Electric Smart #1 SUV REVEALED as the Mercedes-Geely Smart project launches

The reinvention of Smart under the ownership of Mercedes and Geely begins with the reveal of the 264bhp electric Smart #1.

Smart may have been around as a maker of small, quirky cars for nearly 30 years, first as a Swatch with wheels part-owned by Mercedes, and latterly as a fully Mercedes-owned punt at convincing the world that premium-priced little city cars are the future. But it seems to have never made a profit.

As Mercedes searched for a solution for the ‘Smart Problem’, along came Geely with a plethora of underpinnings on offer and a plan to turn Smart into an EV powerhouse, resulting in Smart turning into a Geely Mercedes joint venture. And its first fruits are this, the new Smart #1, an electric SUV.

About the size of a MINI Countryman – but with much more room inside thanks to the EV-specific SEA Platform from Geely – Smart looks to be aiming the #1 at the same sort of market it always has: a semi-premium offering a notch above the mainstream, but this time it’s pitching into a very competitive marketplace.

Looking much the same as the #1 Concept we saw last year, with smooth surfaces, front and rear lights bars, active grille, ‘flying’ roof and more, it’s clear the car was designed by Mercedes. Inside too looks more German than Chinese (the Smart will be built by Geely in China) with its 12.8″ central screen, 9.2″ driver display and 10″ HUD, although it seems the underlying Tech is not MBUX but Chinese.

Power, at least initially, comes from a 66kWh battery powering a 264bhp electric motor at the back, promising adequate performance (no figures yet, but probably around 7.0 seconds to 62mph), and decent 150kW rapid charging.

Expect the Smart #1 to go on sale in the UK later this year – online and probably in the SMart hubs at Mercedes dealers – with prices probably starting at Around £35k.