Smart cars

If you drive today chances are you have seen a "Smart Car" or two on the road. They are really small, and look kind of like a bug, but have some big advantages for drivers. Why we the smart car was invented is simple, they were created to help with some parking problems. You see, the idea behind the "Smart car" was to create a vehicle easy to park and short enough to allow "nose-in" parking. Because of their size, in reality you could park two or three of the "Smart cars" in the space of one normal car.

The idea of "Smart cars" was initially started by the Swiss watch manufacturer Swatch. The name was initially the "Swatchmobile" but was changed to Smart as a simple way to say the acronym for Swatch Mercedes ART.

When these cars were first designed the manufacturers intended to use innovative features (such as a hybrid engine) and make the cars affordable for young people, so that they would be purchased and used, positively affecting the environment, and freeing up space on the road and in parking lots.

But, the question was, how was a watch maker going to start manufacturing cars? Well, the Swatch CEO, Nicolas Hayek, decided a partnership of sorts would be the best option. So, he started to look for an established car maker to produce his Swatch car. Initially his partner was Volkswagen. However, when plans never reached a final stage Swatch decided to go a different direction so that they could see their cars come to fruition. Instead they teamed up with Daimler-Benz. Together they built a factory complex, called Smartville, in Hambach, France. It was established in 1994 as a joint-venture of Daimler-Benz and Swatch.

In 1993 Mercedes-Benz had started a feasibility study on a subcompact car, trying to come up with a design and model that would work. They joined with the Swatch Group Ltd. And together founded the Micro Compact Car AG in 1994. It took three years before they made their world premiere, but the Smart city-coupé presented their "Smart car" at the IAA in Frankfurt (Germany) in 1997. Then in just a year they successfully launched in nine European countries. So they were expanding rapidly. Today you can buy "Smart cars" in 25 countries all over the world. However, they are most popular in Europe, where parking is limited and streets are crowded.

What started out as a great idea from a watch maker evolved over time and became the "Smart cars" we see today. Of course the final car design, the one you see driving on the streets, is a far cry from what Hayek initially wanted. In fact, because the engine eco-technology was not a priority for Mercedes and an expensive consideration, the partners disagreed a lot. The joint venture experienced heavy losses and after much dispute Swatch pulled out. Money was a real problem, and because Mercedes was having trouble getting companies to purchase shares, they has to stop development and production on some of their hopeful "Smart cars." In 2006, after dwindling sales, Smart GmbH was liquidated and its operations transferred within the Mercedes-Benz automobile group. They lost a lot of money, and due to that stopped research and development.

Smart vehicles were popular in many countries but have tended to taper off some. One might ask if a car this small is safe, especially on a road that is full of large SUV's. When it comes to sfety, here is what is reported: Smart vehicles use a very small front crumple zone. The new Smart Fortwo has been awarded 4 out of 5 stars in the Euro NCAP Adult Occupant Protection, 2 out of 4 stars in the Pedestrian protection test but it was not tested for Child Occupant Protection as it has no rear seats. The original Smart was awarded 3 out of 5 stars for Adult Occupant Protection. This is in the European market, in America, tests were given using a five star rating, and Smart cars received a four star safety rating for the driver from a front impact, and a five star safety rating for the driver for a side impact. So, as a question of safety, they are safer than they appear. This is because of how they are made. The main structure of the car is a stiff structure called a Tridion Safety Cell, which is designed to activate the crumple zones of a colliding vehicle. This design creates a very strong safety cell around the passengers. So, in a way drivers are safer in a smart car than they would be in another, however, there is a drawback. Because of the structure of the smart car, drivers are subjected to higher forces during an accident than in a conventional car.

Because the Smart cars were developed in Europe, it took several years before they really made their debut in America. In fact, before 2008, Smart cars were only available in the United States as "grey market" imports. What this means is that in order to be legal in the United States they have to be modified and tested to meet all of the U.S. safety and emissions regulations. This makes importing them a fairly expensive undertaking. However, Smart cars were imported into the United States by "The Defiance Company LLC," and were then modified by G&K Automotive Conversion. From there, they were sold by independent dealerships which were not affiliated with Mercedes. In fact, because of this, many US citizens did not even realize that the Smart cars were developed by this high end car manufacturer.

In June 2006, DaimlerChrysler announced they would launch Smart cars in the US in 2008. So, today, you can get the cars through a dealership holding company Penske Automotive Group. They created a dealership network for the brand under the name Smart USA. The first Smart cars offered in the US were a gasoline powered Fortwo, that cost right around $12k.

The technology is continuing to develop, and soon "Hybrid Technologies" will sell an electric smart car that will run you about $35k, will be able to drive between 120-150 miles on a charge, and will be able to drive at a top speed of 80 mph. To charge these cars you will use a standard 110V AC outlet, but will have to let charge for 5-6 hours. This makes it a great car for getting around town, as you can run your errands, then plug your car in overnight to charge. However, it is not a great commuter vehicle.

Smart cars were designed to be used in the crowded market type streets in Europe, and their use here should follow suit. They are great for running errands, and doing light shopping (as there is not a lot of cargo space for big shopping trips).

The big benefit of the Smart car is that it is as fuel efficient as most of the hybrid available here, such as the Toyota Prius, and Honda Civic hybrid, but costs a fraction of what they cost. In fact, the cost of a Smart car is less than half of that of a hybrid here in the US. So, while it is not the very most fuel efficient car on the road, it actually rates about fourth, it is the cheapest of the fuel efficient cars. It is a great car for people who want to get good gas mileage without having to spend a fortune to do so.

There are diesel powered Smart Cars, found mostly in Canada; hybrid Smart cars, found mostly in Europe, and gasoline powered Smart Cars. Mercedes designs one, Mitsubishi another, and Chrysler another. Thus, not all Smart Cars are the same, and it is important to note this. In fact, buying a Smart car from Canada to use in the US is a poor idea, as they do not pass all of the US requirements, and thus cannot be registered here.

However, if you buy a Smart Car here you will likely be happy with the performance and safety of it, and most especially the fuel economy and price tag.

So what are some of the common complaints about the Smart car? More than anything it is the size. It is not a good family car, and many men are turned off by it because it is such a small car. In addition to the look of the smart cars, the other drawbacks are simply that there are not many models available, and you have to go to specific dealerships to get one. This means that repairs are more costly, though not as often. It also means your choices are limited. There are fewer than 4 models of Smart cars out there, and only two that are really even in production any more. In order to make your Smart car more your own, many people have used decals and paint jobs done after purchasing to give their car a more unique look.