Smart, the super adorable city car that was once a sub-brand of Mercedes-Benz, has been reborn as a new independent brand under Smart Automobile Co., Ltd which is co-owned by Mercedes-Benz and China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.
SMH (Société de Microélectronique et d’Horlogerie), makers of the Swatch brand of watches that originally started the idea of Smart was out of the picture in the late 90s after Daimler-Benz bought out SMH’s remaining stake in the company (formerly known as MCC, or Mercedes City Car).
Anyhoo, the Smart #1 Compact SUV you see here is the first car from the partnership minted in 2019. The Smart #1 is a sleek, rear-wheel drive compact SUV that is electrically driven by a 200 kW (272 PS) electric motor with 343 Nm (253 lb-ft) on the tap. It has a top speed of 180 km/h (112 mph).
The car uses an NCM battery system with a max capacity of 66 kWh, offering 420-440 km or about 260-273 miles WLTP range. It will support 22 kW AC and 150 kW DC charging. The former charges 10-80% in 3 hours while the latter is able to top up to 80% in just 30 minutes.
Some of the highlights include 19-inch wheels wrapped in 235/45 R19 tires, characteristic exterior lighting, a 15L frunk, a 273-411L variable trunk, a floating center console design, a halo glass roof, digital key, and remote car control, concealed door handles, interior ambient light with 64 colors and 20 levels of illumination, a 13-speaker Beats high-end sound technology, 7 airbags, a 12.8-inch FHD touchscreen infotainment screen, a 9.2-inch FHD digital instrument cluster, a 10-inch HUD, and smart Pilot featuring Stop & Go, and highway and traffic jam assistance, et cetera.
The Smart #1 Compact SUV Electric Vehicle is set to launch in China “in near future.”
Images: Smart Automobile Co., Ltd.
