Live In Play
02-Mar-05
07:43 ZAPZ Smart car takes hit as 60-mpg claim runs up against EPA roadblock - LA Times (3.12 )
The LA Times reports Zap made a big publicity splash with its plans to sell the tiny two-seat coupe, promoting it as the most efficient gasoline-powered vehicle ever at 60 miles to the gallon and lining up thousands of orders. But before the French-made ultra-mini could even think about hitting U.S. roads, the Environmental Protection Agency ordered the Santa Rosa, Calif., auto importer to scale back its fuel-efficiency claims. The federal agency's fuel economy estimate for the Smart car isn't 60 miles per gallon, it's 37, sort of like a Honda Civic. Steven Schneider, Zap's chief executive, said that the company's fuel trials showed the Smart delivering readings of 50 to 60 mpg and that he intended to ask the EPA for a retest. Meanwhile, Zap has pulled the 60-mpg boast from its website. Schneider said he wasn't worried, though. Zap has orders for more than $55 million worth of the cars, some 3,600 at the $15,000 base price. At 37 mpg, the Smart would have the ninth-best rating in the EPA's rankings for 2005.