Image: smart co
Smart, the car brand best known for its pocket sized Fortwo two-seater micro car more than two decades ago, has formally launched its first two electric car offerings in Australia, the Smart #1 and Smart #3 – ahead of the global unveiling in Byron Bay later on Wednesday of another electric offering, the Smart #5.
Smart is now a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and China’s Geely Holdings, and the two EV offerings are designed in Germany and made in China, and offer pricing from $54,900 for the base variants and up to $70,900 for the the top performance “Brabus” variant, before on road costs.
They will both be powered by 66 kWh battery packs, which will deliver ranges of between 400kms and 440kms, and the “Brabus” will offer an electrifying acceleration from 0-100kmh in just 3.7 seconds, which suggests the target market is as much to customers in their 30s as the retired couples imagined in the Fortwo.
The high-topped #1 and the bigger #3 – Smart likes to describe them as “hashtag 1 and hashtag 3” – will begin deliveries in September and are being distributed in Australia exclusively by LHS Auto.
Smart unveiled the #1 in international markets in 2022, and the #3 in 2023. The #5, a mid-sized SUV will be released later this year and will be followed by a new model each year. All will be coming to Australia – the #5 in the second half of 2025 – unlike the electric version of the Fortwo micro car which never made it to these shores.
Smart is pitching the two cars for the electric premium market, and its pricing is at the lower end of the premium price range, with the #1 focused on family driving in the city, and the #3 as a bigger, sportier option. Both have Brabus performance options.
“It’s a big new chapter,” says chief designer Kai Sieber. “It has been a real reset. I can’t stop touching these cars.”
One of the major selling points from Smart the interior quality, and the good use of space. It features a 13.2″ inch centre display, strong safety features and a sun roof. It has a five year, 150,000 kms warranty period for the car, and an eight-year, 150,000 kms warranty for the battery.
LHS Auto CEO John Good says early indications are that the two models will be well received, but wouldn’t reveal any initial numbers. “We do expect a lot of interest after the launch today,” he said. “Interest has been across the board. certainly in Brabus, and in both the #1 and #3 so far.”
The smart#1 will be available in three variants:
The Pro+ is powered by a single motor which produces up to 200 kW of power as well as delivering a peak torque of 343 Nm. This helps this variant propel from 0-100 km/h in 6.7 seconds.
the smart#3 is powered by a 200 kW motor for the first Pro+ and Premium variants. This will help it sprint from 0-100 km/h in 5.8 seconds. The variants of the sportier smart#3 include:
The smart#3 Brabus adds 20-inch wheels and is powered by the same drivetrain as the smart#1 Brabus. This propels this car from 0-100 km/h at a blistering 3.7 seconds. This model is also expected to be powered by the same 66 kWh battery pack found in the smart#1.
Giles Parkinson is founder and editor of The Driven, and also edits and founded the Renew Economy and One Step Off The Grid web sites. He has been a journalist for nearly 40 years, is a former business and deputy editor of the Australian Financial Review, and owns a Tesla Model 3.
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