The first electric Smart SUV from China
The Smart Concept #1 is a compact electric SUV, first unveiled at the 2021 Munich Motor Show. It is produced under the Smart brand by Geely (China) together with Daimler (Germany). Geely is responsible for the production of the production version of the SUV. At the moment, the construction of a new plant in the city of Xi’an is nearing completion. This plant will be the very place where it is planned to produce a promising new model. The new electric SUV is expected to debut in the second half of 2022. The PRC and Germany will become the priority markets for the model. However, export to other countries is also possible. The model promises to become global.
Background
Twenty years ago, Geely CEO Li Shufu could hardly imagine that he would someday collaborate with his favorite car brand, Mercedes-Benz. The first Geely car came out in 1996, and it was because Li Shufu felt frustrated that there was no domestic luxury car maker like Cadillac or Mercedes-Benz in China. He wanted to prove that a Chinese company, namely his company, could produce such a car. And so he decided to build a ‘Chinese Mercedes-Benz’.
As they say, dreams come true. And now the once Mercedes-controlled Smart is actually controlled by the Geely Group. In 2019, the partners formed a joint venture, Smart Automobile Co, in which both the Germans and the Chinese received an equal number of shares. However, for Daimler, this step was more like an attempt to keep the troubled brand afloat without investing huge sums in development. And for Geely Group, as we now know, it became a dream come true. The Concept #1 Smart SUV, unveiled at the Munich Motor Show, is the first fruit of this collaboration.
Exterior
The exterior and interior of the newcomer was designed by the Daimler design center. That makes the car very much like the older Mercedes models. And unlike the front end, which is somewhat different, the rear end is clearly indicative of it. The lights seem to have been taken directly from the current Mercedes-EQ electric vehicle range. Diode lighting promises special effects in tune with the music. The diameter of the wheels reaches 21 inches.
The new Smart Concept #1 has nothing to do with the usual Smart. This is not a microcar, as the model looks similar to the Mini Countryman or Peugeot e-2008 SUVs. It has a 5-door body with a ‘floating’ glass roof, frameless doors without a central pillar (most likely, they will not go into mass production), and retractable handles. The vehicle is 4,290 mm long, 1,910 mm wide and 1,698 mm high. The wheelbase is 2,750 mm (for comparison, the Countryman has 2,670 mm). The Concept #1 is currently the largest model of the brand.
Interior
The 2021 Smart Concept #1 has a 4-seater interior with separate seats and a ‘floating’ central tunnel. But it is already known that the production SUV will be 5-seater. The main feature of the interior decoration is the golden finish. The electric vehicle is equipped with a single central 12.8-inch monitor, a state-of-the-art voice-controlled media system and an over-the-air update function. The display is complemented by a 3D touchscreen projected from the ceiling. An artificial intelligence assistant helps to understand the menu. The center console ‘floats’ between the front seats. The backseat is temporarily replaced by pilot seats. The list of safety systems includes a steering assistant, lane keeping assist, highway driving assist. The ‘perfect acoustics’ is provided by the Beats sound system.
Technical details
The Chinese are responsible for the equipment. It is known that the new Smart Concept #1 is built on the original Chinese electric modular platform SEA, used for the Zeekr 01 model. It is assumed that the standard version of the SUV will have one electric motor on the rear axle, that is, it will be rear-wheel drive. There are no details about the electrical equipment yet. Technical parameters also remain unknown so far, it is only known that the capacity of the battery will be approximately 70 kW/h. This will allow the electric SUV to travel approximately 500 km on a single charge (according to the outdated NEDC methodology). Smart Automobile Co., Ltd. states that the newcomer ‘is characterized by progressive design, first-class equipment and advanced technology.’ More expensive versions will be offered with two motors, so the SUV will almost certainly become all-wheel drive.
