Pro-Net, the official distributor for Smart in Malaysia, has finally released full specifications of the Smart #1 Premium as it gears up for the local launch. This variant will be the cheaper of the two models that will be offered here initially—the other being the sportier Brabus—and will almost certainly be the volume seller.
This means we finally have proper performance and range figures and, as expected, they are identical to the global models. The #1 Premium is powered by a single rear motor that produces 200kW (268hp) and 343Nm of torque, enough to bring the 1,800kg electric SUV from zero to 100km/h in 6.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 180km/h.
This motor is juiced by a 66kWh ternary lithium battery that provides a range of 440km on the WLTP cycle. It can be charged with up to 150kW of DC fast charging power, taking 29 minutes to top up the battery from 10 to 80% charge; a slower 100kW charger will take 40 minutes. The #1 is also one of the few EVs to support up to 22kW of AC charging, taking just three hours to get from 10 to 80% charge.
As previously reported, the #1 was developed by Geely, with styling handled by Mercedes-Benz (the current iteration of Smart is a 50:50 joint-venture between the two companies). As such, it rides on Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) shared with the new Volvo EX30, equipped with MacPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension, electric power steering and disc brakes all around.
Measuring 4,270mm long, 1,822mm wide and 1,636mm tall—with a wheelbase of 2,750mm—the #1 is around the same size as the Ora Good Cat (albeit slightly taller owing to its 182mm ground clearance) and Mini Countryman. That means it’s smaller than its immediate competition, such as the Volvo XC40 EV, BMW iX1, Mercedes-Benz EQA and even the BYD Atto 3.
Still, it is at least fully packed with kit, with features like matrix LED headlights with adaptive high beam, illuminated front grille and side Smart badges, large 19-inch aerodynamic alloy wheels, flush pop-out door handles and keyless entry.
Inside, you’ll find a massive 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen equipped with built-in navigation (complete with local charging point listings), voice control and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a slim 9.2-inch digital instrument display and a ten-inch head-up display.
The car also comes with a 360-degree camera system, a Qi wireless charger, a cooled armrest console, dual-zone auto climate control, an N95 cabin filter, 64-colour ambient lighting, a panoramic glass roof with a powered sunshade, a 3.3kW vehicle-to-load (V2L) function for plugging up devices and appliances, a hands-free powered tailgate and a 13-speaker, 640-watt Beats sound system.
The leather seats come with power adjustment at the front; not only does the driver get an easy entry/exit function that slides the seat forwards and back, but they can also adjust the passenger seat through the infotainment touchscreen. The rear passengers, on the other hand, can recline and slide their seats fore and aft, and they also get their own air vents and USB-A and USB-C ports.
One casualty of the #1’s compact size is the boot, which measures just 323 litres, although this can be expanded to 411 litres with the rear seats slid fully forward. Fold those seats flat and you get 986 litres of luggage capacity. A 15-litre front boot sits underneath the clamshell bonnet.
Pro-Net has also confirmed the #1’s list of safety systems, which not only include autonomous emergency braking but also adaptive cruise control and lane centring assist for Level 2 semi-autonomous driving. The car also comes auto lane change that lets you move into another lane simply by indicating—a rare feature in Malaysia—as well as an auto park function that detects parallel, perpendicular and even diagonal spaces using markings on the ground, rather than simply measuring the distance between two parked cars.
The Smart #1 is now open for booking, with deliveries slated for the end of the year; you can place your orders though the Hello Smart app, available through the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Huawei AppGallery. Check out our two-part video of the Smart #1 below.
