SMART Malaysia's flagship electric vehicle (EV) finally made its public debut during the opening day of the International Electric Mobility Showcase (IEMS).
The Brabus variant is a sportier take on the smart #1 and sits at the top of the line-up as the more premium-performance driven choice.
While the two share the same body physically as with its features, it diverges design-wise with the exclusive 'Brabus' interior and a combination mix of seven exterior colours.
For example, if you choose the Radiant Red roof, you can select from Atom Grey — Matte, Meta Black, and Cyber Silver exterior colors. The black roof choice lets you match with Digital White, Laser Red, and Cyber Silver.
Lastly, there is Atom Grey — Matte, which also comes with an exclusive matte body-coloured roof.
Around the car are 'Brabus' decorative markings and logos to highlight the variant's status.
Cabin is filled with a black-red theme and the continued various 'Brabus' stamping.
Equipment is shared with that of the smart #1 Premium which includes the likes of a Beats 13-speaker sound system, a 12.8-inch centre infotainment touchscreen, a 9.2-inch driver display cluster, a 10-inch full colour head-up display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, wireless charging, and 64-colour ambient lighting as with illuminated door sills.
Comfort comes in the form of a 10-way powered ventilated front seats with memory function for the driver, N95 carbon filter with dual-zone auto air-conditioner rear vents, and a moonroof.
The difference isn't merely in its looks though. Another major added advantage of the Brabus it the focus on drive performance.
The e-car on 19-inch Dynamo alloy wheels houses a dual-motor All-Wheel-Drive powertrain which delivers an output of 315kW and 543Nm of maximum torque. The setup allows the car to achieve a 0-100kph acceleration time in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 180 kph.
By comparison the smart #1's single-motor delivers 200 kW and 343 Nm and a 0-100kph acceleration in 6.7 seconds.
There's also the Brabus's engine-acceleration audio to replicate the V6 internal combustion engine's (ICE) sound to incite a raw power sensory if you're concerned about the EV's clinical ambience.
The dual-motors are powered by a 66kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery and has a range of up to 400km (WLTP).
22kW AC charging is available allowing a 10-80 per cent charge in an estimated three hours. DC fast charging at a similar charge percentage can be achieved in 29 minutes. A vehicle-to-load (V2L) three-point plug power output is also available.
A range of safety features include primarily the electronic stability control, hill hold assist, hill descent control and seven airbags.
Advance driver assist systems consist of adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, front and rear collision mitigation support, lane keep assist, lane departure warning and prevention, front and rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring, door opening warning and automated lane change assist.
Slated to be officially launched sometime in the fourth quarter, the smart #1 Pro, Premium and Brabus is tentatively priced from RM200,000 to RM250,000 — on the road, without insurance.
Those who book now via the Hello smart App will be able to take advantage of the smart #1 early bird perks which comprises of RM1,001 in charging credits.
