We had discovered it at the living room of Munich last year in the form of a concept car. We find it today in its final form without the original design being twisted or distorted. Everything is there, outside and inside, and the first impression of this Smart #1 (which should be called Hashtag One) is rather positive. The small brand that was said to be moribund is trying to be reborn and grow with a first all-electric SUV and, stylistically at least, it has passed its first passing exam.
Obviously, some elements appearing on the concept fell into the field of honor of profitability, such as the antagonistic doors or the individual seats in the back. For the rest, everything is there, in particular the famous floating roof (and glass) of a differentiated color of the bodywork which falls on the rear pillar and which is not without evoking the lines of a fire. Opel Adam. Another borrowing: the front has an air already seen on the latest Korean productions, at That and Hyundai.
Apart from these pranks, the general lines are ultra-simple, in total rupture with the current tortured angular design. #1 is a very rounded pebble. A desire that is evidenced by the retractable door handles.
Inside too, the main lines of the concept are respected. The floating console, which runs between the front seats, is still on the program, as is the large 12.8-inch central screen that sits on the console. The two rear seats of the concept have become a 60/40 sliding and split bench seat and the 5 passengers (who will be content with being 4 for long journeys) will be able to enjoy a sound system from the American brand Beats with its 13 speakers.
But if this Smart Hashtag One is a rounded pebble, it’s no small pebble. The brand wants to forget its past studded with mini-city cars with this 4.27 m long urban SUV. It is certainly a little shorter than a Renault Captur or that a Peugeot 2008, but if it plays in the same size category despite everything, it is not of the same caliber on the price side. Certainly we do not know them yet, but the Smart SUV is openly premium. And not just because of its build quality, which is pretty good from what we’ve seen.
At Smart, the premium hides in the accessories (high-end sound system and matrix LED lights at the front and rear) but also under the hood and under the floor, with 66 kWh batteries that will fill up with electricity a 200 kW (272 hp) motor. Enough to offer a range of nearly 440 km.
The machine, rather lighter than many of its motorized colleagues, still weighs 1,870 kg, which should nevertheless offer it nice acceleration to reach its maximum speed set at 180 km/h. On the charging side, it plugs into an AC outlet and requires 3 hours to regain a level of 80% charge, or DC (offered as standard) to achieve the same charge in 30 minutes. Finally, Smart officials have promised: they plan to join the Ionity consortium shortly.
This mechanism, generally reserved for larger cars, is not really Smart’s responsibility. The Mercedes division took care of the design, but all the hidden part is the work of the Chinese Geely. This Hashtag One is designed in Germany and China, but it is assembled there, in a factory owned 50/50 between the two brands. the platform, called ACE, should also be quickly used by Geely on other future cars.
A price known in September
An electric SUV, which is moreover premium, is expensive. And the price of this Smart is the great mystery of the moment. It should be lifted in September, when pre-orders open. Deliveries, meanwhile, should begin in January 2023. However, we have only discovered one model and one #1 engine so far. Are other, less powerful ones on the program? “We do not deny” indicates the direction of the mark. And is a Brabus version, more overtly sporty, according to a Smart tradition planned? “We are thinking regarding it” says the same source. To be continued.
