smart #1 China: price, 535 km CLTC range, 800-volt charging and version differences

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smart began sales of the updated #1 crossover in China on 6 August. The 535 Max is temporarily priced at 149,900 yuan and the 535 Ultra at 169,900 yuan. The recommended retail prices are 152,900 and 172,900 yuan.

The new entry price sits 7000 yuan above the June special offer on the outgoing smart #1, which stood at 142,900 yuan. That is a gap of 4.9%, but the buyer gets a completely reworked electrical side, a stronger motor and new electronics. The June figure was also a temporary promotional price rather than a permanent list price.

What 800 volts change: 245 kW, 535 km CLTC and a 12-minute charge

Both versions use an 800-volt platform with silicon-carbide components and a 16-in-1 integrated drive unit. The rear motor delivers 245 kW, or around 333 PS. Torque reaches 320 Nm and the sprint to 100 km/h takes 6.7 seconds.

A lithium-iron-phosphate battery of 61.52 kWh is good for 535 km on the Chinese CLTC cycle. It is rated for 6C charging: from 10 to 80% takes 12 minutes. Real-world range will be lower than the official figure, and comparing 535 km CLTC directly with European WLTP numbers is misleading. The maker also claims 93.8% efficiency for the drive system.

The main difference from the current European model is refill speed. The smart #1 sold in the EU uses a 400-volt system, accepts up to 150 kW and needs about 30 minutes to go from 10 to 80%. We looked in detail earlier at why European buyers should wait before signing. European timing, trim levels and WLTP range have not been announced.

Inside: a 10.2-inch cluster, a 15.4-inch screen and Flyme Auto

The dimensions are unchanged: 4270 x 1822 x 1636 mm with a 2750 mm wheelbase. The cabin gets a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15.4-inch central display with 2.5K resolution. Infotainment runs on Flyme Auto, and the equipment list includes a Sennheiser audio system with 13 speakers, ambient lighting in 256 colours and V2L/V2V external power output of up to 6 kW.

How the 535 Ultra differs from the 535 Max

The 535 Ultra comes as standard with a lidar, an NVIDIA Orin Y processor rated at 200 TOPS and the G-Pilot H5 assistance system from Geely, known in China as Qianli Haohan H5 and built on the G-ASD 4.0 solution. The suite works with 31 sensors and supports navigation assistance on city roads and motorways without high-definition maps, as well as automated parking. On the 535 Max the same package is a separate option: the list price is 14,000 yuan, but at launch it is being sold for half that, 7000 yuan.

The Ultra also adds a head-up display, ventilated and massaging front seats, a fragrance system and an extra side airbag. The entry Max makes do with a simplified set of driver aids. The 19-inch wheels are charged separately at 5000 yuan, or 2500 yuan during the launch period.

Five launch perks: what the package worth 25,000 yuan includes

The five launch perks are valued at more than 25,000 yuan in total, but this is not a single discount off the price of the car. The package covers a cut of 3000 yuan on the final payment and half price on four items: the assistance package, paid body colours, the 19-inch wheels and a home charging station with basic installation. Trading in another smart brings a further discount of 10,000 yuan.

In China the new #1 competes with the Zeekr X, MINI Aceman and Nio Firefly, and in a wider price band with the BYD Yuan Plus and Xpeng MONA M03. Chinese pricing cannot be carried over to export markets: certification, taxes, software and equipment levels will all be different. The next milestone is the announcement of the European version with a WLTP figure.