Smart #1 Debuts As Electric Crossover For Europe and China

Smart has been absent from the American market since 2019, the final model year for its puny EQ Fortwo. Now a joint-venture between Mercedes and Geely (which also owns Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus), the city car brand is still kicking in Europe and China, where it just released its first all-new product in years. Dubbed the #1, Smart’s latest creation is also its first SUV, a modern-looking electric crossover seeking to do battle with the Mini Countryman.

The #1 measures 168.1 inches long, around two inches shorter than the Countryman, but its electric powertrain allows it to have a wheelbase just over three inches longer than the Mini’s. Despite the diminutive footprint, the #1 still weighs 4012 pounds. That EV powertrain consists of a 66-kWh battery connected to a single electric motor on the rear axle providing 268 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque. Smart claims a top speed of 112 mph and a range between 260 and 273 miles on Europe’s WLTP test cycle. The #1 can charge from 10 to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes on a DC super-fast charger, according to Smart.

The new Smart design language is clean and contemporary, with a smoothness reminiscent of a bar of soap. The sleek shape is enhanced by flush electric door handles and frameless doors. As is the trend these days, the #1 has a floating roof design, which echoes the color of the trim piece running below the doors, and full-width light bars front and rear. The Smart rides on 19-inch wheels, which are decked out in a checkered design for the Launch Edition.

The interior features lots of brushed metal surfaces, continuing the two-tone color scheme from the exterior. There’s a sizable 12.8-inch infotainment screen and 9.2-inch digital gauge cluster, as well as ambient lighting and a glass roof. The #1 is expected to go on sale in China before it hits the European market, with no pricing details announced yet. While Smart sales never took off stateside, we wonder how the #1 would do in crossover-obsessed America, especially given that the “Smart car” retains fairly good brand recognition despite exiting the market three years ago.

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