During the local debut of the smart #3 earlier this morning, smart Malaysia also unveiled what it terms “a new, more affordable pricing structure” for the smart #1 Pro and Premium models. The price adjustment follows the global price realignment made by the brand last month.
The new price for the regular smart #1 variants in Malaysia are (on-the-road without insurance, but with SST):
smart #1 Pro single-motor – RM169,000
smart #1 Premium single-motor – RM209,000
In the case of the Pro, this is RM20,000 cheaper than the RM189,000 price asked for it previously. As for the Premium, the new price is RM10,000 less than before, when it was priced at RM219,000. The price of the Brabus dual-motor variant remains unchanged, at RM249,000.
No mechanical or specification changes, with the base #1 Pro and #1 Premium continuing to be powered by a rear-mounted electric motor producing 272 PS (200 kW) and 343 Nm of torque, enabling both to get from zero to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds on the way to a 180 km/h top speed. The difference is in battery sizes – the Pro has a 49 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery for a range of just 315 km, while the Premium has a larger 66 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) unit for a more useable 440 km of range.
As part of the price restructuring exercise, smart Malaysia is offering existing smart #1 Premium and Pro owners a complimentary four-year service package.
“We are constantly striving to provide value to our customers. By lowering the smart #1’s price, we aspire to integrate customers into the smart community, fostering togetherness and enabling full immersion in our provided ecosystem, thus enhancing the premium ownership experience for buyers. Additionally, our special offer for existing customers reinforces our commitment to outstanding customer service and support,” said smart Malaysia CEO Zhang Qiang.
Yet another Chinese carmaker has fallen victim to the ongoing electric vehicle price war, and the latest one is smart. The joint venture between Geely and Mercedes-Benz has slashed prices of its #1 and #3 SUVs to better compete with the likes of BYD and Tesla, which have also engaged in the race to the bottom.
Prices for the #1 now start at 154,900 yuan (RM102,600) for the Standard model (previously Pure+), rising up to 174,900 yuan (RM115,800) for the Long Range (previously Pro+) and 199,900 yuan (RM132,300) for the Deluxe model (previously Premium+). That’s a saving of between 21,700 (RM14,400) and 26,700 yuan (RM17,700) from when the car was launched in 2022. The Pure+ had already received a price drop to 179,900 yuan (RM119,100) in January when it was renamed the Pro.
Meanwhile, the #3 range has been reconfigured and now features a shorter-range Standard base model at 164,900 yuan (RM109,200). This takes over from the 209,900 yuan (RM139,000) long-range Pro+, which has been renamed the Dynamic Long Range and is now priced at 184,900 yuan (RM122,400).
The Dynamic AWD model is the new undisputed flagship but still manages to be 20,000 yuan (RM13,200) cheaper than outgoing mid-tier Pulse+ AWD, costing 219,900 yuan (RM145,600). No word on any changes to the Brabus models, which still retail at 284,900 yuan (RM188,600) for the #1 and 289,900 yuan (RM191,900) for the #3.
Mechanically, the #1 and #3 are identical to before, powered by a single rear motor that produces 272 PS (200 kW) and 343 Nm of torque. This gets the #1 from zero to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds, while the #3 is somehow much quicker – it takes nearly a second out of the century sprint, which it completes in 5.8 seconds (5.4 seconds for the Dynamic Long Range, for some reason).
The sole outlier is the #3 Dynamic AWD that gets a second front motor, churning out 156 PS (115 kW) and 200 Nm. Combined outputs are identical to the Brabus at 428 PS (315 kW) and 543 Nm, yet despite this, it needs seven more tenths of a second to get to 100 km/h, taking 4.3 seconds.
As ever, there are two battery sizes available. The smallest 49 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery provides a range of 400 km on the #1 Standard and 415 km on the #3 Standard; both figures are on China’s lenient CLTC cycle. There’s also a 66 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery that delivers a range of 535 km on the #1 Long Range and Deluxe, 555 km on the #3 Dynamic Long Range and 520 km on the Dynamic AWD.
Charging the #1 and #3 from 10 to 80% takes less than 30 minutes using a 150 kW DC fast charger. In China, a 7.2 kW onboard charger comes standard, so bringing the battery charge to the same percentage takes under five and a half hours with the 49 kWh unit and seven and a half hours with the 66 kWh version.
The company says the restructuring of the #1 and #3 lineup optimises the variants to better meet the needs of actual buyers. To that end, smart has taken out some features such as seat and steering wheel heating, repackaging them as cost options and packages. The carmaker is also offering promotions such as discounts, flexi-purchase deals and low interest rates until May 31.
In Malaysia, the smart #1 has been on sale since November, priced at RM189,000 for the Pro, RM219,000 for the long-range Premium and RM249,000 for the Brabus. Might we see a similar price cut here in the future?
smart Malaysia has announced the smart #1 (sold by Proton New Energy Technology or Pro-Net) ranked third in terms of sales in the fully electric SUV segment, specifically among premium models priced above RM180,000.
The company did not provide actual sales figures in its release, but we did ask and were told that the claim to the third spot is based on the year-to-date sale volume until February this year. What was provided were sales figures relating to the overall electric vehicle (EV) market, which rose from 3,079 units (0.43% market share) in 2022 to 11,624 units (1.45% market share) in 2023.
“Against this backdrop of rapid electrification and shifting consumer preferences, smart has emerged as a frontrunner, capturing the hearts and minds of Malaysian consumers with its commitment to innovation and customer-centricity,” read the release.
“This milestone reflects the growing demand for urban mobility solutions in the region and reaffirms smart’s goal to position itself as a leader in the premium EV segment. He further added, with only one model sold, as opposed to other key players in the industry, we have achieved this great success. This exemplifies the trust our customers have in our product and services, and I would like to express my gratitude to our customers,” commented Zhang Qiang, CEO of smart Malaysia.
Considering an EV as the family’s next second car? There are no shortage of options if you’re thinking of making the switch from petrol power to batteries today.
The BYD Atto 3 led the first wave, taking up an upper middle class porch spot that would have otherwise been occupied by a nice compact SUV, anything from the Honda HR-V to a BMW X1. The BYD became the king of a small pond in no time.
Then, Tesla came to town and pulled the rug from under all brands selling EVs in Malaysia, causing some models to become uncompetitive overnight. Never mind the direct sales model with no traditional SA support, the brand’s power and eye-popping pricing means that slit-eyed Model 3s are a common sight in the Klang Valley now, and you’ll soon see a wave of Model Ys too, as deliveries of the crossover have started.
These new Tesla owners had +/- RM200k to spend on a car; in the pre-EV era, their money would have gone to BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The premium Germans have EVs themselves too, but they’re no longer the default choice, at least when it comes to electric.
Amidst all this – and the Chinese EV price war that’s currently happening in the sub-RM150k space – the presence of the smart #1 might have slipped your mind. It was launched in November 2023 after a long-drawn saga of a preview; that was just four months ago although it feels much longer, perhaps a sign of how much is going on in the EV space.
But you shouldn’t overlook the smart #1. In my humble opinion, it offers something unique in the market and is an ideal ‘first EV’ if you’re transitioning from a premium-badged ICE car.
Design by Merc, cooler than Merc
If you don’t already know, today’s smart is a JV between Mercedes-Benz and China’s Geely. Famous for tiny city cars in the Y2K era, smart is now an EV-only brand, and the internals and platform of its cars are by Geely. However, the Germans are responsible for design, and there’s some Mercedes EQ flavour in the #1’s looks.
Mercedes-Benz has its own compact SUV EV of course, but the EQA appears safe and dull next to the smart, which looks unlike anything on sale today – a tall hatchback, but not quite the typical SUV. The #1’s large wheels, ‘stuck on’ baseball cap of a roof, and organic shape gives it a futuristic look. Quirky, but I like it.
The smart is as special inside too. The dashboard is a huge T-shaped cockpit partition with plenty of gloss white and matte silver bits, which reminds us of a previous-generation Apple product. Again, the lines and shapes are consistently organic and you won’t find any sharp edges.
Soft landing on EV land
It won’t be an EV without a huge screen in the middle but unlike Tesla, the 12.8-inch freestanding portrait screen is supplemented by a traditional ‘meter panel’ ahead of the driver – and in our Premium tester – a head-up display as well. No need to glance sideways for vitals here. And there are stalks, two of them in fact – one for the gears, another for the lights and wipers, just like on a Mercedes-Benz. Why are we even talking about stalks, you ask?
Unfortunately, stalks aren’t a given anymore. The Tesla Model 3 doesn’t have any, and you have to look elsewhere – literally – for basic functions such as gears, signals and wipers. Just a matter of getting used to, Tesla drivers and fans say. True, but this is still a classic case of reinventing the wheel when there was nothing wrong with it. In any case, screen requires more effort than stalk, and you can’t argue against that.
Now, this isn’t a digital vs analogue debate – the smart is a modern EV and most of its features are embedded in the system – but logic and ease of use. If we can’t have physical climate controls in the name of modernity, the least that carmakers can do is to dedicate a section of the screen for this most frequently used function. It is so in the smart, ventilated seats included. Controls for the glass roof are also where they’re supposed to be – on the roof.
I feel that smart has managed to design an interior that’s funky and high tech, yet logical and familiar. It needs some learning, of course, but the curve isn’t uncomfortably steep in my opinion.
Moans and niggles? Perhaps there are profiles that can save a driver’s preferences (if so, the next point is moot), but having to manually turn off warnings for speed limit and lane departure on every drive is annoying. I’m OK with the wing mirror controls being tucked away (activate in the screen, adjust with steering buttons) though, as that’s a set-and-forget thing.
Warning: You’re never alone in the #1. There’s an orange fox living in the screen. He can be overdramatic at times but is harmless. I can imagine Mr. Fox and his habitat being a tad too cartoonish for some, but IMO it fits in with smart’s younger, less stuffy image.
Best of both worlds
We started off by saying that the smart is a good landing point for those coming from premium ICE cars, and that’s seen not just in the interior design, but in the drive as well. Mostly in the the drive, actually.
You see, Chinese EVs, and their cars in general, tend to be very comfort-oriented. While comfort is desirable, veer too far to that end of the scale and you’ll get suspension that’s too soft and floaty, and steering that’s too light and artificial. That might be OK in a purely urban context, but it’s not a good match for Malaysia’s high speeds, less than flat highways and backroads – the nett effect is far from comfortable.
It’s the way it is because this is what consumers in the world’s biggest auto market want, and the carmakers tune accordingly – rightly so. The smart #1 doesn’t follow that template though, even though it’s made in China.
The #1’s suspension is a fair bit firmer than say, a BYD Atto 3, and the steering is much more natural in feel too, heavier and grainier. Compared to what we’re used to from Chinese SUVs, the smart corners flatter and has tighter body control when faced with undulations too.
Continental feel, if we’re being simplistic. But on the other hand, European electric SUVs can have the tendency of an overly busy ride, an irritant that’s difficult to ignore and one that diminishes the relaxed, effortless feel of an EV. I’ve not driven the iX1, but Hafriz Shah has, and he says that the BMW’s ride lets it down.
The smart #1 strikes a good balance between comfort and dynamics, and there’s more than enough handling and grip here for EV buyers, we reckon.
We move on to acceleration, which is, once again, quite well balanced in our 272 PS/343 Nm Premium tester. The claimed 0-100 km/h figure is 6.9 seconds, but the typical EV eagerness to leap ahead from rest to 50 km/h ensures that the #1 feels much faster than any ICE car with similar acceleration timing.
We also sampled the 3.9 seconds Brabus dual-motor range-topper (428 PS/543 Nm) and its ‘V8’ soundtrack – both the acceleration and ‘engine noise’ are hilarious, but seriously, the single-motor RWD Pro/Premium are more than quick enough. Fast enough that I covered all of my miles in Comfort mode, save for trying out Sport once for the sake of this review. You get an even bigger initial burst with Sport, but few will be missing it.
One area that ICE drivers might find jarring in the smart #1 is the excessive ‘engine braking’ that can’t be dialled down. We are of course talking about energy regeneration, which is part and parcel of the EV experience. The #1 has three levels of regen including single-pedal drive, but even in the mildest option, the pullback effect is strong and this translates to less-than-smooth progress. A longer leash would be nice.
Brilliant efficiency and charging
My driving/living impressions of the #1 was formed by a media drive to Penang and back – where I shared driving duties with two others – and a separate session where I integrated the EV into my weekday routine for a ‘real-world’ setting.
My final score from the latter is 15 kWh/100 km over 216 km. According to the smart’s trip computer, I consumed 54 kWh and regenerated 22 kWh over my 3D2N stint. I collected the car with 303 km range (94% SOC) and returned it with 39%, good for 161 km.
Not bad, but Hafriz did much better – the EV owner and serial tester managed a jaw-dropping 13.2 kWh/100 km over 400 km of mixed driving. That’s better than the 15-16 kWh/100 km he managed for the Mercedes-Benz EQA and BMW iX1, and if you extrapolate it, max range would be around 460-470 km, which is more than smart’s claimed 440 km WLTP range for the 66 kWh Premium. Fantastic efficiency from a fully-loaded EV rolling on UHP tyres.
Our man also reported accurate range readings and prediction, and trust is doubly important when it comes to EVs, as you can’t just stop for fuel anywhere like you would with ICE. Speaking of charging, the smart #1’s navigation function has charger locations from the top CPOs in Malaysia, covering 70% of charge points in the country. We used this in our drive to Penang, which needed a top up at the PLUS Sungai Perak R&R, and it worked as advertised.
This is also found in the Hello smart app, which you can use to pay for charging, keeping everything in-house. The app now supports debit/credit card payment in addition to the previous credits, which is a good upgrade.
With the app, you’ll be able to find out where the chargers are, who owns it, how many guns are there, operation hours and price – all without leaving the smart ecosystem. Pick a spot and it’ll be on the car’s big screen via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. When you’re there, initiate and pay with the app, then monitor the progress on your phone. One app to do it all? That’s pretty smart.
We applaud smart Malaysia for going beyond the basics of selling/servicing an EV. There won’t be many complaints if they sold the CBU #1 as is (we’re used to it), but smart took the effort to localise the in-car system and develop an EV-specific app that goes beyond telematics with ACO Tech, even improving it with time.
The smart #1 has another charging trump card, and it’s in the hardware. There’s always plenty of focus on DC fast charging, but an EV’s primary source of juice is AC, and the #1 stands out in the field with a 22 kW AC onboard charger. For context, all BYD EVs in Malaysia including the range-topping Seal Performance AWD max out at 7 kW, while premium brand EVs like the EQA and iX1 suck 11 kW, as per all Tesla and Hyundai EVs.
With 22 kW AC and a compatible source, going from 10-80% SoC takes just three hours. This means that you can have a long lunch break or rest time at home and when you’re done, the smart is replenished, all without paying DC rates. Yes, EVs are typically left to charge overnight, but the smart’s high AC rate gives you plenty of flexibility, including the option to AC over DC when you’re on the move.
Of the EVs currently sold in Malaysia, only the ’55 quattro’ variants of the Audi Q8 e-tron/e-tron GT and the Porsche Taycan support 22 kW AC, so the smart’s charging game is strong, a big USP at this price point. What about DC? 150 kW is nearly double the rate of the Atto 3 ER and Chery Omoda E5 (both 80 kW), and beats the EQA (100 kW) and iX1 (130 kW). smart claims 10-80% SoC in 30 minutes.
Daily, family
The RM219k Premium variant we tested has an equipment list that’s truly premium – in fact, I can’t think of many cars – ICE or EV – for the money that’s as well-equipped. The few features that I appreciated are the above-mentioned glass roof (which is huge), the ventilated front seats, the ‘courtesy’ sliding function of the driver’s seat that eases entry/exit, and the 13-speaker Beats sound system. The latter’s A-pillar tweeters are illuminated and even double up as blind spot flashers – smart!
Less flashy and certainly not a ‘feature’ to be highlighted, but the #1’s ample and sizeable storage areas in the cockpit (huge door bins, cooled centre box) and generous rear quarters make it a good family car as well. Not only is rear legroom better than the EQA and iX1 by some margin, the seat base height is ideal (not a given with EVs), the backrest is reclinable and it’s a spacious and pleasant experience overall, for all.
An educated guess would attribute the spacious cabin to the smart’s dedicated EV platform (the EQA and iX1 have ICE sisters). However, we got to sit in the Volvo EX30 and Zeekr X at the 2024 Bangkok International Motor Show, and while both those compact SUVs are also underpinned by the same Geely Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) 2 platform. they’re much smaller inside, proving that good old packaging is important too.
When it comes to electric vehicles, it’s easy to get all nerdy and caught up in the E and forget the V part of the equation. The propulsion source might be different, but at the end of the day, EVs are cars that should fit into our lives and serve us well. Strong on both counts, the smart #1 is a very competent electronic device, but as we discovered over long distance and daily driving, it’s also a good car, and that has to count for something.
Sense and cents
But isn’t it a bit expensive? The smart #1 appears pricey at a glance. The range starts from RM189,000 for the 49 kWh Pro, and the 66 kWh Premium as tested here will set you back RM219,000. For the dual-motor AWD Brabus with the same 66 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery, add RM30k.
Curiously, the base variant’s battery is of the lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) variety, which can be charged to 100% regularly with no issues. It’s advised that you charge NMC batteries to about 80-85% for regular use, which compromises maximum range. It would be great if the Premium came with an LFP battery, but nothing is perfect.
Premium brand EV rivals BMW iX1 and Mercedes EQA are priced close to RM300k
Anyway, smart’s asking prices might look high next to Chinese EVs from BYD, GWM and Chery; but the Geely-Mercedes product is more premium in equipment and – as established here – driving experience. The #1 is also a superior EV when it comes to performance and charging (the latter impacts your daily life, don’t disregard it), with the bonus of a multitasking app.
The Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 AMG Line and BMW iX1 xDrive30 M Sport are more appropriate EV rivals, and both are priced close to the RM300k mark. The EQA has a high 496 km WLTP range but is over two seconds slower to 100 km/h, while the dual-motor AWD iX1 does the century sprint a second faster than the #1 Premium, with a similar 440 km range. If you’re bullied, just call big brother Brabus.
Against the premium Germans, the smart #1 is great value. Not only is it better equipped and more spacious than the duo, it charges faster in both AC and DC, and you can buy an ICE SUV with the price difference! How about Tesla? Big hype and strong value there, but you must try before you buy – the smart EV experience is friendlier and familiar, from purchasing (traditional dealership and SA support) to driving (stalks!).
smart Malaysia has announced it has begun delivering units of the #1 Pro, which is the entry-level variant of the electric vehicle (EV) that was launched here last November.
“We are thrilled to meet the expectations of urban drivers, prioritising practical features such as ample space and a range of 315 km, which is more than adequate. The #1 Pro embodies the preferences of environmentally-conscious city dwellers and commuters, offering premium quality and an aesthetic all-electric design,” said Zhang Qiang, CEO of smart Malaysia.
“At smart Malaysia, user needs are paramount in our decision-making process. The Pro variant is offered to fulfill the diverse needs of modern drivers, offering exceptional value for money,” he added.
With a retail price of RM189,000 on-the-road without insurance, the Pro is RM30,000 and RM60,000 less than the Premium and Brabus respectively. For the lower price, the Pro is equipped with a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery capable of delivering up to 315 km of range following the WLTP standard.
The battery powers a rear-mounted electric motor rated at 272 PS (268 hp or 200 kW) and 343 Nm, which are figures identical to the Premium. As such, the Pro does the same 0-100 km/h sprint in 6.7 seconds and has a top speed of 180 km/h.
The Pro also gets the same DC fast charging capacity of 150 kW, and with its smaller battery (the Premium and Brabus packed a 66-kWh nickel manganese cobalt unit), getting from a 10-80% state of charge (SoC) takes 22 minutes. There’s also AC charging but at a lower rate of 7.2 kW (compared to 22 kW on higher-end variants), with a 10-80% SoC needing a longer six hours instead of three with the other variants.
In terms of equipment, the Pro comes with CyberSparks LED headlamps (without matrix adaptive high beam technology) that are manual levelling, 19-inch ‘Amps’ alloy wheels, a panoramic roof, a power tailgate (without a kick sensor), leatherette upholstery, powered front seats, dual-zone climate control (with rear vents and N95 filter), a polyurethane steering wheel, basic 64-colour ambient lighting, a five-speaker sound system and wireless charging pad.
The infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support is presented on a 12.8-inch touchscreen, with another display in the cabin being a 9.2-inch digital instrument cluster – both are also part of the Premium and Brabus’ kit list.
Despite being the entry-level variant, the Pro matches other variants by having a comprehensive suite of driver assistance systems. These include adaptive cruise control with highway assist and traffic jam assist, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, lane departure prevention, lane change assist, evasive manoeuvre assist as well as front and rear cross traffic alert.
2023 smart #1 Pro and Premium spec sheet; click to enlarge
There’s also door opening warning, blind spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, automatic high beam, parking assist, a 360-degree camera and autonomous emergency braking (front and rear collision mitigation support).
As for exterior colours, the #1 Pro is offered in Future Green, Quantum Blue, Digital White, Cyber Silver and Laser Red, with the interior only available in a single theme: After Dark. With each purchase, smart Malaysia provides an eight-year, 200,000 km warranty high-voltage battery; an eight-year, 150,000-km warranty on high-voltage components; a four-year, unlimited-mileage vehicle warranty; a two-year, unlimited-mileage spart parts warranty and 24/7 roadside assistance.
The company also offers a complimentary smartCharge Home Charger worth RM3,200 with a two-year warranty, a complimentary accesories package worth RM2,000 as well as a vehicle-to-load (V2L) adapter worth RM800 with a two-year warranty.
The 2024 smart #1 is surely one of the most interesting EVs on sale in Malaysia today, so here’s my full in-depth video review of it, covering everything that’s good and bad about it. As usual it’s a pretty lengthy video, but it covers pretty much all you need to know about smart’s new entry into the Malaysian EV market.
Specifically, this video focuses on the mid-spec, RM219,000 smart #1 Premium which to me, is the variant to go for for most customers. It has a larger battery and longer range than the base RM189,000 #1 Pro, and a more likable, friendlier styling and more comfortable ride than the top spec RM249,000 #1 Brabus. Certainly helps that it’s more than quick enough for most people too.
Another highlight is its sheer efficiency. smart may claim a decent 440 km range for the #1 Premium, but in almost 500 km in my hands, I averaged a power consumption of just 13.2 kWh/100 km for a full range of up to 470 km! This is the very first EV I’ve tested that exceeded its WLTP claimed range on Malaysian roads. Impressive.
Beyond the basics, the smart also has a key advantage over other EVs in Malaysia – an excellent integration of the local charging network in the country. The on-board system can map out exactly how far within Malaysia you can go with the current state of charge and plan your journeys for you. This includes making recommendations on where to stop for a quick charge if necessary. You can even pay for JomCharge, ChargEV and Gentari chargers via the Hello smart app.
Anyway, do watch the review above to find out what else I like (and don’t like) about the new smart #1. Would you agree with me that this is a better buy than a BMW iX1 and Mercedes-Benz EQA? Do comment below!
It was a long wait, but after several previews, the smart #1 made its launch debut in November last year and we finally got our hands on one for a more detailed walk-around video tour. A full review is coming up soon, so stay tuned to paultan.org for when it comes out.
Anyway, the response to the #1 has been positive, with 1,000 bookings received in the weeks since the electric vehicle (EV) went on sale. Before 2023 drew to a close, smart Malaysia also revealed that it had delivered 100 units, with more expected to make their way to customers this year.
In our walk-around video tour, Hafriz Shah says the #1 may well be the most ideal EV for the Malaysian market yet, pointing out some impressive highlights that make it stand out in what is becoming a crowded market.
As a brief recap, the #1 was developed and produced by smart Automobile, a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely. Built on the latter’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) and styled by the former, the #1 is offered in three variants in Malaysia.
The one featured here is the mid-range Premium, which retails for RM219,000 on-the-road without insurance and offers a WLTP-rated range of 440 km. This is thanks to a 66-kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery which powers a rear-mounted electric motor rated at 272 PS (268 hp or 200 kW) and 343 Nm of torque, allowing for a 0-100 km/h time of 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 180 km/h.
Beneath the Premium is the Pro that offers less range (315 km WLTP; 49 kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery) and is cheaper at RM189,000, while a step up is the Brabus variant at RM249,000. The Brabus model uses the same battery as the Premium but it has dual-motor, all-wheel drive setup serving up 428 PS (422 hp or 315 kW) and 543 Nm. This sees the century sprint time drop to just 3.9 seconds (same top speed) at the expense of 40 km of driving range.
One advantage of going with the Premium (or Brabus) is its onboard AC charger that can handle up to 22 kW (the Pro will only do 7.2 kW), so getting the battery from a 10-80% state of charge (SoC) takes just three hours instead of 7.5 hours. DC fast charging is at 150 kW for all variants, with just 22 minutes needed for the Pro to get from 10-80% SoC, or 30 minutes for the Premium and Brabus.
The #1 variants are also well equipped, with all variants coming standard with useful features as well as a comprehensive suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). If you want to know more about the #1, watch our walk-around video and share with us your thoughts about the #1 in the comments below.
Bookings for the smart #1 has reached 1,000 units within weeks of the EV’s official launch on November 21. What’s amazing is that smart Malaysia is targeting sales of 1,000 units in 2024, so that’s next year’s target hit in less than a month!
The reborn brand – a JV between Geely and Mercedes-Benz and distributed by Proton subsidiary Pro-Net in Malaysia – currently has 10 dealers across six states.
“The success of smart #1 reflects not only the excellence of our product but also our dedication to providing a seamless and enjoyable ownership experience,” said Zhang Qiang, CEO of smart Malaysia.
“The comprehensive warranty coverage, complimentary packages, and the smartCharge Home Charger offer are a testament to our commitment to customer satisfaction. Delivery is also a pivotal aspect, and our team is diligently working to ensure timely delivery of cars to our valued customers,” he added.
While the Hello smart app provides smart #1 owners with ‘end-to-end solutions’ from booking the car to charging and monitoring charging status, smart Malaysia says that the dealerships facilitate the purchasing process and also ‘ensure top-notch post-purchase service, offering expert guidance to customers’.
As for the warranty package mentioned by Zhang, the smart #1 comes with an eight-year or 200,000 km EV battery warranty, an eight-year or 150,000 km high-voltage component warranty, and a four-year unlimited mileage vehicle warranty for the rest of the car. There’s also a two-year unlimited mileage spare parts warranty and 24/7 roadside service assistance.
The EV also comes with an early-bird package that throws in perks such as a complimentary accessories package worth RM2,000, a five-year 60 GB data plan, and a limited-time offer of a complimentary smartCharge Home Charger valued at RM3,200. This special offer is valid until December 31, 2023.
Here’s a recap of the car. Prices start from RM189,000 for the Pro single-motor. The Premium single-motor goes for RM219,000, while high-performance Brabus dual-motor range-topper goes for a reasonable RM249,000.
The new smart is an EV-only brand and the #1 sits on Geely’s Sustainable Electric Architecture (SEA) but the design was done by Mercedes-Benz. It’s powered by a single rear motor with 272 PS (200 kW) and 343 Nm of torque going to the rear wheels. That’s good for 0-100 km/h in 6.7 seconds. Top speed is capped at 180 km/h. The high-performance #1 Brabus adds on a front motor to make it AWD, 428 PS (315 kW), 543 Nm and 3.9 seconds in the benchmark sprint.
The #1’s battery is a 66 kWh lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) unit providing 440 km of WLTP-rated range (Brabus 400 km). The maximum charge rate is 150 kW DC, which means that if paired to a compatible fast charger, the #1’s battery can go from 10-80% state of charge in 30 minutes.
That’s decent, but it’s in daily AC charging that the #1 stands out – with 22 kW AC (most rivals max out at 11 kW), going from 10-80% SoC takes just three hours. This gives added flexibility to the owner – imagine having a long lunch and your EV is fully charged, without paying DC rates. There are many other unique things in #1, such as a thumping Beats sound system, an elaborate song and light show, and even a fox ‘living’ in the touchscreen – check out the walk-around video above and gallery below.
The fun and funky EV is available in a wide range of colours – 10 to be exact, including the popular Atom Grey – Matte (Red Roof), Meta Black (Red Roof), Digital White, and Future Green. What do you think of the smart #1 versus other EVs in Malaysia?
But the smart #1 is now in showrooms, and you can take one home from RM189,000 for the Pro single-motor. The Premium single-motor goes for RM219,000, while high-performance Brabus dual-motor range-topper goes for a reasonable RM249,000. You’re getting a lot of EV for your money, as Hafriz Shah points out in the video below.
Here’s the gist of it. The new smart is an EV-only brand owned by Geely and Mercedes-Benz. The smart #1 sits on Geely’s Sustainable Electric Architecture (SEA) but the design was done by Mercedes-Benz, which is pretty obvious actually.
The #1 is powered by a single rear motor with 272 PS (200 kW) and 343 Nm of torque going to the rear wheels. That’s good for a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 6.7 seconds. Top speed is capped at 180 km/h. The high-performance #1 Brabus adds on a front motor to make it AWD, 428 PS (315 kW), 543 Nm and 3.9 seconds in the benchmark sprint.
The #1’s battery is a 66-kWh lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) unit providing 440 km of WLTP-rated range (Brabus 400 km). The maximum charge rate is 150 kW DC, which means that if paired to a compatible fast charger, the #1’s battery can go from 10-80% state of charge (SoC) in 30 minutes.
That’s decent, but it’s in daily AC charging that the #1 stands out – with 22 kW AC (most rivals max out at 11 kW), going from 10-80% SoC takes just three hours. This gives added flexibility to the owner – imagine having a long lunch and your EV is fully charged, without paying DC rates. There are many other unique things in #1, such as a thumping Beats sound system, an elaborate song and light show, and even a fox ‘living’ in the touchscreen.
Watch the video tour of the smart #1 above and tell us what you think of this funky EV. Full details here.
Following a series of previews over the past few months and the opening of the order books for it back in September, Proton – via its subsidiary Pro-Net – has finally launched the smart brand in Malaysia with the official introduction of the smart #1 earlier this evening. smart’s global CEO, Tong Xiangbei, was present to launch to brand in Malaysia, underlying the significance of our market, which is the first in the region to introduce the car.
The all-electric smart #1, with the suffix pronounced as hashtag one, arrives here as a fully-imported model, and as already intimated previously, is available in three variant forms. There’s a base rear-motor Pro model, followed by a Premium variant (which was the focus of the initial preview) and a range-topping Brabus dual-motor performance version.
Before we recap the specifications and kit available on the EV, here is how the smart #1 model range in Malaysia is priced:
smart #1 Pro single-motor – RM189,000
smart #1 Premium single-motor – RM219,000
smart #1 Brabus dual-motor – RM249,000
As its moniker suggests, the #1 is the first model in the new smart car family. Previewed as the smart Concept #1 in September 2021, the crossover made its global debut in April last year, with its introduction in Malaysia having already been confirmed by then. The launch today follows the original timeline set for its introduction in our market.
Unlike previously, where the initial smart outing – which began in the ‘90s – consisted of the likes of the funky smart ForTwo, ForFour and Roadster, the second coming is very much an all-electric affair. Although Mercedes-Benz remains in charge of the design styling, the architecture and engineering is very much a Geely effort as a result of the Chinese automaker’s buy-in into the brand in 2019.
Electrification means it sits on Geely’s Sustainable Electric Architecture (SEA), a modular EV platform that also underpins the likes of the Lotus Eletre, Zeekr 001 and Polestar EVs. The #1 utilises the SEA2 version of the platform, which is also found on the Zeekr X and Volvo EX30.
Shape-wise, it resembles a hatchback rather than its classification as an SUV as proposed for it by the brand, and a very large one at that. Measuring in at 4,270 mm long (4,300 mm for the Brabus variant), 1,822 mm wide and 1,636 mm tall, with a 2,750 mm-long wheelbase, the smart #1 is no small ‘un, tipping the scales from 1,780 kg for the Pro and 1,800 kg for the Premium right up to 1,900 kg for the Brabus.
Other relevant numbers include a 182 mm ground clearance and up to 411 litres of boot space, expandable to 986 litres with rear seats folded. There’s a small ‘frunk’ in front that takes in 15 litres, useful to store small items that you don’t want sliding around in the boot. In a nutshell, the key dimensions and numbers are:
Length: 4,270 mm (Brabus, 4,300 mm)
Width: 1,822 mm
Height: 1,636 mm
Wheelbase: 2,750 mm
Ground clearance: 182 mm
Kerb weight: 1,780 kg (Pro), 1,800 kg (Premium), 1,900 kg (Brabus)
Boot space: 323 to 411 litres; 986 litres with rear seats folded
Front trunk (frunk) space: 15 litres
The base #1 Pro and #1 Premium are powered by a rear-mounted electric motor producing 272 PS (200 kW) and 343 Nm of torque, enabling both to get from zero to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds on the way to a 180 km/h top speed.
The #1 Brabus adds on a front motor to make it AWD, and the setup offers 428 PS (315 kW) and 543 Nm in the way of output and reduces the 0-100 km/h sprint time down to 3.9 seconds. Top speed is identical to the single motor versions, at 180 km/h.
As you’d expect, there are differences to the base Pro and Premium versions, the main one being that the Pro comes with a 49 kWh lithium LFP battery, which offers up to 315 km of travel on a single charge.
Both the smart #1 Premium and Brabus get a 66 kWh lithium-nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) battery, and in terms of performance, the unit provides up to 440 km of WLTP-rated range for the Premium, and up to 400 km of range for the Brabus.
The maximum charge rate is 150 kW DC, which means that if paired to a compatible fast charger, the #1’s battery can go from a 10 to 80% state of charge (SoC) in 22 mins for the Pro and 30 minutes for the Premium and Brabus.
As for AC, the #1 Pro is equipped with a 7.2 kW onboard charger, allowing a full charge of the Pro’s battery to be accomplished in around six hours. If you want faster AC charging (and range), you’ll have to opt for the Premium. That’s because the 7.4 kW onboard charger has been replaced by a 22 kW unit as standard for the Malaysian market.
According to smart, having an onboard 22 kW AC charger makes a big difference, because getting the battery juiced up from 10-80% SoC takes just three hours instead of 7.5 hours if with the 7.4 kW charger. This translates to improved flexibility and less time needed for charging on AC, surely no bad thing. To recap the technical specs:
smart #1 Pro
Electric motor output: 272 PS (268 hp or 200 kW) and 343 Nm; RWD
0-100 km/h time: 6.7 seconds
Top speed: 180 km/h
Battery: 49 kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LFP)
Range (WLTP): 315 km
AC charging: 7.2 kW; 10-80% in six hours
DC charging: 150 kW; 10-80% in 22 minutes
smart #1 Premium
Electric motor output: 272 PS (268 hp or 200 kW) and 343 Nm; RWD
0-100 km/h time: 6.7 seconds
Top speed: 180 km/h
Battery: 66 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC)
Range (WLTP): 440 km
AC charging: 22 kW; 10-80% in three hours
DC charging: 150 kW; 10-80% in 29 minutes
smart #1 Brabus
Electric motors output: 428 PS (422 hp or 315 kW) and 543 Nm; AWD
0-100 km/h time: 3.9 seconds
Top speed: 180 km/h
Battery: 66 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC)
Range (WLTP): 400 km
AC charging: 22 kW; 10-80% in three hours
DC charging: 150 kW; 10-80% in 29 minutes
As for equipment, the Pro comes standard with manual-levelling CyberSparks LED headlamps, 19-inch ‘Amps’ alloy wheels with 235/45 profile tyres, a panoramic roof with powered sunblind, roof rails and a powered tailgate.
The Premium upgrades the CybersSparks LED headlamps to Matrix LED units with adaptive high beam and an auto levelling function. Also going on are sequential turn signals, side mirror puddle lamps, along with an illuminated front grille, door handles and logos (on the C-pillars). The Premium also adds on 19-inch ‘Rotor’ alloys (same tyre size) and a hands-free powered tailgate with a kick sensor.
Meanwhile, the Brabus gets additional styling accoutrements to denote its sports status, with plenty of red bits to provide contrast, both inside and out. Externally, the roof, side mirror covers and insides of the lower grille are finished in the particular colour, as are the lower lip at the front and on the lower edges of the side accents, along with the brake calipers.
The variant – which rides on stiffer dampers – also gets a Brabus aero kit, and this brings along items such as decorative letterbox vents either side of the smart logo on the bonnet as well as a more prominent rear spoiler. Completing the visual differentiation are 19-inch ‘Dynamo’ two-tone wheels with 235/45 profile tyres.
Of course, the interior is where all the action is, and there’s plenty of it, starting with the frameless door windows and a courtesy driver’s seat, which moves back automatically to allow for easier ingress and egress.
Taking centre stage in the cabin is a T-shaped dashboard featuring a contrast panel finished in gloss white, with a 12.8-inch standalone landscape-oriented touchscreen the highlight piece. The instrument cluster is a slim 9.2-inch panel, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity and Qi wireless charging to be found.
Standard equipment for the Pro includes leatherette seats, 10-way powered front seats (memory for driver), a five-speaker audio system, panoramic moonroof with a powered blind, a polyurethane steering wheel, cooled chiller function for the centre armrest storage, a 60:40 sliding and split-folding rear bench seat, dual-zone auto air-conditioning with rear vents and a N95 carbon filter as well as a basic 64-colour ambient lighting scheme.
The Premium adds on a 10-inch colour head-up display (HUD), which displays all the essentials, including navigation as well as a 13-speaker, 640 watt Beats sound system. It also adds on leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, illuminated door sills and an extended 64-colour ambient lighting system.
For the Brabus, aesthetic changes abound, with the centre console panel now dressed in a gunmetal hue and the headliner finished in black. The seats for it are dressed in ultrasuede, with normal leather sides, and the variant also gets sportier aluminium pedals.
Elsewhere, the red contrast theme continues, with accents on panel trims and AC vents finished in the shade. Aside from the seat belts, the headrests also get dressed in the colour, highlighted through their end caps and the Bottrop logo stitched on to the front of the units. Red stitching also provides additional contrast cues.
As for safety and driver assistance systems, the smart #1 comes fully loaded. There’s ESC, hill hold assist, hill descent control, seven airbags and a comprehensive ADAS suite that includes ACC, AEB, front/rear collision mitigation support, lane keep assist, lane departure warning/prevention, front/rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring, door opening warning and automated lane change assist.
The Premium and Brabus variants add on fully autonomous parking, parking emergency brake and autonomous parking assist. There’s also a Hello smart app will help with vehicle status monitoring, location and tracking.
In terms of interior colour schemes, the #1 Pro gets an After Dark interior, while the Premium comes with a two-tone white and black Dark Matter cabin. As for exterior shades, buyers have no shortage of exterior colours to choose from, with monotone and two-tone choices available, depending on variant. The Atom Grey-Matte is available for an additional RM5,000. Here are the available options, listed out for easier legibility:
smart #1 Pro
Digital White with Eclipse Black roof
Laser Red with Eclipse Black roof
Cyber Silver with Eclipse Black roof
Quantum Blue with Eclipse Black roof
Future Green with Eclipse Black roof
smart #1 Premium
Digital White with Eclipse Black roof
Laser Red with Eclipse Black roof
Cyber Silver with Eclipse Black roof
Quantum Blue with Eclipse Black roof
Future Green with Eclipse Black roof
Atom Grey-Matte
Lumen Yellow with Eclipse Black roof
smart #1 Brabus
Atom Grey-Matte
Atom Grey-Matte with Radiant Red roof
Meta Black with Radiant Red roof
Cyber Silver with Radiant Red roof
Digital White with Black roof
Laser Red with Black roof
Cyber Silver with Black roof
The smart #1 comes with an eight-year/200,000 km high-voltage battery warranty, an eight-year/150,000 km high-voltage component warranty, a four year unlimited mileage vehicle warranty and a two-year unlimited mileage spare parts warranty as well as 24/7 roadside service assistance.
Additionally, there is a complimentary accessories package worth RM2,000 and complimentary five-year Internet data of 60GB. In conjunction with the launch of the brand, smart Malaysia is offering smart #1 buyers a complimentary smartCharge Home Charger worth RM3,200 (excluding the cost of installation, which starts from RM2,488). The offer is valid until December 31, 2023.
As promised, the smart #1 EV will be officially launching Q4 2023. In fact, we now have a date, and it’s next week, November 21. We know that from the countdown teasers on smart Malaysia’s social media, with each number representing a highlighted feature on the #1 (pronounced as hashtag one).
You and I both know all the features by now, as we’ve told you all you need to know about the smart #1 and showed you around and inside the EV, including the high-performance Brabus variant. The first batch of the EV arrived in Malaysia last month (see pic below). All that’s left to be revealed is the final price and early bird package, if any.
The new smart is an EV-only brand owned by Geely and Mercedes-Benz. The smart #1 sits on Geely’s Sustainable Electric Architecture (SEA) but the design was done by Mercedes-Benz.
Click to enlarge
The #1 is powered by a single rear motor with 272 PS (200 kW) and 343 Nm of torque going to the rear wheels. That’s good for a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 6.7 seconds. Top speed is capped at 180 km/h. The high-performance #1 Brabus adds on a front motor to make it AWD, 428 PS (315 kW), 543 Nm and 3.9 seconds in the benchmark sprint.
The #1’s battery is a 66-kWh lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) unit providing 440 km of WLTP-rated range (Brabus 400 km). The maximum charge rate is 150 kW DC, which means that if paired to a compatible fast charger, the #1’s battery can go from 10-80% state of charge (SoC) in 30 minutes. But it’s in daily AC charging that the #1 stands out – with 22 kW AC (most rivals max out at 11 kW), going from 10-80% SoC takes just three hours.
The EV is already open for booking, with three variants – Pro, Premium and Brabus – and estimated pricing from RM200k to RM250k. Once again, we’ve already covered the smart #1 and the Brabus variant in detail – click on the links for more.
We’ve told you all you need to know about the smart #1 (pronounced as hashtag one) and showed you around and inside the EV, including the high-performance Brabus variant, so all that’s left is the official launch and final price. No hint of when yet, but smart Malaysia did say that the #1 will debut in Q4 2023, and we’re now two weeks into that quarter.
It looks like we’re on schedule, because the first batch of the smart #1 has arrived in Malaysia. This also means that customer deliveries are set to start immediately upon launch. The image above shows a substantial number of units in various colours – blue, red, white and silver – and also both the normal #1 and the #1 Brabus.
The new smart is an EV-only brand owned by Geely and Mercedes-Benz. The smart #1 sits on Geely’s Sustainable Electric Architecture (SEA) but the design was done by Mercedes-Benz.
From L-R: smart #1 Brabus, smart #1 Premium
The #1 is powered by a single rear motor with 272 PS (200 kW) and 343 Nm of torque going to the rear wheels. That’s good for a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 6.7 seconds. Top speed is capped at 180 km/h. The high-performance #1 Brabus adds on a front motor to make it AWD, 428 PS (315 kW), 543 Nm and 3.9 seconds in the benchmark sprint.
The #1’s battery is a 66-kWh lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) unit providing 440 km of WLTP-rated range (Brabus 400 km). The maximum charge rate is 150 kW DC, which means that if paired to a compatible fast charger, the #1’s battery can go from 10-80% state of charge (SoC) in 30 minutes. But it’s in daily AC charging that the #1 stands out – with 22 kW AC (most rivals max out at 11 kW), going from 10-80% SoC takes just three hours.
The EV is already open for booking, with three variants – Pro, Premium and Brabus – and estimated pricing from RM200k to RM250k. We’ve already covered the smart #1 and the Brabus variant in detail – click on the links for more.
We’re done with the previews for the smart #1 in Premium form, and it’s open for booking, but there’s more pre-launch activity before the EV reaches showrooms and the driveways of affluent owners. smart Malaysia is also introducing the Brabus version of the #1 (pronounced hashtag one), and the high-performance EV is currently being previewed at the International Electric Mobility Showcase (IEMS) event at the KL Convention Centre.
Let’s jump right into the performance section, which is the biggest differentiator. The smart #1 Brabus isn’t just a fancy bodykitted version, but a proper performance flagship of the range. Compared to the regular #1, the Brabus adds an electric motor at the front for dual-motor AWD performance. Total output is 428 PS (315 kW) and 543 Nm of instant torque, pushing the crossover from rest to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Top speed is 180 km/h.
That’s a significant jump from the single-motor #1’s 272 PS (200 kW) and 343 Nm – to be exact, the difference is 156 PS and 200 Nm. The Pro/Premium does the century sprint in 6.7 seconds (Brabus is 2.8 seconds faster) with a similar top speed. The Brabus tips the scales at 1,900 kg, 100 kilos more than the Premium.
Want some sound to go along with the speed? Choose from ‘smart original sounds’ – sampled from the previous ICE-powered smart Brabus – or a ‘classic’ analog sound inspired by an ‘amazingly powerful V6 engine’. The latter is hilarious.
The Brabus’ motors are powered by a 66 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery and WLTP-rated range is 400 km. This is the same power source as the Premium, which has 40 km of extra range (the base Pro uses a 49 kWh lithium LFP battery for 315 km range). Also like the Premium, 22 kW AC charging is available, which makes refilling SOC from 10-80% a relatively brisk affair at three hours.
As pointed out before, 22 kW AC charging is pretty rare in the EV market, where 11 kW is the default charging rate. In Malaysia, only the ’55 quattro’ variants of Audi’s e-tron models and the Porsche Taycan support 22 kW AC charging, while some of the more affordable EVs take in just 7 kW.
22 kW AC is a unique selling point – imagine have a long lunch break or rest time at home and when you’re done, the #1 is replenished, all without paying DC rates. It gives an owner added flexibility. On that note, DC fast charging at 150 kW juices the battery from 10-80% SOC in 29 minutes. A vehicle-to-load (V2L) function – power output to a domestic three-point plug – is also available.
To recap, the smart #1 is a giant hatchback that’s rather similar in concept to the MINI Countryman – this ain’t no compact city car like the original smart. At 4,270 mm long and 1,822 mm wide, the #1 also has a similar footprint to the maxi MINI, but its 2,750 mm wheelbase is very long for ICE car standards, 80 mm longer than the Countryman’s and 15 mm longer than the wheelbase of a Honda Civic.
That long wheelbase is apparent in the metal, as are the #1’s width and rather unSUV-like ground clearance. At 182 mm, the GC is car-like. Boot space is up to 411 litres, expandable to 986 litres with rear seats folded. There’s a little ‘frunk’ in front that takes in 15 litres – the cavity is small, but might be useful for small items that you don’t want sliding around in the boot, or pungent food.
In front, the Brabus’ status as the sporty one is marked by letterbox vents either side of the smart logo (they’re just decorative), two small horizontal slats on the ‘side intakes’ and a red lip with the Brabus logo. The insides of the lower grille is in red. There’s more red on the piece of trim between the wheels, which are 19-inch ‘Dynamo’ two-tone items (235/45 tyres, same size) shielding red brake calipers.
By the way, the brakes only differ in colour and the suspension isn’t any lower – the only chassis difference is stiffer dampers for the Brabus.
The rear bumper has the exact same cues as its front counterpart – a red strip, two small black lines and a small Brabus logo. A more prominent rear spoiler completes the exterior differences. It’s obviously more sporty than the Premium, but very subtle nonetheless, and there are no B logos anywhere on the body or wheels.
Anyway, the Atom Grey-Matte colour you see here is not exclusive to the Brabus, but the Radiant Red contrasting roof option is. The other colours that come with the red roof are Meta Black and Cyber Silver. A black roof contrasts Digital White, Laser Red and Cyber Silver. This matte grey is the only hue that can be had as it is, monotone without a different roof colour.
Inside, the black-red theme continues and we finally get to see the big B from Bottrop on the front headrests. Aside from this, Brabus is spelled on the steering spoke – it’s cool that the name is illuminated.
The gloss white dash-cum-centre console is now in a gunmetal hue, and stitching on the dash, doors, steering and seats are now in red. The ‘sporty’ colour is also on the seatbelts and plastic ‘ears’ of the headrests. Finally, the headlining is black, the seats are in suede (normal leather sides) and you get sports pedals (metal).
Aside from the Brabus-specific trim mentioned above, we’re looking at all the equipment from the Premium. Headlining goodies include a thumping Beats 13-speaker sound system, a 12.8-inch centre touchscreen where you control everything, a slim 9.2-inch meter cluster, a 10-inch full colour head-up display, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless charger and built-in navigation with local info such as charging locations.
Also standard are comfort features like ventilated front seats, 10-way powered front seats (memory for driver), driver’s courtesy seat (slides back for easier exit), dual-zone auto air con with rear vents and N95 carbon filter, moonroof with powered blind, 64-colour ambient lighting and illuminated door sills.
On the outside, the #1 Brabus comes with Matrix LED headlamps with adaptive high beam; front/rear sequential turn signals; illumination for the front grille, flush door handles and rear pillar logo; welcome and courtesy lights; roof rails; auto-foldable and auto-dipping (when reversing) wing mirrors; auto-dimming and heated wing mirrors; and a powered tailgate. There’s also a light show with accompanying music from the Beats audio.
2024 smart #1 Brabus spec sheet; click to enlarge
Last but not least, safety. Everything you’d expect to see in a modern premium car is here – ESC, hill hold assist, hill descent control, seven airbags and a comprehensive ADAS suite that includes ACC, AEB, front/rear collision mitigation support, lane keep assist, lane departure warning/prevention, front/rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring, door opening warning and automated lane change assist. There’s also full autonomous parking and a ‘Hello smart’ app will help with vehicle status monitoring, location and tracking.
That’s pretty much it, and what’s left is the all-important price. smart Malaysia is yet to release finalised RRPs for the #1 range, but has revealed an estimated price range of between RM200,000 and RM250,000, on-the-road without insurance. That would place the entry-level Pro at RM200k and this range-topping Brabus at around RM250k, with the Premium in between.
Sounds like a lot of performance and kit for RM250k – what do you think? Full gallery and walk-around video of the Premium variant below for you to compare.
Following the start of order taking for the smart #1 last month, smart Malaysia has now announced the grand debut of the Brabus variant will take place on October 5, 2023. The company has already revealed plenty of the #1’s Pro and Premium variants, but full details of the Brabus version are limited for now.
Based on the information provided when smart Malaysia begun accepting pre-orders, the #1 Brabus shares nearly the same exterior kit with the Premium. Standard features include CyberSparks headlamps with matrix LEDs, adaptive high beam and auto levelling, along with an illuminated front grille, door handles and logos (on the C-pillars). The range-topper also comes with a panoramic roof with electric sunblind, roof rails, a powered tailgate with hands-free access.
To mark it out as the sporty model, the #1 Brabus also comes with an aero kit that includes a vented bonnet, a more aggressive front bumper, a rear spoiler. Though not mentioned in the official spec sheet, we can also expect 19-inch ‘Dynamo’ alloys, model-specific badging and red brake calipers.
The #1 Brabus’ spec sheet is without any information of what you’ll get on the inside, but it should also mirror the Premium. This means powered front seats, an ambient lighting system, a 9.2-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, at the very least.
2023 smart #1 Brabus spec sheet (right); click to enlarge
For more visually differentiation, expect plenty of red stitching, a branded Alcantara/leather-wrapped steering wheel, microfibre seat upholstery and red seat belts. We’ll get a clearer picture of exactly what you get with the #1 Brabus come this Thursday.
Less of a surprise are the #1 Brabus’ dual-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain and dimensions, and you can find all the facts and figures listed below:
Length: 4,270 mm
Width: 1,822 mm
Height: 1,636 mm
Wheelbase: 2,750 mm
Ground clearance: 182 mm
Kerb weight: 1,900 kg
Boot space: 323 to 411 litres; 986 litres with rear seats folded
Front trunk (frunk) space: 15 litres
Electric motors output: 428 PS (422 hp or 315 kW) and 543 Nm; AWD
0-100 km/h time: 3.9 seconds
Top speed: 180 km/h
Battery: 66 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC)
Range (WLTP): 400 km
AC charging: 22 kW; 10-80% in three hours
DC charging: 150 kW; 10-80% in 29 minutes
On the matter of pricing, the #1 is estimated to range between RM200,000 and RM250,000 on-the-road without insurance. The Brabus sits at the top of the line-up, so we can expect it to be nearer to the RM250,000 mark. Final pricing for all variants of the #1 have yet to be announced – hopefully smart Malaysia provides this crucial bit of into later this week.
smart #1 Brabus (top) and Premium (bottom) colours
The #1 Brabus will be offered in seven colour schemes, most of which are two-tone with a contrasting roof. Your options are:
Atom Grey-Matte
Atom Grey-Matte with Radiant Red roof
Meta Black with Radiant Red roof
Cyber Silver with Radiant Red roof
Digital White with Black roof
Laser Red with Black roof
Cyber Silver with Black roof
If you’re interested, bookings can be made through the Hello smart app with a refundable fee of RM1,000, and the first 501 customers to place a pre-order will be rewarded with charging credits worth RM1,001 when they take delivery of their new electric vehicle (EV).
Should you prefer to try out the #1 first before putting down your money, you can do so from October 4 to 6 at the at the International Electric Mobility Showcase (IEMS) in Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre – register your interest here.
At long last, the smart #1 is now officially open for booking in Malaysia, which becomes the first ASEAN country to begin order taking for the fully electric SUV. Bookings can be made through the Hello smart app with a refundable fee of RM1,000, and the first 501 customers to place a pre-order will be rewarded with charging credits worth RM1,001 when they take delivery of their new electric vehicle (EV).
The #1 will be offered in three variants starting with the entry-level Pro, which is followed by the Premium and performance-focused Brabus. How much will each cost? For now, smart Malaysia is only providing an estimated price range of between RM200,000 and RM250,000 for the #1 line-up, and this price band is on-the-road without insurance.
While we don’t have finalised pricing yet, we do get a complete spec sheet so you’ll know exactly what you’re getting for your money. To start, the #1 occupies a footprint that is close to the MINI Countryman and is smaller than a BYD Atto 3. All three variants share the same dimensions and they are as follows:
Length: 4,270 mm
Width: 1,822 mm
Height: 1,636 mm
Wheelbase: 2,750 mm
Ground clearance: 182 mm
Kerb weight: 1,780 kg (Pro), 1,800 kg (Premium), 1,900 kg (Brabus)
Boot space: 323 to 411 litres; 986 litres with rear seats folded
Front trunk (frunk) space: 15 litres
In terms of powertrains, both the Pro and Premium come with a rear-mounted electric motor but differ when it comes to battery capacity and chemistry – the charging capacities are also different. The Brabus version uses the same battery as the Premium but adds on another electric motor at the front for an all-wheel drive setup as well as more power. The specifications of each variant are listed below:
smart #1 Pro
Electric motor output: 272 PS (268 hp or 200 kW) and 343 Nm; RWD
0-100 km/h time: 6.7 seconds
Top speed: 180 km/h
Battery: 49 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP)
Range (WLTP): 315 km
AC charging: 7.2 kW; 10-80% in six hours
DC charging: 150 kW; 10-80% in 22 minutes
smart #1 Premium
Electric motor output: 272 PS (268 hp or 200 kW) and 343 Nm; RWD
0-100 km/h time: 6.7 seconds
Top speed: 180 km/h
Battery: 66 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC)
Range (WLTP): 440 km
AC charging: 22 kW; 10-80% in three hours
DC charging: 150 kW; 10-80% in 29 minutes
smart #1 Brabus
Electric motors output: 428 PS (422 hp or 315 kW) and 543 Nm; AWD
0-100 km/h time: 3.9 seconds
Top speed: 180 km/h
Battery: 66 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC)
Range (WLTP): 400 km
AC charging: 22 kW; 10-80% in three hours
DC charging: 150 kW; 10-80% in 29 minutes
As for equipment, the Pro comes standard with manual-levelling CyberSparks LED headlamps, 19-inch ‘Amps’ alloy wheels with 235/45 profile tyres, a panoramic roof with electric sunblind, roof rails, a powered tailgate, 10-way powered front seats with memory function, leatherette seat upholstery, a 60:40 sliding and split-folding rear bench seat, dual-zone climate control with rear vents, a polyurethane steering wheel, basic 64-colour ambient lighting and a N95 cabin filter.
The list continues with a 9.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a wireless phone charging pad, a five-speaker sound system and a 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The last item comes with 4G and Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity along with a navigation function as well as support for wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Pay the premium for the Premium and you get a lot more lighting goodies on the outside. As a start, the CyberSparks headlamps are upgraded to matrix LEDs with adaptive high beam and auto levelling functions. You’ll also sequential turn signals, side mirror puddle lamps, along with an illuminated front grille, door handles and logos (on the C-pillars).
Other features that the Premium adds on include 19-inch ‘Rotor’ alloys, a hands-free function for the powered tailgate, leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, extended 64-colour ambient lighting, illuminated door sill plates and steering wheel logo, a 10-inch head-up display and a 13-speaker sound system by Beats.
2023 smart #1 Brabus spec sheet (right); click to enlarge
For performance junkies, the #1 Brabus is set apart from a regular #1 visually by its vented bonnet, a more aggressive front bumper, 19-inch ‘Dynamo’ alloys, model-specific badging, a sporty rear spoiler and red brake calipers.
Curiously, smart Malaysia did not detail the interior of the #1 Brabus, but we should expect plenty of red stitching, a branded Alcantara/leather-wrapped steering wheel, microfibre seat upholstery and red seat belts. The #1 Brabus gets pretty much the same kit as the Premium when we compare spec sheets.
On the driver assistance front, the regular #1 variants are identically equipped with adaptive cruise control with highway assist and traffic jam assist, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, lane departure prevention, lane change assist, evasive manoeuvre assist as well as front and rear cross traffic alert.
There’s also door opening warning, blind spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, automatic high beam, parking assist, a 360-degree camera and autonomous emergency braking (front and rear collision mitigation support). Though not mentioned, the #1 Brabus is very likely to get the same systems as its lesser siblings.
2023 smart #1 Pro and Premium spec sheet; click to enlarge
On the subject of colours, the #1 Pro gets an ‘After Dark’ interior, while the Premium comes with a two-tone white and black ‘Dark Matter’ cabin. Customers will have no shortage of exterior colours to choose from, with monotone and two-tone choices available depending on variant. It’s easier to list them out, so here are your options:
smart #1 Pro
Digital White with Eclipse Black roof
Laser Red with Eclipse Black roof
Cyber Silver with Eclipse Black roof
Quantum Blue with Eclipse Black roof
Future Green with Eclipse Black roof
smart #1 Premium
Digital White with Eclipse Black roof
Laser Red with Eclipse Black roof
Cyber Silver with Eclipse Black roof
Quantum Blue with Eclipse Black roof
Future Green with Eclipse Black roof
Atom Grey-Matte
Lumen Yellow with Eclipse Black roof
smart #1 Brabus
Atom Grey-Matte
Atom Grey-Matte with Radiant Red roof
Meta Black with Radiant Red roof
Cyber Silver with Radiant Red roof
Digital White with Black roof
Laser Red with Black roof
Cyber Silver with Black roof
With almost all the information on the #1 out in the open and with an estimated price range of between RM200,000 and RM250,000, are you down to place a booking? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
