You may remember Smart as the Mercedes-Benz-owned small car brand that was famous for the For Two and the ForFour from some years ago. Now, it is back as an electric car company and it is owned by both Mercedes-Benz and Geely. It is also now officially in Malaysia with its first electric car – the Smart #1. Sold in three variants in Malaysia, we believe the one you should be looking at is the mid-range Smart #1 Premium which costs RM219,000.
The Premium variant is sandwiched between the Pro and the Brabus, and it offers the best combination of practicality and “fun” among the three. All three variants look pretty much the same and the way to identify the Smart 31 Premium would be its matrix LED headlights combined with the rather “civil” exterior trims. Is it worth your money as your first electric car? Allow us to explain what we think about it in this review video:
Powering the Smart #1 Premium is a single-motor rear-wheel drive (RWD) setup that makes 272 hp (metric) and 343 Nm. This setup allows for a 6.7-second century sprint time, although its top speed is electronically limited at 180 km/h. With electric cars, it is generally easy to achieve these performance figures, even with a single-motor setup.
One plus point of the Smart #1 is its ability to be charged at 22 kW with AC charging. It is one of the earlier electric vehicles (EVs) in Malaysia to come with it and it is pretty much a premium feature. With it, you can charge the Smart #1 from 10% to 80% in about 3 hours.
For road trips, you would find the 150 kW maximum DC charging rate useful as it would charge the 66 kWh battery from 10% to 80% in less than 30 minutes. With a fully charged battery, you should be able to drive for up to 440 km on a single charge, or at least that is what the WLTP range suggests.
Matching with its exterior design, the interior design of the Smart # 1 Premium is just as playful. “Boring” isn’t a word in the dictionary of the Smart #1 and this is evident in its funky design and funky little fox mascot in the head unit. To top it all off, the Smart #1 even comes with a large glass roof to give that modern and spacious ambience. Is the Smart #1 the smartest choice for an electric car in Malaysia? Watch our video to find out.
RELATED: Entry-level Smart #1 Pro with 315km range begins delivery in Malaysia
