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ZAP Smart Car Approved for Sale in the US
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90 MPH???? (Score:3, Interesting)
Old known in Europe (Score:3, Interesting)
erm ..... no (Score:3, Interesting)
t
Re:Old known in Europe (Score:3, Interesting)
Comparison... (Score:3, Interesting)
Compare the Zap to Honda's Insight
http://automobiles.honda.com/models/mode
60/66 mpg city/highway
(I can't view the Toyota Prius because of evil plugin-requirements.)
Honda, has a proven track record of quality automobiles.
Zap, in Europe? I don't know. Colour me ignorant.
I hired one for a week (Score:5, Interesting)
On the downside because the car is rather high and narrow (think two mopeds bolted together side by side), I'm told they can be scarey in side-winds.
Survivability (Score:5, Interesting)
The Smart has actually been proven to come off very well in crashes.
There is no engine in the front of a Smart to be pushed into the passenger compartment (preventing leg injuries etc.)
A UK TV show demo'd the Smart being crashed into a solid concrete wall at 70mph. Amazingly, the tridion safety cell preserved the shape of the vehicle sufficiently that the doors would still open/close. Another bonus is the low mass and hence inertia of the Smart which means you can litterally 'bounce-off' solid objects while dissipating crash energy in a safe manner.
The Smart also features high-quality airbags to prevent neck/back injuries.
Furthermore, the Smart is pedestrian-friendly, once-again, the hapless would-be road-kill bounces off the plastic panels and there are no suspension turrets to impale them.
Very Popular (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Call that a Smart Car...? (Score:1, Interesting)
They are available in Canada, right now.
Re:smae 'SMART' as the one sold by Mercedes (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Call that a Smart Car...? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:90 MPH???? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:roll cages with covers (Score:3, Interesting)
It's usually not the external impact that kills you. It's your organs getting bashed around inside your body. Remember, your organs are moving at 40 MPH along with your body. If your body suddenly starts "bouncing" around that's the worse possible action. A hard roll cage design just is not a good idea in low speed (60 MPH) accidents.
In a collision the vehicle with more mass wins. Even a little Ford Escort has a 2 to 1 weight advantage against this Zapper thing.
Trust me, you don't want to "bounce" in an accident. (ask any motorcycle rider who has been hit by a car) Just wait until you "bounce" into oncoming traffic.
To counter the negativty... (Score:5, Interesting)
I've always been an in-principle fan of these SMARTs. I haven't driven one, but I've been inside one at various motor shows and there's plenty of space for two plus shopping or weekend luggage. You're not going to go trans-America with it, but to think about in that way is missing the point.
It makes an excellent city car. There are a decent number kicking around in London, and I seem to remember seeing even more when I was Hamburg a few years ago. In the city, you don't care about 90mph, you care that you can pull out nippily, find a parking space and turn round. This is the best answer I've seen since the original Mini (or maybe the Renault Twingo - never did understand why that didn't make it to the UK).
I'm actively considering swapping a Jaguar X-Type for one. Reason? My car mainly drives me to the train station in the morning and back, and a Jag is total overkill for that. We have an S-Type also for weekend trips or serious travel...why have two cars that do the same job? Only thing holding me back at the moment is a concern about its ability to cope with bad weather.
No, I'm seriously interested in these.
Cheers,
Ian
Re:roll cages with covers (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Old known in Europe (Score:4, Interesting)
City Driving (Score:3, Interesting)
Personally, I think they are great. I probably wouldn't have one as an only car, but have it as a second car for city driving only.
Seemingly the majority of cars caught speeding in London are Smart cars. Only in the UK and here they are Mercedes Smart cars (designed by the Swatch people, no less).
T.
Re:90 MPH???? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:To counter the negativty... (Score:4, Interesting)
They are every bit as good as you think. They are totally stable, comfortable and customiseable, safer than many other 'normal' cars both for those inside and any peds you might hit, and you get big smiles from people - tops!
Justin.
Re:Not so SMART . . . (Score:3, Interesting)
People would call it a deathtrap, freaked out when I mentioned that their armrest was the gas tank, and ignored that it recieved one of the highest safety ratings of all the sports cars of it's size and was very high in safety rating for all cars of that time.
These are also the same people that think a SUV is safer even though more people die is SUV accidents than small car accidents.
If you are insterst in safety then drive a minivan or other highest rated safe in crash tests cars.
I have 2 smart's on order now. I paid them a 50% deposit on both cars back 6 months ago and can not wait to drive these econoboxes 140+ miles daily on combined highway and city driving.
also for anyone interested, these things are insanely quick off the starting line because of their light weight. Almost feels like the honda insight with it's low end torque that is higher than most mucscle cars. It took a ton of willpower to not go to Canada and illegally import one after I had my first test drive in one 3 months ago.
at $15,900.00 for the base model these things are a steal and put all the hybrids to shame in efficiency department.
Re:90 MPH???? (Score:5, Interesting)
No kidding. One of the highlighs of this car is that it's as long as a normal car is wide.
Therefore, to park you can just pull straight in, putting the front end (or rear) of the car parallel to the street.
For urban parking woes, it doesn't get any better.
Cute yes, but... (Score:3, Interesting)
Especially with Honda about to introduce the Honda Fit here in the USA within next 18 months.
For those who don't know, the Honda Fit (known as the Jazz in Europe) is an very small car that has just as much interior room as a Honda Civic sedan and is quite a bit more fuel efficient than the Civic, especially when powered by the 1.3-liter I-4 i-DSI engine. Honda has publicly said that they will sell a car smaller than the Civic in the USA market soon, especially since Honda will design the next-generation Honda Civic due in September 2005 for a more upmarket type of buyer; the Honda Fit will fill the gap for first-time Honda car buyers here in the USA. However, note that the Honda Fit Americans will get will NOT be the current model sold in Japan and Europe, but a slightly-larger second-generation model designed with larger-sized American passengers and side-curtain air bags in mind; that new model is supposed to be unveiled in Japan this coming summer.
Re:Other considerations (Score:3, Interesting)
I've driven across many of the states in the US, and I've yet to find any place where there aren't Semi trucks on the road, going slower than the rest of the traffic.
In CA it's de jury, but most everywhere else, they just can't get up to 75 with all the weight, up a slope, into the wind, etc. It's a miserable experience to be behind a couple trucks as one decides to go into the open lane an gradually pass the other truck. But I digress.
The point is, no matter where you drive at up to 60MPH, you'll be in good company, with Semi trucks, Buses, trailers, etc. Just stick near one of them, and YOU won't be the one who's to blame for slowing down traffic
Re:roll cages with covers (Score:3, Interesting)
They are not designed for high speed highway use, they are urban cars where a 75mph crash isn't likely to happen. The vehicle may survive them, but its a fallacy to think that a driver may be safer in them.
And in my case, I was replying to the points the parent was making, not the article, specifically around the point that a roll cage design is not inherantly safe, which was the parents point.
Re:60mpg? 90mph? Old news I'm afraid (Score:4, Interesting)
Americans are adverse to diesel, even TDI, for historical reasons. There's been some talk that they're going to try to reintroduce "next-gen" TDI cars in the next few years; how they do in the US market will determine how many more diesels are marketed here in subsequent years.
So the closest we can get to 60mpg is the Prius, which is selling like hotcakes. I think the Smart Car will have a specific demographic, but will do well in those markets: I forsee a lot of them going to big metro areas. But they probably won't do so well in Texas.
Re:90 MPH???? (Score:4, Interesting)
People are buying SUVs to be a bit safer than the average car in a crash. So now everybody's gotta get one to stay safe.
Then some people start to drive small trucks to stay safer than the average SUV in a crash. So now everybody's gotta have one to be safe.
Where does it end? Everyone driving 18-wheelers?
Tax private use of larger vehicles. Either through petrol(gas) tax, road tax, purchase tax, take your pick!
In countries where it's more expensive to drive huge vehicles, people chosoe smaller ones. The average car is lighter, more efficient, and better for the environment. And people in smaller cars (or pedestrians) are in less danger in a crash. Just look at the cars in an average city in Europe!
Re:90 MPH???? (Score:2, Interesting)
Most cities require vehicles to be parked parallel to the curb; and often pointing in the direction of traffic. While the Smart Fortwo is physically capable of parking perpendicular to the curb without jutting into traffic, doing so could earn you a parking violation.
Besides, backing into traffic is usually not a good idea.
Re:90 MPH???? (Score:3, Interesting)
One Brit TV program recently did a test where they recreated a fairly normal situation, trying to avoid a suddenly braking vehicle ahead of it.
The really interesting bit for the "ordinary car" (BMW!) the test was conducted by the TV presenter with no safty gear other than a seat belt.
The SUV test vehicle was driven by a professional stunt man with crash helmet and five point seat belt! They knew it was gonna role!
The SUV rolled on the first test at 70 mph.
Thr BMW was still good at 110 mph.
But then again I dont actually remember seeing a bend on a US highway.
Re:60mpg? 90mph? Old news I'm afraid (Score:1, Interesting)
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
Hydrocarbons
Particulates
Of these five, a diesel car is better than a petrol car with three of them, about the same with one, and worse with one. Only one of these classes of emissions is visible (particulates, or soot), and rather unfortunately for diesel cars, that is the one which is worse for them. The three emissions for which petrol cars are worse are invisible, so you won't realise that they are there; however they still cause harm to health and the environment.
Re:roll cages with covers (Score:3, Interesting)
It doesn't "bounce around", but i think it's fair to say that it does "bounce off" the larger vehicle.
I'm sure it's survivable, but i suspect i'd be more comfortable in the larger Merc (that said, i'm a fan of the smart car concept, my main problem with it is that i think it's overpriced for what it is).
Re:90 MPH???? (Score:4, Interesting)
hahahha, now that's funny!
What isn't funny, is that curves in the highway aren't necessary to require swerving, although I periodically hear about someone taking an exit ramp or turn too quickly.
IIRC, I've seen three SUVs roll...
Then, there was the Jeep Cherokee which exploded after a rear-end collision, immolating a family of 3, and the SUV of some type which tried to drive a 270 ramp at 50mph, and exploded in the trees. I didn't see those, but they do happen.
Re:Survivability (Score:3, Interesting)
Curiously enough, this is because they don't have anti-roll bars. If you throw one into a roundabout at 50mph, it will roll from side to side alarmingly but it will *never* *ever* lift a wheel off the road.
Re:60mpg? 90mph? Old news I'm afraid (Score:4, Interesting)
There is a huge backlash against SUVs in Texas, and not by those granola munching tree huggers that everyone hates to stand next to on the bus, but by the much maligned Soccer Moms and Neo-yuppies that have kept the SUV business growing over the last few years. It seems that people that live in urban areas and that have owned a SUV would rather not have one again. I can't tell you how many people trade in F250 crew cab trucks, Suburbans, etc. here for MINIs.
Personally, I think that the fact that everything in Texas is so spread out and requires so much driving to get to will accelerate the demand for smaller more fuel efficient cars here, especailly when coupled with the rising cost of fuel.
I can cite a couple of things to back this up: A two to three month wait for a new MINI in Texas, a 8-10 month (maybe!) wait for a new Prius in Texas. In addition, I talk to quite a few people each week that not only know about the Smart cars but who also want to own one.
I will concur that in the more rural areas you won't see many of these, but that will be common to all places, not just Texas.
parking isn't a problem, tickets are (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:90 MPH???? (Score:4, Interesting)
They performed the same crash test with another normal family car (I think it was some vauxhaul) and it faired no better than the Smart.
Re:roll cages with covers (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:ZAP! = Pump n Dump (Score:3, Interesting)
occasionally, they sent me snail mail spam that included shareholder only discounts on their products.
it was a 'green' smidge in my IRA that cost me about 150$ total.. I don't however work for them- or have any connections with them whatsoever... nor do I know that such is still a practice with them.
Mass Always Wins, 6'4" Europeans (Score:3, Interesting)
That the collision would be between two very different cars is the important thing. It would be important in america, more and more people there are buying bigger and bigger cars. This is different from europe -- people there are more likely to own smaller cars.
We do have a lot more automotive diversity here (North America, not just the USA) than in Europe. In the US, there's more of a do-it-yourself spirit than I find in either Canada or Europe - Americans tend to enjoy working with their hands. This means larger, handier vehicles capable of carrying around ladders and gravel and stuff. This is part of why, I think, the SUV is more popular in the US than in Canada.
We also like to drive more. A huge percentage of family vacations involve hopping into the V8 RWD Caprice Classic or Crown Vic station wagon of yesteryear and driving halfway across the country. EPA's CAFE regulations killed the big station wagons people wanted, so the automakers responded by dropping station wagon bodies onto CAFE-exempt pickup truck frames and calling them SUVs (which are, ironically, less fuel efficient than the CAFE-banned vehicles they replaced). (Lesson here: anytime the government attempts to dictate consumer demand by forcing the discontinuation of a popular product, it will backfire somehow.)
Having said that, I'm 6'4" tall. I see lots of other 6'+ people every day here in Canada, and lots when I travel to the United States. In Europe, my height seems to be less common.
What does this mean, from a practical standpoint? Most small cars, especially those designed for European or Asian markets, don't fit me very well, and I feel clautrophobic. This, as well as the versatility, is part of why I like trucks (in particular, my 1976 Dodge Ram). In fact, the only small car I've ever been in that really felt comfortable was the Pontiac Fiero - which, of course, was designed for the American market.
So, North Americans tend to like larger vehicles for whatever reason. Smart cars will sell well here, though - there are plenty of urbanites who will like them. And if I were a smaller person who had a regular life in the city (ie. didn't collect 1950s TV sets like I do), I wouldn't need a large vehicle.
A few years of university-level dynamics classes will probably limit the sales of these things to engineers and scientists, however. While I like 'em and I think they're neat, I'd be terrified driving around in one.
Mass always wins.
Why the concept of winning? Dunno. But in any inelastic collision, momentum is conserved - and goes from the large object to the small object. This means that the small object will undergo the most drastic acceleration or deceleration - causing all sorts of injuries to the occupants. The only way to change that is to make it an elastic collision, which will require a hell of a lot of crush space (which I don't see the Smart car having, given its small size).
Re:Diesel is the way of the future (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:You don't understand how crumple zones work. (Score:3, Interesting)
Alternatives? (Score:3, Interesting)
Neither look as lame as the smart car IM.