelde -
The Green, The Bad And The Ugly: Our Least Favorite Green Cars
We like green cars, and we define the term loosely. Sure, the 2010 Toyota Prius is green. But so's the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid pickup truck, because a full-size truck that gets 20 miles per gallon is much easier on the planet when you need a pickup truck. But try as we might, there are a...
John Voelcker -
Get a 2009 Smart ForTwo, Just $99/Month (Clunker Required)
No sooner did the 'Cash for Clunkers' legislation pass the Senate and get signed by President Obama than carmakers started marketing around it. The program won't officially launch until next month, but Smart is already pointing out that its 2009 Smart ForTwo is eligible for the highest voucher...
John Voelcker -
So What's a Wheego Whip, and Why Would I Want One?
It looks like a 2009 Smart ForTwo, it's made in China, it only goes 40 miles on its batteries, and it has a dopey name. So why should you care about the Wheego Whip? Our colleague Rex Roy has just published his full review of the 2009 Wheego Whip, but we thought a little context would be useful...
John Voelcker -
Yes, believe it or not, an automaker actually wants you to share cars--rather than buying your own
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Small-Car Smackdown: 2009 Smart ForTwo Vs. 2009 Honda Fit
Forgo the Fortwo? Smart or Not?
Jonathan McGrew -
Tesla and Daimler Reach Li-On Battery Deal
Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, has confirmed the rumors that have been lighting up the blogosphere for months. The start-up electric car company will supply its lithium ion battery packs and charging systems to the Daimler Group for use in the upcoming Smart ED. The agreement was announced at the Society of...
Robert Scardino -
Electric Smart Not Likely Until 2012
The small 2-seat variety of electric car remains a favored configuration. The diminutive Smart car has undergone electrification in prototypes, and currently a fleet of 100 electric Smarts are in European test fleets. These use older technology nickel sodium batteries. Lithium-ion battery...
Lyle Dennis
