There will be three versions of smart#1 on sale, including a BRABUS performance version
Just a few months ago PRO-NET which is the brand guardian for smart Cars in Malaysian and also Thailand had a signing ceremony with Hap Seng Smart to sell this well equipped electric vehicle. There are also five other dealership appointments on the way, including EON which was announced in May this year.
With PRO-NET and smart cars ready to launch in a few weeks time, it will be interesting to see what the rivals will be doing in the pricing game.
Meanwhile, in case you did not know this, smart#1 is the first in a series of electric-powered vehicle to be developed in a joint venture between smart’s parent companies, Mercedes-Benz and Geely.
Under the terms of an agreement signed in 2020, Mercedes-Benz was responsible for the styling, while Geely led the engineering of the smart#1, which will spearhead the re-launch of the smart car brand originally established by Mercedes-Benz in 1994 as a separate division responsible for dedicated city cars.
This partnership also showcased another historic milestone for Proton and its subsidiaries group, coming almost four decades after the company and EON pioneered the evolution of Malaysia’s automotive industry with the latter appointed as the first and exclusive dealer for Proton cars.
smart car dealers in Malaysia will be equipped with full sales and service support for the customer’s peace of mind and will offer a premium customer experience and other additional services to including quick charging, quick repair services and a delivery center, ensuring a comprehensive experience for all customers.
In case you were wondering, this smart#1 exterior dimensions (length/width/height in mm are as follows, 4,270/1,822/1,636; wheelbase: 2,750 mm), the interior of the smart #1 is spacious thanks to its wheels positioned far out to the corners of the vehicle.
Some of the interesting cabin features that will come with this new EV will be:
- Beats brand speakers
- mobile phone wireless charging
- a 12.8-inch floating central control large screen
- a 9.2-inch high-definition LCD instrument
- a 10-inch full-color head-up display
The smart#1 will be powered by a rear-mounted electric motor developing 268 hp and 343 Nm of torque. It is combined with a 66-kWh lithium-ion battery that uses NCM (Nickel, Cobalt and Manganese) cells operating at 400V. Its weight is just 1,820kg.
Meanwhile, this smart#1 has a limited top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h).
The battery, mounted within the floor structure of the SEA platform, can be charged at up to 22 kW on an AC system and at 150 kW on a high-powered charger. Charging time, from a 10% to 80% state of charge under optimal conditions on a DC system, is put at 30 minutes.
The range on the European WLTP test procedure is put at between 419 and 440 km.
So what will be the selling price in Malaysia? Well, looking at the proposed selling prices around the globe, we can get a rough idea. In United Kingdom, the smart#1 is priced at £35,000 which is about RM208,000 even before you add Malaysian profit margins.
In the Netherlands and Germany, it is priced at €40,000 which is about RM204,000 and this is with ‘EV’ grants from the respective governments.
Meanwhile, the BRABUS version sells for £43,000 which is about RM255,000. Looks like smart#1 will be giving Tesla a run for their money very soon.
