- Buyers want more space, the Smart #1 delivers
- 450+ km of WLTP range expected from 66 kWh battery
- Unclear if Smart #1 will arrive in Australia but demand is there
Image: Smart
Smart is a brand that many car enthusiasts would remember as making small inner-city cars.
These days, Smart Automobile is backed by Mercedes-Benz and Geely and they have just started deliveries of their next model which happens to be an EV – and slightly bigger than the quirky inner-city ICE car we once remember it to be.
Buyers want more space, the Smart #1 delivers
Like the BMW-owned Mini brand has grown in size over the years, Mercedes-Benz-backed Smart has also grown.
Image: Motor1 UK
Smart has just commenced deliveries of the #1 EV in China. This diminutive vehicle is more like a small SUV than the mini hatch it once used to be. One thing that hasn’t changed though is the funky colour schemes it once offered.
Image: Smart
The new EV is 4.27 metres in length. This is a tad smaller than the most affordable EV available in Australia, the BYD Atto 3. The Atto 3 is 18.5 centimetres longer at 4.45 metres.
450+ km of WLTP range expected from 66 kWh battery
The official range figure in China where customer deliveries have begun stands at 560 km on the CLTC cycle. The Smart #1 will sit around 450+ km of range using the WLTP standard.
Image: Smart
For a quick comparison of range, Tesla says the Model 3 in China has 556 km of range, based on the CLTC rating standard.
Image: Tesla China
Meanwhile, in Australia, the same model is 491 km, based on the European WLTP range test.
Image: Tesla Australia
We expect the range of Smart #1 to be closer to 450+ km under the WLTP cycle.
Image: Smart
The Smart #1 can achieve fast charging speeds of up to 150 kW. This is similar to Polestar 2 currently available in Australia.
The price of the Smart #1 EV starts at just shy of $42,000 AUD and goes all the way up to $52,500 AUD given the current exchange rates for RMB to AUD.
Unclear if Smart #1 will arrive in Australia but demand is there
A model like the Smart #1 that’s similarly sized and priced (for its base model) is set to be a hit, given the recent success of the BYD Atto 3 in Australia.
There is quite a bit of demand for affordable smaller EVs. Bringing an EV similar to this to the Australian market will offer a broader range of EVs to those looking at making the switch.
The Smart brand is well known by many in the inner-city parts of Australia. Perhaps this could be the next smarter city EV that many go for.
Keyword: Mercedes backed Smart #1 EV launches in China