The moniker is a reference to modern social media trends.
The Smart brand was recently reinvented to transform into a fully electric compact car manufacturer with technology derived from its parent brand, Mercedes-Benz, and its new technical partner, Geely. This decision was made so it could remain competitive in a sphere where the likes of the upcoming Mini Cooper EV are set to dominate. Launching this strategy was a range of ForTwo models that were redesigned into EQ Boost-powered electric cars and now the brand has confirmed that its all-new product, developed from the ground up, is almost ready for production.
As we already discovered from its recent concept, Smart's new car will be called the Smart #1. The manufacturer has confirmed that its premier model has successfully been subjected to a collection of winter and wind tunnel tests and will now move onto the next stage of its development before it is launched later this year. Smart promises that the #1 will offer quality, performance, and reliability thanks to input provided by Mercedes-Benz's design team and its in-house engineering department.
Why call this the #1? Smart says the reason for this bizarre name is because it wants to highlight how its upcoming crossover is destined to be a trendsetter across the global market. With the hash symbol being used to discuss trending topics across social media platforms, Smart says this is a fitting name because it highlights its transition into the modern digital era and represents its level of innovation which it has delivered since operations began in 1997.
Daniel Lescow, Vice President of Global Sales, Marketing and After-Sales of Smart says, "As the first product set to launch following the brand's renewal, the Smart #1 perfectly combines electric-drive technology and premium quality. I am convinced that the Smart #1 will enthuse future customers in both China and Europe, setting new trends of urban mobility and co-creating powerful brand experiences wherever it will make an appearance."
Smart's relationship with the China Automotive Engineering Research Institute in Chongqing meant that it was able to benefit from the nation's leading automobile aerodynamics testing center. Thanks to this, it is able to confirm that its upcoming model will boast a drag coefficient of 0.29 Cd. It claims that this is better than many of the products it is aiming to compete with.
Smart expresses its gratitude towards this achievement as the level of drag is directly proportional to a car's energy consumption. A low figure also has a positive effect on wind noise levels and stability at high speeds. The Smart #1 makes use of Mercedes-Benz's "Sensual Producty" design language which grants it a streamlined silhouette with concealed door handles and an active grille shutter.
For winter testing, the Smart #1 was taken to the northern regions of China which can reach temperatures of -40 degrees Fahrenheit. The brand claims that in these conditions, its prototype showed some impressive performance characteristics. If you plan to use this product in colder environments, the production model will feature a battery pre-heating system.
The aforementioned concealed door handles will also feature novel icebreaking ability which means you won't be stranded outside of your #1 if it is covered in a light layer of snow. It seems that this will be a very clever and well-designed machine, but since Smart is no longer sold in the US, we have no idea if the #1 will ever make it stateside.
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