I’m a fan of the Smart, the fuel efficient European roadster that’s smaller than a Mini (see above). It’s coming to America, but indirectly and not without some complexity. Oddly, considering the current energy crisis and that buyers appear to be looking for more efficient vehicles now, there’s a lot of red tape involved with bringing efficient vehicles new or old to the US.
Take these Japanese K-Cars that get around 50 miles per gallon and can be imported and bought used for under $5000, but only in Canada. There’s a company importing small, efficient trucks, but only for farm-use in the US. In short, other than big trucks and expensive hybrids, all we have are pogo-sticks and mono-wheelers.
tags: coming to america, complexity, efficient, energy, energy crisis, fuel, fuel crisis, fuel efficient, fuel efficient car, fuel efficient cars, hybrid, miles per gallon, mini, mpg, prius, roadster, smart, transportation
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Posted October 20, 2005 by Casey
Categories: Photoblog, Planes, Trains, & Automobiles. Tags: coming to america, complexity, efficient, energy, energy crisis, fuel, fuel crisis, fuel efficient, fuel efficient car, fuel efficient cars, hybrid, miles per gallon, mini, mpg, prius, roadster, smart, transportation.
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[...] Face it, there just aren’t any affordable fuel efficient vehicles in the US. [...]
[...] While we’re still waiting for flying cars (or even just fuel efficient cars) I’m keeping track of tiny helicopters like the GEN H-4 and this one, the AirScooter II, pictured above. [...]
For all of us with or without the newest fuel efficient cars we can all start making improvements with our current vehicles gas mileage. Visit http://www.gasdandy.com to download a program that will help keep track of gas mileage and remind you of oil changes and more. GasDandy also creates easy to understand graphs making it easy to see changes in efficiency. Enjoy a free trial for up to five free gas mileage calculations.
What is the “red tape” for getting the Smart available to the US market????
We import these little trucks to Canada and they can be driven on the road. Check us out at http://www.minitruck.ca or e-mail info@minitruck.ca
[...] crazy is it that we can get neither flying cars nor (affordable) fuel efficient cars [...]
Check out the 3 wheeled Xebra electric car at zapworld.com.
It’s 4 door, has about a 40 mph top speed, 40 mile range, available roof mounted solar panel & it is licensed as a motorcycle.
It’s $10,000 w/out the solar panel or 12,000 w/out the solar panel. It’s pretty interesting.
zapworld.com also sells the smart & other electric transportation devices…It’s a cool company.
Would you be interested in buying Japanese Mini trucks direct from Japan ? Or if you are already buying from Japan would like to try an alternative agent?
Our company G. Trading is part of the Gulliver group who are the largest secondhand car dealers in Japan. We are alsoJapan’s leaders in used vehicles for domestic use and export and have a access to thousands of Mini trucks every week. Please take a look at our website http://www.g-tr.com We are based in Yokohama Japan.
For more information please contact Nick Shotter either by e.mail or telephone. 0081 901504 2452
P.S. I am also able to source parts.,
[...] I’m in the market for a new car, but I’m finding that the market for cheap and fuel efficient cars is no better now than it was in 2005. [...]
The real problem is that General Motors etc. has bought out all of the gas efficient carb’s from independent people that are just like you and me. These people have invented carburetors that get 200 mpg and General Motors contacts them, offers a hefty payoff to all rights and then keeps the design, while we pay the high gas prices. That is what the problem is. It is all about greed and money to these larger companies and the working people of America are paying the price. No one looks into it too much because they come up missing. It really is a problem that people need to rally together to stop. Refusing to buy cars that get less than 200 mpg is possible and would create positive changes. Let’s start talking, thinking and doing like Martin Luther King. He had a dream and we should all have a dream to be treated fairly. Type in 200 mpg carburetors in your google search browser and look into this. It is not a myth.
Investigations on those who have created these fuel efficient carburetors or who have put up a fight against the large companies (oil companies and general motors etc.)and have mysteriously died or come up missing should be widely publicized, but yet they never make it on the news at all, ironic.
” The Water Fuel Cell” by Stanley Meyer. Pub 1991. — It has been said he ran a VW dune buggy on water only. He tried for years to get financial help; but when he finally got it, he died mysteriously while celebrating the deal. A newspaper stated “His car and information were seized with no one explaining how he did it.” This is his original information and articles on his system, — 2 books over 180 pages. $30.00
The environment is very important and environmental friendly & also affordable inventions do exist. So long as the oil companies don’t keep adding additional additives to create counter effects to those trying to make a positive difference.
“Secret Super Mileage Report” by Bruce McBurney, Pub. 1996. — The facts on special carburetors and how they produced natural gas and methanol for greatly increased gas mileage–up to five times, and how they drastically cut pollution. If you care about clean air and a healthy planet for your children, you need to know and share this information. This book explains how any of the pioneers in this movement set the stage for the new developments in this field. However, they didn’t understand that the chemistry of the reaction or how the additives in gas prevented the systems from working. This book comes with a money back guarantee if you are not convinced.Over 1600 copies sold (with only 2 refunds). A must read for any researcher, environmentalist, or skeptic. — 68 pages. $19.95 partial text on web site www,himacresearch.com
We stayed with an employee of Mercedes in Germany who drives a Smart Car. He and his wife liked the 4/4 version but they were unimpressed with the mileage. Honda made a 50 mpg car years ago and and I drove a nearly 50 mpg LeCar (r4) for years (loved it but eventually could not get parts). Some of our German family members say the Smart has a tendency to rollover. I am not trying to knock the car but Consumer reports was not impressed. I would want to check this very attractive car out very carefully before purchase.