With Americans turning their attention to smaller and smaller cars as gas prices rise, the Smart Fortwo has been a tremendous sales success for Mercedes-Benz. The little two-seater's 33/41 mpg rating places it among the most fuel-efficient cars for sale in the U.S.  Still, the automotive press has been somewhat critical of the Smart's mileage, with many expecting more. The Fortwo gets nearly identical mileage to the four-seat Mini Cooper, and trails that of much larger hybrid cars. Mercedes has heard our complaints, and is working on ways to make the next-generation Smart more fuel-efficient.

AutoCar reports, "Smart is to fit a new stop-start system to all its petrol [that's gasoline, if you don't speak British] models as standard."  The system "is claimed to reduce petrol consumption by eight per cent." 

Autoblog explains, "The start-stop technology, which is called 'micro hybrid' by Smart, works by cutting off the engine during braking when the vehicle speed drops below five mph." 

Here we should note that there is absolutely nothing "hybrid" about the "micro hybrid" system. The Smart doesn't have an electric propulsion system to assist its gasoline engine.  The term "hybrid" has simply become such a buzzword that automakers are apparently now trying to use it as often as possible, whether it applies or not.

Back to Autoblog, "According to Smart, the engine restarts immediately when the brake is released." 

There is apparently some question as to whether we'll see this technology in the U.S.  Autoblog reports that the system will be "employed fleet-wide beginning in October."  Edmunds Inside Line disagrees, saying "micro hybrid drive will not be available in North America."

Since all Smart cars are currently manufactured in only one factory, it seems unlikely that Mercedes would build the technology into some of the vehicles the factory puts out but not all of them.   

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