The 2023 Smart #1 has been announced as the first model to come from the brand’s all-new model range.
Smart teased the all-electric #1 undergoing cold-weather testing in the far north of China and in a wind tunnel, but has yet to unveil any details about its electric powertrain.
The brand says the hash symbol “is evocative of trendsetting in the digital era,” as it revealed the unconventional naming convention for the line-up.
Unlike a number of other electric cars suffering through winter in the Northern Hemisphere in recent months, Smart announced the new model features “ice breaking functions” on the concealed door handles, ensuring owners can still get into the car even when covered in a thin layer of ice.
While the carmaker has gone through a number of partnerships since its inception in 1994, the new crop of Smart cars are designed by Mercedes-Benz, but engineered and built by Geely in China.
With the Smart #1 set to be unveiled later this year, the company is aiming to sell its new range of electric city cars in Europe, but there’s no word yet on whether the brand will be reintroduced to Australia after leaving the country in 2015 due to poor sales.
Keyword: 2023 Smart #1: New Chinese electric models get hash name