Happy tenth birthday to the smart fortwo

This was confirmed by the Italian car magazine “Quattroruote” with a 1,000km drive from Rome to Salzburg. At just 88 grams per kilometre it has the lowest CO2 emissions worldwide!

In addition, to further reduce petrol engine CO2 emissions, the smart fortwo mhd (micro hybrid drive) with an intelligent start/stop system and a 52 kW/71 hp engine has been available to customers in Europe since the autumn of 2007. This version automatically shuts down the engine as soon as the car's speed falls below 8 km/h and the brake pedal is pressed. The engine starts again as soon as the driver releases the brake pedal. The standard consumption is reduced by approximately 0.4 litres – from 4.7 litres to around 4.3 litres per 100 kilometres. Average CO2 emissions are reduced from 112 grams to 103 grams per kilometre.

From October 2008 both the 52 kW/71 hp smart fortwo and the petrol version with a 45 kW/61 hp engine will be fitted with the user-friendly start/stop system as standard.

At the end of 2007 smart started a pilot project in London with the smart fortwo electric drive. Together with selected fleet customers start is testing 100 vehicles with electric drive there to gain real-world experience. Vehicles with electric drive are particularly quiet, highly efficient and produce no local emissions. As a zero-emission car the smart fortwo electric drive enjoys tax advantages and is exempt from local restrictions such as the congestion charge that applies in the British capital. This makes it a particularly interesting and environmentally friendly alternative in urban population centres. Series production of an electrically driven smart of the current generation with lithium-ion battery technology is planned for 2010. Lithium-ion technology has decisive advantages over other types of batteries, including extremely compact dimensions, much higher performance, a long life and high reliability.

Award-winning climate friendliness and economy

Protection of the environment is an integral part of all the fields of activity of the smart brand. This does not only apply to the production facility in Hambach, France - it also applies to the smart fortwo itself, from the development and production of the vehicle to its operational period and later recycling. The internationally renowned Öko-Trend environmental institute has acknowledged the smart fortwo's top position in matters relating to environmental friendliness and awarded it the coveted environmental certificate for cars. Moreover, the smart fortwo has been awarded the ÖkoGlobe by one of Germany's largest insurance companies.

What's more, several renowned trade journals have certified the innovative two-seater's unparalleled economy and environmental friendliness. They came to the unanimous conclusion independently of one another: no car is cheaper to drive.

Production – European model plant in Hambach

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