It is no secret that the Smart #1 will be launching in Malaysia in the fourth quarter of 2023. It will be distributed by Pro-Net, a subsidiary of Proton and a few of its official dealers have been announced too. With its price and variant offerings still unknown, we’ve had a chance to take a closer look at the car.
To give you an idea of the size of the Smart #1, it shares the same underpinnings with the upcoming Volvo EX30 which is positioned below the Volvo XC40. So the Smart #1 is a tad smaller than the Volvo XC40, BMW iX1, and the Mercedes-Benz EQA. Variant-wise, the Smart #1 is globally available in four variants and Malaysia will most likely be welcoming 2 of the 4 choices available – the Premium and the Brabus. We’re only allowed to photograph the Premium variant for the time being and here is our video to show you the insides and outsides of it…
The standard powertrain for the Smart #1 Premium is a rear-wheel drive (RWD) single motor setup that makes 272 hp and 343 Nm. The 0-100 km/h acceleration is done in 6.7 seconds onward to a limited top speed of 180 km/h.
The Brabus variant of the Smart #1 adds another motor to the front wheels and the dual-motor setup produces 428 hp and 584 Nm. The 0-100 km/h acceleration is done in 3.9 seconds onward to the same limited top speed of 180 km/h.
As for the EV numbers, the Smart #1 packs a 66-kWh battery pack that gives 440 km of range (WLTP) in the Premium variant and 400 km of range in the Brabus variant. Charging can be done at a maximum rate of 22 kW with AC charging and 150 kW with DC charging. The former charges the car from 10% to 80% in less than 3 hours and the latter does so in less than 30 minutes.
Smart Malaysia has yet to confirm the pricing and variant offerings of the Smart #1 for the Malaysian market. If all goes according to plan, full details will be revealed in the fourth quarter of the year.
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