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What is a smart car? & how does it work?
You may have an idea about how normal cell phones have transformed into the presently used “smartphones” with complicated advanced technological implementations. Similarly, the automobile industry has also evolved into the more developed idea of “smart cars” in recent decades. By definition, “smart car” is a vehicle that is utilized with the latest technology & consists of advanced electronics applications to manage the fuel consumption in an efficient way with a safe driving environment.
Generally, it has a small compact design which helps to guide the driver on very busy city streets in an effective manner. Smart cars provide assistance with their technology to navigate and avoid other vehicles & pedestrians while the driver is driving the vehicle towards the destination.
Initially, manufacturers’ intention was to respond to higher fuel prices and minimize the fuel cost to a decent level by introducing smart cars into the market. However, now the trend is going towards manufacturing fully autonomous electric smart cars with higher safety capabilities.
When it comes to advancing the efficiency of the vehicle, smart car weight is a key factor. You might be able to have a detailed view of the impact of smart car weight on different scenarios by referring to this description.
What is the importance of smart car weight?
We can identify the importance of smart car weight in different aspects. Most significantly, the fuel consumption of the vehicle is directly impacted by the weight of the smart car. Therefore, in order to reduce the gasoline usage by the vehicle, smart car weight is an essential fact to be considered. In other words, the heavier the smart car, the more energy or fuel it needs to make it move. It means the minimization of the smart car weight would reduce the fuel consumption and the fuel cost. Increasing the smart car weight also increases the car’s rolling resistance, which is the force that resists forward motion since it tends to wheels to roll over the road.
What is the average smart car weight?
Smart car weight varies with different factors like the model, manufacturing year, features, and options they are included with. However, the average smart car weight is around 1,550 pounds (703 kilograms) without the driver. Smart cars with a seating capacity for four passengers approximately weigh around 2645 pounds ( 1200 kilograms). The average weight of a smart electric car differs a bit from others and it would be around 2480 pounds which means 1125 kilograms. It shows that smart car designs with all-electric versions weigh slightly increased. But some articles have mentioned that the average weight of a smart electric car could be around 1850 pounds depending on the features and options the car is included with
How does the design affect the smart car weight?
It is obvious that the weight of the smart car is a key factor to be considered when it comes to the designing process. Generally, smart cars have more simple compacted designs which make the production cost reduced. They are designed with a tiny, compact outlook to get the maximum out of available space while optimizing efficiency in all aspects. In fact, making the design more simple means smart car weight is also supposed to be reduced. One of the main objectives of deducting the weight of smart cars by having such a tiny compact design would be minimizing the fuel consumption and the cost which have to be afforded by the user.
Focusing on the weight distribution of a smart car
Smart car weight distribution is normally considered a 50/50 model. It means the total weight of the smart car is evenly distributed between the front and rear sections. That tends to make the smart car faster. Also, the 50/50 weight distribution keeps the vehicle parts’ wear and tear evenly shared. If there is more weight shared over the front wheels then the wearing of front brakes increases since the front wheels have to work harder to reduce the speed and stop the car. Consequently, front brakes need to be replaced prior to the rear brakes which makes the repairing process uneven as well. Therefore, sharing the total weight evenly over the front and rear wheels prevents uneven wear and tear while making it more convenient for the user and effective for the vehicle as well.
What does “Curb weight” mean?
‘Kerb weight’ is also a form of a word that is used for the term ‘Curb Weight’. That actually means the total weight of the smart car includes all the accessories and fuel obviously the gasoline consists. But ‘curb weight’ is not relevant to the weight it can support. Here, accessories mean the original company-fitted car accessories, both inside and outside. For example, the speaker system, headlights, etc. If you need to get a slight idea about the value of a smart car curb weight, it actually weighs around 2200+ pounds or 1035-1095 kilograms in curb weight. However, it stays as a general static in car showrooms.
What is the “Gross vehicle weight” of a smart car?
Most probably the gross vehicle weight rating of a smart car is shown on a tag by the driver’s side. ‘GVWR’ is the abbreviation used for the gross vehicle weight rating. Actually what it means is the total weight allowed in the smart car including the ‘curb weight’ as well. It includes the passengers and the cargo allowed in the vehicle too.
Is vehicle stability depending on smart car weight?
You may have seen in car shows and motor bicycle shows, the driver pulling the front wheels off the ground during the take-off. It is to be called. “Wheelie”. However, this “wheelie” process needs most of the smart car weight to be centered over the rear wheels. So along with forwarding motion, minimizing the weight over the front wheels makes that “wheelie” process happen while pushing the gas pedal.
On the other hand, you may also have experienced that when you go fast on a bicycle or motor bicycle and use front brakes to stop, there is a higher tendency to be flipped over the front handlebars. The reason is, that most of the weight has been centered over the front wheels along with forwarding motion on that occasion.
Both above-mentioned situations imply that an uneven imbalance of weight distribution over the front and rear wheels may cause unfavorable results for both the driver and the vehicle. Therefore, It is clear that the stability of the smart car directly depends on the smart car’s weight and weight distribution. That is why manufacturers are concerned it a lot to having even distribution over the front and rear wheels of the smart car and making it more safe and controllable.
Are smart cars safe?
When smart cars were first introduced to the market, there was a controversial discussion among the people on “are smart cars safe ? ”. Of course, smart cars are safe in every way. It has many safety features but mainly the concept of Tridion Safety Cell that protects the passengers of smart cars in case of an accident.
Furthermore, The Tridion Safety Cell acts like a strong robust cage that is a highly protected space, avoiding any deformation and making sure that all the passengers inside the vehicle are safe and intact.
What sort of safety features consist of a smart car?
Conventionally it is considered that huge cars are safer than small cars. But smart cars are included with more safety features that encourage keeping passengers safer.
Generally, smart cars have four airbags which are to be responded to in the event of an accident. There are built-in protective headrests as well. It may avoid serious injuries during collisions from the back. It also consisted of well-designed bucket seats which cradle the passenger and make a safer space while providing state-of-art seat belt protection.
In fact, smart cars are protected with a Tridion Safety Shell which, as mentioned above, protects them from collisions at 70 mph. That protection further improves a crumple zone at the front area of the vehicle. It has no impact on the engine since the smart car engine is placed in the back of the car.
Apart from that, smart cars include many more normal safety features like anti-lock braking, active brake help, automatic door locking, etc. In addition to that, the smart car models are provided with a breakdown kit with an air compressor and sealant, crosswind help, acoustic indicator, etc. Also, smart cars have fulfilled the same crash safety standards which all other vehicles have to fulfill in order to make them road-ready.
Smart car History
By now there have been 3 generations of smart cars released to the market.
- First-generation construct chain w450 (1998-2007)
- The second generation construct chain w451 (2007-2014)
- The third generation construct chain C453 & A453 (2014 — Current )
A detailed view of 3 generations of smart cars and their characteristics are given below.
| 1st Generation | 2nd Generation | 3rd Generation | |
| Another Name | Smart city coupé (1998-2002) and Smart Fortwo (after facelift) | Second-generation (build series W451, 2007–2014) | Third-generation (build series C453, A453, 2016–present) |
| Production | 1998-2002 | 2007-2014 | 2016-present (global gas/electric) |
| Design | Hatchback with 3 doors | Hatchback with 3-doors | Hatchback with 3-doors and cabriolet with 2-doors |
| Engine Capacity | Petrol: 0.6-0.7 LDiesel: 0.8 L | Petrol: 1.0 LDiesel: 0.8 L | Petrol: 1.0 LDiesel: 0.9 L |
| Transmission | 6-speed automatic transmission | 5-speed automatic transmission | 5-speed manual, 6-speed dual-clutch automatic |
| Wheelbase | 1810 mm | 1867mm | 1873 mm |
| Length | 2500mm | 2895mm | 2695 mm |
| Height | 1500mm | 1559mm | 1663 mm |
| Width | 1510mm | 1542mm | 1555 mm |
| Curb Weight | 1610 lbs | 1653-1753 lbs | 1940 lbs |
Common Q/As about Smart Cars
What is the Top Speed of a Smart Car?
Normally, gas-powered smart cars are supposed to have a greater value of top speed compared to electric-powered smart cars. Moreover, smart cars running with gas can reach up to around 96 mph speed while electric-powered smart cars can achieve only around 78 mph of speed. Those speed limitations are depending on several driving conditions.
However, Automaker Smart USA states that the 61-hp engine is able to accelerate from 0 mph to 60 mph in approximately 15 seconds. Anyhow safety limiter indicates the top speed of 84 mph while remaining stable and well-controlled.
Is the speed depending on the weight of a smart car?
There are a few factors that affect the speed of a vehicle. It is similar to smart cars as well. However, the weight of a smart car is certainly a key factor in terms of analyzing the speed and the acceleration. If you have an idea about Newton’s second law, nothing but F = ma, you may understand that as far as the smart car weight gets low, the acceleration would definitely be higher If the engine power remains constant.
However, the maximum speed that the vehicle can achieve depends on the engine capacity as well. But it is clear that the achievable acceleration increases as the weight decreases. It means the time consumed by the vehicle to achieve its top speed might get reduced significantly.
Do you know the lightest weight smart car?
2007 Smart Fortwo is considered the lightest smart car. It did not seem to be a very sporty car, though it is an inclusion in the list of the lightest cars. The curb weight of the smart car Fortwo was around 1610 lbs. However, it was well known as the second-costliest smart car for sale in this weight section. But this car has sold more than 1.7 million units in 46 countries after its first introduction in 1998 despite its higher price.
What is the heaviest part of a smart car?
Generally, the heaviest component of a fuel-powered smart car is the engine and the transmission. In electric smart cars, obviously, the car battery would be the heaviest part. Because the car needs high power to keep moving. Also, the steering wheel, engine, and the body might also cause a high impact on smart car weight. On the other wheels are one of the lightest components of a smart car
What about the smart car engine?
1st generation smart car engines have come up with 3 categories of horsepower (hp) prior to the facelift. Three versions of engines are 45 hp, 51 hp, and 61 hp. In 2002 there was a facelift and after that 50 hp and 61 hp, 1st generation engines were available.
In 2016, 89 hp standard engine was newly introduced for Smart Fortwo cars and its standard torque was 100 pound-feets. Typically, fuel-powered ForTwo cars have a 1 L engine with 3 cylinders and electric ForTwo activated by a 55 kW motor runs on a battery pack of 17.6 KWh. The electric version can reach 47 hp with a 96 feet-pound torque.
What does the owner’s manual provide?
Generally, the owner’s manual indicates some important details such as curb weight, the allowable number of passengers and the cargo weight limitations that can be loaded into your vehicle, and some other technical specifications as well. It sums up the operating specifications of the vehicle along with the preferred charging time for electric vehicles and many more significant facts.
How many miles per gallon?
As an average fuel-powered smart car can travel up to 40 miles per gallon. It is obviously higher than the average value of 20 miles per gallon for a conventional motor car which is much larger and heavier. It implies that a smart car is capable of saving more in terms of fuel cost.
How far can you drive a full tanked smart car?
Compared to most cars, smart car fuel efficiency is much higher mostly because of the minimization of smart car weight and keeping an even weight distribution over the front and rear sections. Therefore, smart cars are very capable of traveling up to around 350 miles with one tank of fuel capacity. Typically, one tank holds 8.7 gallons of gasoline with an additional reserve tank that holds 1.3 gallons.
What kind of batteries do smart cars utilize?
Currently, the trend is towards electric smart cars mostly powered by lithium-ion batteries and they have a range of 80 miles once fully charged. However, it may differ with the conditions.
The most common type of battery used in electric smart cars is a Lithium-Ion battery with a capacity of 17.2 kW. It consists of 96 battery cells and It can also be recharged up to 80% in just less than 40 minutes with a high-speed charge
Hii! I am Kisal Pinsara Epa, a young Mechanical Engineer who graduated from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. I currently work in the power and energy sector as a junior Engineer but the automobile industry is obviously been one of my most interesting areas even from childhood. I used to love cars since I was a child. Also when it comes to writing, I am thoroughly enjoyed writing articles and publishing them. It is kind of an enthusiastic activity I love to involve with.