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http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/03/zaps_americaniz.html

http://bioage.typepad.com/./photos/uncategorized/zap_smart.jpg

US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy testing of the Smart Car Americanized for ZAP yielded results of combined fuel economy of 40 mpg. That’s well below the ZAP’s initial claim of 60 mpg, but above the EPA’s original estimate of 37 mpg.

The 40 mpg combined results are equivalent to the VW diesel New Beetle, but makes the Smart the most fuel-efficient all-gasoline (non-hybrid) car in the US. The Smart car uses a 698cc, three-cylinder gasoline engine.

So suddenly the Honda Fit with its giant 1500cc engine and 35.5mpg combined score looks pretty good after all!

GM should just bring back the metro. It is a more conventional car and would get better mileage.

Hi Brandon:

Smart cars finally roll past hurdles. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=349) First, third, and eight posts …

___We have a lot of ZAP/MB - Smart info here in the News forum but it’s the diesel and the Li-Ion equipped hybrid versions of the Smart ForTwo I would really like to take out for a test drive ;)

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I was hoping for better....bet it could be engineered to hypermile...

I've been doing some reading in EV forums about ZAP. The gist of it is that I would stay far away from ZAP. Their customer service is terrible for even little things like electric scooters. I can only imagine the crap one would go through for a car with nonexistent dealer support.

Hi Brandon:

___Good point as I never thought of that ZAP backing the Smart’s here in the US? With MB selling and backing the Smart’s in Canada, I guess one may consider waiting until MB finally launches them here in the states? I don’t know if I could drive it forever but I sure would like to take the CI-ICE based ForTwo CDI out for a month or two just to see what she is worth in and around my daily Chicago based nightmare ;)

___Good Luck

___Wayne