The partnership between Geely and Mercedes-Benz has now borne fruit. That’s because these two announced that it will be launching its first child later this year: the “Smart #1.” They announced this through a teaser, and as its name suggests, it is a model under the Smart brand name.
The Smart #1 prototype in a wind tunnel
For those unaware, Geely and Mercedes have signed a partnership way back in 2020. The Chinese car brand now has a 50 percent stake in the Smart brand, a marque that was previously wholly owned by Mercedes-Benz AG.
Going back to the car, the teaser shows a crossover that looks like a hatchback wrapped in camouflage. Its proportions and overall design are reminiscent of a Mini, and it even has a length of 4,290mm, which is just about the same as the Mini Countryman.
Another interesting feature of the Smart #1’s exterior is its drag coefficient of 0.29. Quite a low number for something that wasn’t developed as a sports car. This is thanks to its flush door handles, active grille shutters, and many other exterior features.
Despite how it looks, it is classed as a crossover
For its interior, not much has been revealed yet. There are some rumors though, that it will be getting a minimalist interior with a 12.8-inch touchscreen.
Regarding engines, the Smart #1 will be using an electric motor. For now though, details are yet to surface about range figures and power, but it is known that this model is using the Geely Sustainable Experience Architecture platform, or SEA for short.
Of note, other vehicles that are using the SEA architecture include the Zeekr 001, another electric car produced by another Geely Automobile Holdings division.
We dig its proportions though
The said platform also provides support for 400V and 800V architectures, fast charging, as well as 0-100 km/h times as low as three seconds. The platform also supports all-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive, and front-wheel-drive configurations.
With that said, there are plenty of possibilities for the Smart #1. So stay tuned for more news about this upcoming model here at Philkotse.