Smart, you know that nifty car, is back. As hip as ever, only now a lot roomier. The Smart #1 aka Smart... hashtag one has a striking design and you can drive quite a bit with a full battery. David, always interested in new electric cars, dives in for thegreenlist.nl in and discover that this futuristic car has thought of all sorts of fine details to make electric motoring even easier.
Electric driving in a Smart
In partnership with Smart
As head of mobility at home, I have the responsibility of making decisions about our car. Since we have been living more sustainably at home, I have been keeping an interested eye on developments in the electric car market. Because one day, we are also going to switch to electric driving. And so I was delighted to read that Smart has released a new electric car. The more choice, the easier it becomes to find a suitable electric model. This new Smart is, as you would expect from Smart, eye-catching. What should you know about this new electric Smart #1?
Electric driving is the future
It is nothing new what I am about to tell you, but about a quarter of all CO2 emissions in the European Union are caused by the transport of people and goods. Cars are one of the big culprits in this story. How was this again? Driving a car is polluting the planet because the vast majority of cars still use fossil fuels, namely petrol and diesel, to generate energy. Not for nothing, therefore, the sale of petrol and diesel cars will be banned in the EU from 2035. For now, the most logical replacement for these petrol and diesel cars is the electric car. Until some other innovation such as green hydrogen breaks through, for instance.
If you decide to buy a new car, it is important to make an informed choice in this regard. An electric car is the most logical choice, given the legislation coming up. In addition, there are several studies showing that even though an electric car is taxing to make, it is more sustainable to replace your car petrol car for an electric car. But then again... you don't just buy a new car, of course.
If you are shopping for a new car, check out this new electric car from Smart. This car has all sorts of useful gadgets and with a full battery you can cover quite a lot of kilometres (400 to 440 kilometres is the promised range, depending on which type you choose, but I'll get to that in a minute). The range of an electric car is important to look at carefully. Here's what I found out about it and what appealed to me about the new Smart #1!
Smart #1, pronounced Smart hashtag one
Smart is back on the road, the company has undergone a transformation and is now part of the Mercedez-Benz group and Geely, known for Volvo, Polestar and Lotus. Their new electric car is the Smart #1 (pronounced Smart hashtag one). At home, we remember Smart from the cool ultra-compact two-seaters, but with the rebirth of Smart this has changed course. Still just as hip, but a lot roomier: at 4.27 metres long and 1.64 high, this car falls into the SUV segment. Definitely not a small one, then.
Despite its large size, the new Smart is lighter than other popular electric models. This e-car weighs 1,800 kilos. This makes the car lighter than the Tesla Model 3 and Volkswagen ID.3, to name a few popular models. Because electric cars are a lot heavier than petrol cars, tyres wear out faster and this brings an increase in particulates and microplastics. For this reason, the weight of the car is definitely a factor to consider. It is therefore nice, also from a sustainability point of view, that the Smart #1 is relatively a lighter electric car. But there is more...
The 66kWh battery of the Smart #1 uses a direct current (DC) fast charge technology, which Smart says allows the car to charge from 10 to 80% within 30 minutes at suitable fast chargers. Fine, you'll be back on route. Want to know more about the Smart hashtag one? Check it out!
Something for everyone: the Smart #1 is available in three versions
The new electric Smart #1 is available in three versions, the Pro+ is the entry-level model and has a 272hp motor and you can drive around 400 kilometres on a full battery. The Premium is more luxurious and takes you even further with a longer range of 440 kilometres. Then there is the sporty Brabus, which has a 428hp engine under the hood. This hefty engine does come at the slight expense of the range (400 kilometres).
Convenient: charging at home
When you buy your car, you will also get an expert to your home who will come and install a powerful home charger, a smart charge@home.
Sustainable, electric and comfortable: what else the Smart #1 has to offer an electric car driver
- Ease of use with a digital ecosystem, a touchscreen screen that lets you control all the handy apps. The car has an AI voice assistant, you can just talk to it.
- With a Hello smart app, you are always connected to your car and always have real-time information on range, battery status, location and tyre pressure. In short, no surprises!
- Built-in fatigue detection: eye-tracking technology to monitor your eyes and your fatigue level. As soon as the camera detects fatigue while driving, you get an alert on the instrument panel and also a warning sound.
- Safe driving with an autonomous emergency braking system and an assistant for evasive manoeuvres.
- Configure the car according to your own taste: you can choose your own colour combination.
- ‘Smart’ design with CyberSparks LED+ headlights, endless ambient lighting options in 64 colours and 20 levels and oalala: the Smart #1 has a panoramic sunroof.
The Smart #1 is equipped with all technical conveniences.
Electric car built on open source platform
Another interesting technical fact about this car: the Smart #1 is built on Geely's Sustainable Experience Platform, which is a open-source design that carmakers can base their models on. In the future, more cars from Zeely's portfolio will make use of this, think of the Polestar 4 and the Volvo EX30. In addition, they are open to collaborations with rival car brands, for example, Chinese Baidu have interest in this platform. We welcome this reuse at thegreenlist.nl only increase.
Also electric driving a Smart?
All in all, I think the Smart #1 is definitely a candidate to switch to an electric car. The car has the size and range for Saturday pastimes and is by no means the heaviest or most expensive in its class. Besides, it is good to hear that the underlying technology will form the basis for a wide range of models. Indeed, reusing technology benefits price and quality. And a personal opinion, but this Smart seems to break the curse on ugly cheaper electric cars. There are beautiful electric cars on the market, but they quickly cost around 80,000 euros. The Smart #1 has been available to order since early March with an entry price of 40,495 euros. Want to know more about this Smart and all its handy extras? Check out Smart's online catalogue!
Smart #1, a sporty electric car that stands out!
More sustainable tips from thegreenlist.nl
- Also see: cobalt, it's in every battery, but what do you know?
- Also see: compensate your business activities.
- Also see: what is the impact of a smartphone?
- Also see: the truth about plastic packaging.
Photo credits: Smart.
