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Loading ...The Daimler Chrysler Smart ForFour has been successfully converted into a demonstration electric plug-in vehicle by Lithium Technology Corporation (LTC) and Zytek Systems. Compared to other hybrid electric vehicles currently on the market, this new Smart ForFour has a superior fuel economy capable of 84 mpg and an all-electric range of 20 miles.
LTC developed the Li-ion battery with an output of 288V, a capacity of 7.5 Ah, and a capability to deliver 25 kW of power. The battery can be recharged in three ways: by the internal combustion engine, by regenerative braking, or by plugging into an electrical outlet. Also, the unique Battery Management System is equipped with additional safety features for charging the battery.
Part of the “Ultra Low Carbon Car Challenge,” this converted Smart ForFour was supported by the Energy Saving Trust with 1.8 million british pounds awarded to Zytek to further develop the technology.
A plug-in Hybrid that can go 84 [Via: Gadgetell]
For plug-in hybrids, any claims of obtained MPG are rather silly, since it entirely
depends upon the car’s MPG achieved during gasoline operation, and the length of
the trips between sessions plugged in to the power outlet. If you can get by with all-electric operation , then the MPG is infinite, since you are using no gasoline whatsoever.
I don’t think measuring the mpg is all that silly, just an incomplete measurement. There has to be a measurement of some sort for comparison and discussion purposes. Perhaps it would be better to say that it gets 84 MPG per gallon of gas when running in gasoline mode, but when run in electric mode, it gets miles per kilowatt hour or something like that.
I think you wll find that the electric part is based on an equivalent cost. If you drive 20 miles and it costs so much to recharge that battery, then that equates to so many cents per mile which can be compared to the cost of going the same distance on gasoline. The figures I have seen report about 80 cents per gallon equivalent. Don’t quote me on the 80 cents, but it is some figure about a quarter of the cost of gasoline.
One quick point - this is a diesel hybrid - it uses diesel fuel not gasoline.