Smart to stop selling Gas, and go all Elect in 2018?

[stevekk]

Smart Car to stop selling Gas Engines. All Smart Cars will only available in Electric, starting in 2018.

http://www.thedrive.com/news/7634/smart-to-go-all-electric-in-north-america-by-2018-daimler-says

[Pappy Yokum]

You need to "rethink" (re-word) your topic!

 

Very few are going to click on the link - including me.

[Ranger Smith]

What is wrong with the topic title? I clicked the link and it is valid

[GeorgiaHybrid]

OK, How about a link to USA Today?

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2017/02/13/mercedes-stop-selling-gas-powered-smart-car-us/97873940/

[RV_]

The folks here that won't click on a link from an established person here are funny. I checked the link and found it to be fine too.

 

Instead of telling others how to post here why not just do your own Google search using the two word search term electric smart, or whatever. That would have taken less time than typing your 19 or so words in you post.

 

"You need to "rethink" (re-word) your topic!

 

Very few are going to click on the link - including me."

 

It seems to be three of us who did click on it to your one.

[Kirk W]

I'm not sure if I know anyone who has the gas version or not. I have never been in one but did see a couple of used electric ones a while back. There are some owners on the forums, so perhaps they might let us know what they think?

[Mark and Dale Bruss]

There are a lot of gas Smart cars in use by HDTers. They are carried on the trucks.

[GeorgiaHybrid]

LOL Kirk, you need to broaden your horizons and venture over to the HDT forum or take a look at our rally picture

 

http://www.hdtrally.com/images/2016/RallyTrucks/2016TruckShoot.jpg

[Kirk W]

Guess I didn't realize you were using the gas version, but then I really never gave it much thought, since I don't have a heavy truck. Guess it does make sense tough. So the question is, what do you use when the gas ones are gone, electric?

[GeorgiaHybrid]

At the rate we are going Kirk, it will not be an issue. Our Smart will be on the road longer than I ever will be. After a year, it has less than 2,500 miles on it so I would have to be driving at over 100 years old to get it to 100,000 miles. As electrics continue to evolve, their range will increase significantly.

[Jack Mayer]

Guess I didn't realize you were using the gas version, but then I really never gave it much thought, since I don't have a heavy truck. Guess it does make sense tough. So the question is, what do you use when the gas ones are gone, electric?

I had a 2012 gas smart - that I bought new - and replaced it this past summer with a 2016 gas smart. The issue with the electric - as with most electric vehicles - is range. The smart, in particular, has a very limited electric range. Around 55 miles max in real life on the current model. The model for 2018 is purported to have real life range in the 80's. It is currently being tested in Europe. While that is fine for city use, anything under (around) 85-100 miles is no good for me - I use the car a a touring car (sometimes). It may be that we go back to the truck for longer (daily) trips and use an electric smart for most things. If the range gets up into the 80's that might work.

 

It may also be the case that in a couple of years I'll have an Elio or two stashed in my "long term" locations, so I won't care too much about a longer-range car on the back of the truck. Then the electric would be ideal.

[Kirk W]

Good grief! I didn't realize that it was still that short a range. No wonder that hybrids are outselling electric cars. That makes the Tesla sound better.

 

Tesla Model S Transmission 1-speed fixed gear (9.73:1)

Battery 60, 70, 75, 85, 90 or 100 kWh lithium ion

Electric range 70 kWh (250 MJ) 240 mi (390 km) (EPA) 85 kWh (310 MJ) 265 mi (426 km) (EPA) 310 mi (500 km) (NEDC)

[RV_]

I doubt that with current battery tech that you could squeeze a larger battery pack into its floor space.

 

The Telsa has been 250 miles from the start and the Nissan leaf was, and is an 80 mile - 100 mile range car at best. The reason for hybrids outselling in the Smart and Leaf price range is that there were only the luxury 250 mile range Telsa at the same MSRP price range as the Toyota Land Cruiser, and the Leaf with only the old 80-100 mile range.

 

The ~200 mile Bolt is the only "economy" US manufactured EV in the lower price class ($35k) with 200 mile legs, and they are not widely available.

 

The Telsa Model 3 in that lower price class will be the one to watch. Then as most vehicles begin to be manufactured with autonomous driving as standard in the next ten years, electrics will ,make more sense as the ownership model is changing, especially in cities. Mass transit has always been electric since the late 1800s, because regardless of venting, the tunnels were noxious and uncomfortable with the fumes from the ICE and steam fired by fossil fuels (Coal) and wood.

 

There is new battery technology out there from Harvard that makes storing solar power easily and safely for decades of use here:

http://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2017/02/long-lasting-flow-battery-could-run-for-more-than-decade-with-minimum-upkeep?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000618

Now I know not all breakthroughs get to market or pan out. But this one shows real promise for homes and larger storage applications up to grid moderation of solar/wind/geo/hydro power generation.

 

Once autonomous driving becomes the norm RVRs will not need a towed or carried car or cycle. They can just rent an on call electric vehicle. Charging is easily automated. (ever watch the new robot house vacuums charge themselves?)

 

In ten years I will be 75 and will see how the chips fall in reality. One can hope.

 

But once the Tesla Model 3 comes out, there will only be two lower priced 200 mile plus EVs available for about the same price~$35k. The Bolt and the Model 3. GM made the first US BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) but it remains to be seen how the Bolt does in both sales and build quality.

[stevekk]

The new 2017 Chevy BOLT, about $38K retail, has a range of 238 miles. It has a 60 kWh battery.

They are for sale here on the west coast. Not sure about the rest of the country.

A Dealer in Sacramento area has 32 for sale listed on the internet.

 

Too bad they don't make a electric car you can tow all 4 down. In the process of towing, it charges the batteries.

[Kirk W]

In ten years I will be 75 and will see how the chips fall in reality.

Damned kids!

[Bill LeMosy]

I can’t imagine a workable electric Smart. For us it would need a range of 250 miles or more. No other car would fit on back of the Volvo. Plus, double towing is, for me, not an option (I figure 65 feet is long enough).

 

That said, we hope to keep our 2013 Smart going at least another five years, so I’m not losing sleep over this. At 26,000 miles little Yoda should have more than enough life to outlast our RV madness. I still have a couple concerns.

 

To begin with, what about salability of the truck that carries the car. With new Smarts appropriate for HDT RVing no longer be available, the truck becomes less enticing should we try to sell it. Could happen. That five year plan might not pan out.

 

A second concern is maintenance for the Smart. How well will Mercedes dealerships serve gas-powered Smarts once they get to focusing on electric models?

 

Think it’s time for a nap.

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

 

I had our 2016 Smart serviced today in Houston, Tx and when I asked they confirmed that 2017 would be the last of the Gas powered Smarts. They were nice enough to tell me they would continue to service them though.

 

"Happy Trails"

Chiefneon

[RV_]

See the new battery tech in my link above guys.

 

All electrics have been sold on the left coast to comply with California's more stringent pollution emissions control laws. But not elsewhere. The are called compliance models. It remains to be seen if GM can follow through after the Tesla Model # is in full swing later this year.