According to the Australian Federal Government’s Green Vehicle Guide, the smart fortwo cabrio mhd micro hybrid drive is rated as having the lowest greenhouse and air pollution emissions in Australia.
The iconic two-seater earned a total score of 17 out of a possible 20 points for both its air pollution and greenhouse ratings. It was awarded a full five stars and the coveted first position in this important consumer guide, outperforming a variety of hybrid-powered models and a number of the smallest cars from Australia’s ‘Light’ vehicle category.
No exhaust emissions, no noise, no petrol consumption – when the engine would normally be combusting fuel unnecessarily when stationary, the new smart fortwo micro hybrid drive switches it right off whenever the driver brakes and the vehicle’s speed falls below 8 km/h. As soon as the driver releases the brake pedal, the engine starts automatically and the journey can continue immediately without a noticeable delay.
The driver doesn’t need to do anything out of the ordinary; as is typical of smart, there is no need for any clutch work, changing down or disengaging of gears. Together with the automated manual transmission, that comes as standard, the new start/stop technology guarantees comfortable and straightforward driving with, reduced fuel consumption. The new technology pays off, because when you think about it, in city driving you do start and stop a lot.
In conjunction with slightly modified gear ratios, the start/stop system in the new smart fortwo micro hybrid drive leads to a fuel saving of approximately 6 percent when you look at the figures.
According to smart, the standard consumption is reduced by approximately 0.4 litres – from 4.7 litres to around 4.4 litres per 100 kilometres. There is also a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions from 112 grams to approx. 105 grams per kilometre. And of course, depending on the traffic situation, much higher fuel savings are possible – for example in heavy slow traffic.
How does it work?
At the heart of the start/stop system is a special belt-driven starter generator. This replaces and does the work of both the conventional starter and the alternator. When the engine is running, it generates electric current for the vehicle’s electrical system, and when the engine needs to be started this is done smoothly in a fraction of a second. The generator of the system developed by smart delivers torque of 42 Newton metres or current of maximum 120 ampere at 14 volts – enough to guarantee a reliable engine start, even at a temperature of minus 25 degrees Celsius.
With sales more than tripling over the past year, adding an even more fuel efficient model to the fortwo range can only increase them further. So if you are in the market for a small, fuel efficient, safe and good looking car – take one for a test drive.
Price – $20,740 – $23,740
Engine – 1.0-litre 3 cylinder petrol
Power – 52kW, 92 Nm
Fuel – 4.7-litres / 100kms
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