Environmental 'Smart' car cruises down U.S highways |
| Posted by Administrator (admin) on Jan 30 2008 at 5:53 PM |
Photo Google Images
The "Smart" car hit U.S. vehicle dealerships in January. Though tourists in 36 other countries have noted the tiny "toy like" car since before 2000, the interest in curbing gas prices and the car's smart looks already exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC may mean the time has come for this Mercedes designer vehicle. Base costs for the gasoline only modells run from $11,590 to $16,590
Jason Arens
Guest Writer
"Go Green" That seems to be the slogan for this generation across the states. From massive recycling kicks to up and coming ethanol fuel, America is trying to conserve energy, and ultimately the environment, for the many generations to come. So what big step is America taking next?
Even with the mixture of skyrocketing gas prices and the green movement, gas-guzzling vehicles continue to cruise the highways. This offered the opportunity for U.S. residents to be introduced to and new style of driving, the "Smart car."
This compact two-seater is designed to get around 50 miles to the gallon. It will be set out for sale in January. But what is most interesting about the vehicle is that it is already old news to a lot of countries around the world. More than 770, 000 Smart cars have already been sold in 36 different countries. The company, Smart USA, waited to release the car in the United States because it felt that the country wasn’t ready for the vehicle.
The Smart car is just less than 9 feet long, which is 3 feet shorter than a Mini Cooper. It's a lightweight as well, weighing 4,500 pounds less than a Hummer H2. Its sleekness makes it a breeze to maneuver around the city and find a parking spot, but its size makes it vulnerable on the open road as well. So would people around the UNK community really drive the vehicle?
UNK freshman Wesley Okwoumo, who is from Lincoln majoring in marketing, said, "Yea, I guess it would be pretty cool to drive around for a while, and it would really save money on gas, but I don't think I would ever buy the vehicle."
"I would never buy or drive that vehicle. It’s way too compact for me," said Phillip Sulu, a UNK freshman from Scottsbluff with an undeclared major. He added, "Plus it wouldn't stand a chance if it were collide with another vehicle on the open road."
Clearly people have different opinions on the car, mainly based on its weight and size. City drivers will have different opinions from rural drivers as well. But at least it's making a step towards saving our environment.
According to urbanplacesandspaces.com, John Robinson, a professor at the University of Maryland, said that the whole point of the car is to confront environmental issues with ordinary automobiles, and since 90 percent of car trips are taken alone, why drag along the empty seats?
