This story originally appeared at the clubsmartcar.com Cross-Canada Relay website.

Contact Keith by e-mail.

When smart first appeared on the streets of Europe in 1998, it was known as the ‘city-coupe’. And although many people will immediately remark that the smart ‘makes a great city car’, Canadian owners have shown that the car is more than dependable on long road trips.

Take for example, Rich Helms, a seasoned software developer with over 30 years of experience including Research and Development (R&D), sales and marketing, who also writes occasionally for the Toronto Sun Autonet Drive section.

Rich has his own blog, where you can read about his many travels into the USA, which at last count, include visits to 17 different states. Rich has even taken his 2005 stream green pulse cabrio to Wal-Mart headquarters in Bentonville, AR.

Here’s Rich’s car at Duke University

Aside from being a smart enthusiast, Rich is known for liking small vehicles. He journeyed to Madison, Georgia in March 2006 to visit the Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum. As Rich wrote, and I believe him, ‘have smart, will travel’.

Another well travelled smart, is the one I own. During September 2005, I took my car across Canada during the 100 MPG Challenge , stopping in all ten provinces, and the southern coast of Labrador, logging over 16,000 kms in 33 days. I was raising awareness about climate change, having donated the advertising space on my vehicle to the City of Abbotsford, BC to promote their Community One-Tonne Challenge.

The journey was documented on my website, www.100mpg.ca , and an unofficial one tank fuel economy record was set for a Canadian smart (113 mpg imperial, or 2.5 L/100km). The car offered up absolutely no troubles during the trip, and proved to be very comfortable day in and day out. My final mileage overall was 3.6 L/100 km, and the trip cost only $625 in fuel, despite sharply rising prices averaging over $1.05 per litre.

As you can see, there is plenty of room available inside the smart for a month long journey…

Other notable long distance travellers…

Annette and Rupert Thomas (greater Toronto) took their smart on a 15,000 km journey through the USA and Canada in July/August 2005. You can read their stories on the SCOOT website.

Les (84) and Phyllis (73) took their car across Canada between August and October 2005. Three Point Motors in Victoria documented their journey here. This is well worth checking out!

smart Canada loaned a vehicle to Le Guide de l’Auto in August 2005, and their driver Guy Desjardins travelled 6587 kms over 10 days. Their version of crossing Canada can be found here.