Malaysia-bound Smart #1 EV launched in China

KUALA LUMPUR: Back in January, Proton announced its tie-up with smart, a Chinese EV carmaker owned by Mercedes-Benz and Geely), for selling its electric cars in Malaysia. The first EV to be rolled out under this new partnership is the Smart #1, which has recently gone on sale in the home market. Let’s know about this Malaysia-bound EV in detail, starting with its drivetrain setup.

Drivetrain

Based on Geely’s vast SEA platform, the Smart #1 electric SUV is equipped with a rear-mounted electric motor dishing out a maximum power output of 272 PS and a peak torque of 343. The motor is coupled with a 66-kWh battery pack, offering a range of 535 km on a single charge. In the case of the top-spec variant, the range can go up to 560 km thanks to its exclusive electric motor utilising silicon carbide tech.

In terms of performance, the Chinese electric car can run from zero to 100 kmph in 6.7 seconds. And if we talk about the charging time, it takes 7.5 hours to get 80% charged when using the AC charger. However, the 150kW DC charger completes the same task in just 30 mins. 

Exterior

Designed by Mercedes Benz, the SUV boasts a new “sensibility and sharpness” design philosophy, in line with the concept version. It features a two-tone body, triangular LED headlights connected by a DRL bar, smooth body lines, a floating roof, and through-type LED tail lights. The side profile looks stunning, and the credit goes to frameless doors with hidden door handles and stylish rims measuring 18- to 19-inch in size.

Interior

Inside the Smart #1, you get a retro-style steering wheel, a 9.2-inch LCD instrument panel, a heads-up display, foldable rear seats, 64-colour interior ambient lighting, a 5-speaker sound system, dual-zone climate control, and 12.8-inch infotainment unit. The latter is mated to the “smart universe,” a human-computer interaction system offering several in-car functions that can be controlled by voice commands.

Safety

As for safety, the automaker has equipped the EV with an ADAS suite featuring a number of advanced driving aids like lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring system, adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, and intelligent parking assist.

Price

The Smart #1 price in China starts at CNY 190,000 (RM 124,852) and goes all the way up to CNY 230,000 (RM 151,162). As for Malaysia, we are yet to receive the EV’s arrival timeline and pricing.

Also read: 2022 Proton X70 goes on sale in Malaysia at RM 93,900