Canadian smart car aiming for 100 mpg (US)

[MetroMPG]

I got an e-mail from the person behind the web site 100mpg.ca

He started the site a year or so back as a personal project to raise awareness of a Canadian federal greenhouse gas reduction program. His goal was to drive across the country, raising awareness, while aiming for a target of 100 mpg (Imperial).

He's also seen some FE numbers close to the 100 mpg (US) mark, and he's aiming for that next (for a single trip).

I invited him to drop by Gassavers to let us know what he's up to. He had some good questions about tire sizes, pressure, rolling resistance & weight reduction.

I'm particularly interested to hear about the specific driving techniques owners of these cars use to get the highest efficiency. They're 3-cyl 799 cc common rail diesels with sequential gearboxes. A whole other kettle of fish compared to most of our cars!



The smart along side one of University of BC's "IT" electric cars. (Funky NEV's made in the Vancouver area: http://www.itiselectric.com/ )

[95metro]

I can't make heads or tails out of that 100 mpg site...where's the data??? Yeah, I know - he's making more of a statement than crunching numbers.

I actually like the utility version if the IT car...kinda neat. I wonder what the prices are...

[MetroMPG]

In the right column of his site he has his FE image showing 3.6L/100 km. Click it and you get to this page with his full history:

http://www.spritmonitor.de/en/detail/119856.html

(Unfortunately the Metrically - and German - challenged may have some fun translating the data.)

Price of the IT is around $15k US. A competitor (another Canadian company) makes a 2-seat NEV/LSV that starts around $10K US:

http://feelgoodcars.com

[MetroMPG]

Oh, and I forgot to mention: he told me in his e-mail that his first car was a Suzukiclone.

Obviously this guy has smarts.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Oh, and I forgot to mention: he told me in his e-mail that his first car was a Suzukiclone.

Obviously this guy has smarts.

[95metro]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

makes a 2-seat NEV/LSV that starts around $10K US:

$10k...that's about the cost to build a decent one...if you're not going with the ForkenSwift method...

[MetroMPG]

True. But you know what? It's a LOT of work.

[kickflipjr]

I have seen the 100mpg site before.

Smart cars are cool, but they are not being sold in the US yet. or If they are it is in very limited sales.

Speaking of limited sales...

I saw a lotus eliese on the road the other day.

[MetroMPG]

They're selling them through ZAP! - at around $25K US (they start here at around $17K CDN). I read somewhere that ZAP recently delivered their 200th one.

[95metro]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

True. But you know what? It's a LOT of work.

Yeah, but you know that's the price you pay for a hobby, isn't it? If our brains didn't find it fun we wouldn't do it.

Hard work = enjoyment & satisfaction & fun (with some occasional pain and frustration mixed in)...