On April 25th, Smart held an online launch event for its pure electric compact SUV, the Smart Spirit #1. After the pre-sale price of 190,000 to 230,000 yuan was announced, two voices emerged in our community’s comment section, some felt it was overpriced while others felt surprised by the price.
Let’s analyze it briefly. As a small luxury brand SUV, compared with the fuel Audi Q2L, Smart Spirit #1 has a stronger power performance, a higher level of luxury feeling and active safety, while having a better cost performance even after terminal discounts, making the Q2L’s guidance price of 230,000 to 270,000 yuan not competitive enough. In addition, Smart Spirit #1 has an advantage in terms of configuration, structure, and brand compared to other pure electric vehicles in the same class, thus 190,000 to 230,000 yuan pre-sale price is sincere.
Smart Spirit #1 is focused on the young boutique car market. Currently the market has BYD Dolphin, Ora Cat, and Volkswagen ID.3. If we want to pursue more brand and power, Tesla Model 3 will also be within the potential choice range of consumers.
Don’t be fooled by the fact that BYD Dolphin has a 70,000 yuan price difference compared to Smart Spirit #1, while Smart Spirit #1 is 50,000 yuan more expensive than Tesla Model 3. For consumers who have clear demands and only want to buy a high-quality boutique car, the price range they can afford will often be wider.
Therefore, today we will discuss the differences between pre-sale priced Smart Spirit #1 and its competitors, as well as which version, Pro+ or Premium, is worth choosing for the 40,000 yuan difference between them.
Different designs and configurations
In terms of appearance, Smart Spirit #1 has a similar design concept to its competitors, with a front face that tends to be enclosed after electrification, and an area of the air inlet grille that is continuously compressed. Perhaps due to the SUV’s characteristics, Smart Spirit #1’s air inlet grille is the largest among these five cars to prevent the front from appearing too thick and heavy.
In the Premium version, the grille can light up and the lights are similar to the light show function on the Tesla Model 3 when connected to the headlights and audio system. Moreover, the Premium version is equipped with matrix headlights which have a different shape inside the lamp housing compared to Pro+, giving it a more spiritual appearance.
The body lines of these five cars are mainly smooth and flexible, as if the design has gone through another cycle and eliminated the edges and corners currently found in conventional fuel-powered vehicles. The 20-inch low-resistance wheel hub on the ID.3 gives it a particularly full look, but the poor comfort brought by the low aspect ratio and the tendency for tires to bulge cannot be ignored by car owners.
The smart Force #1 is equipped with 19-inch low-resistance wheel hubs on the top-of-the-line model and 18-inch low-resistance wheel hubs on the base model, both with a tire width of 235 mm. There isn’t much visible difference between the two in terms of visual impact and this wheel size is considered large for a small SUV.
As we move to the rear of the car, the differences between them begin to become more apparent. The black tailgate on the ID.3 outlines the style of a standard hatchback, the hidden taillight design on the Ora Cat is striking and unique, BYD’s dolphin has a familial light strip design at the back, Tesla Model 3 still follows the minimalist route, and the design of the smart Force #1 at the back echoes the front of the car and also has a Mercedes-Benz design feel. Which one suits your taste is up to you.
Like its competitors, smart elf #1 has also devoted a lot of effort to car painting. Smart elf #1 has a total of 11 car body color combinations, with particle white, silent black, and cyber silver as standard paints. Pro+ can be equipped with three paints, and the remaining five paints are only available for top-of-the-line models (currently, quantum blue and flow silver cannot be selected), among which pink, which is popular among women, is only available for top-of-the-line models. In addition to car paint, three double-color roof colors are also provided, and the specific optional prices will be announced later.
If you want the smart logo on the D-pillar to shine, you still need to choose to “show your identity”. Fortunately, frameless doors and hidden electric door handles are standard, which is more convenient than the inhuman hidden door handles on the Model 3. However, the reliability of ice and snow weather still needs further experience.
By the way, the frameless doors equipped with smart elf #1 and Tesla Model 3 are really easy to attract people’s attention, and they can better show the posture of the car.
In terms of appearance, these five cars all have their own characteristics. Smart elf #1 has more details and exquisite sense of design on the car body, and can also satisfy consumers’ requirements for brand personality. Although Tesla Model 3 is also excellent in design, for the audience who only want small cars, Model 3 is still a bit too large.
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Interior Comparison
Despite everyone’s focus on a central screen for interior design, the actual effects vary greatly.
# Tesla Model 3 Dashboard Design
The design of the Tesla Model 3 dashboard is a unique existence, which does not pursue luxury but rather takes minimalism to the extreme. For the Volkswagen ID.3, customers can choose to install a white steering wheel to highlight their personality. A large amount of hard plastic material is used, which needs to be criticized, considering that the ID.3 has already reached a price of 180,000 yuan. Ora Good Cat and BYD Dolphin both belong to the minimalist technology style.
When it comes to the interior of Smart cars, one can clearly feel the luxurious atmosphere. Customers can identify the design of the air outlet, center console, and steering wheel, which can be attributed to the work of Mercedes-Benz designers. The logo of the brand is also located on the B-pillar.
All Smart car models come standard with 64 ambient lights. If it is a high-end model, it is also equipped with 13 speakers, a Beats sound system with a total power of 640W, and an illuminated sound panel. It is somewhat reminiscent of “Berlin Grande” in Mercedes-Benz cars, and the sound system configuration is superior to those of the same level.
In addition, all Smart car models come standard with a cooling air outlet in the center console armrest. Although it may seem like a small detail, it can greatly enhance the user experience. For example, in summer, if you want to bring a cup of iced drink for your girlfriend, by the time you get to her, the water is no longer cold. The cooling air outlet in the center console armrest may not be as good as a refrigerator, but it is still a considerate configuration.
Regarding the interior style, Pro+ and Premium versions offer two different interior styles to choose from. Deep space black and lightning gray are available for the Pro+, while dark matter black and tactile gold are available for the Premium. In addition to different color schemes, the material of Premium version is genuine leather, while the Pro+ uses artificial leather.
# smart #1’s front seats come with heating and ventilation, and interestingly, these three features, including heated steering wheels, are subscription-based. According to Zhang Mingxia, smart’s Vice President of Sales and After-Market Marketing, future updates will be provided via OTA and subscription services, indicating that smart has pre-embedded hardware. Specific prices will be announced later.
In terms of seat configuration, Euler Cat has the most complete features, including heating, ventilation, and massage for the front seats. In practical use, heating and ventilation have a good experience, while a little massage is always better than none. The key point is that you don’t need to subscribe, as this feature comes with the high-end model.
As for the interior atmosphere, everyone is focusing on a screen as the center piece. However, in terms of actual visual perception, smart’s interior is believed to be the most balanced in terms of luxury, technology, and simplicity, which should appeal to a wider range of audiences.
Cabin Comparison
smart #1 is fully equipped with a 9.2-inch LCD instrument panel and 12.8-inch central control screen, paired with the Snapdragon 8155 chip, which provides 12 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. Based on past experience, the vehicles equipped with the 8155 chip can provide us with a decent user experience. More specific performance will require actual experience.
smart #1’s infotainment system interface is a place that can deeply appeal to young users. As for the voice assistant, Avatar, offered by smart, it is surprisingly a small fox that can even implement personalized customization such as changing skins. Compared to Volkswagen ID.3 and Tesla Model 3, smart’s Avatar provides much more warmth and enthusiasm.
In the Premium version, smart #1 also supports a 10-inch HUD display. Compared to the ID.3’s AR-HUD, smart’s HUD has a slightly different function. The navigation markers displayed by the ID.3’s HUD can be adjusted in size as the distance changes, enhancing the HUD user experience. However, this function only supports in-car navigation and requires an additional cost of 5,000 yuan.
Inside the cabin, smart #1 remains the most balanced option, while Euler Cat stands out for its cost-effectiveness. Tesla Model 3 performed conventionally, while BYD Dolphin, being the cheapest, had some understandable differences in configurations. As for the Volkswagen ID.3, to get white interior and AR-HUD, passengers still need to manually adjust the seat even with a car price of 180,000 yuan, which should not be considered since the car’s machine, seats, audio, and interior materials do not meet the mainstream standards.
Space comparison
Although smart #1 is a small SUV, its 2,750 mm wheelbase even exceeds that of some compact fuel SUVs. For reference, the wheelbase of FAW-Volkswagen’s medium SUV Touareg is only 2,731 mm. However, the actual space experience still depends on the riding experience.
Compared to BYD Dolphin, Euler Cat, and Volkswagen ID.3, the other two contestants all have air conditioner vents in the back seat, greatly improving practicality. Tesla Model 3 also equipped the back seat with seat heating, further enhancing comfort.
smart #1’s rear seats support 4/6 folding and front and back movement, providing more flexible space extension to the trunk. According to official information, the trunk space can be expanded from 323 liters to 411 liters by sliding the seats, and the second-row seats can be flattened to reach up to 986 liters.
Thanks to its pure electric platform, smart genie #1 has a front trunk with a space of 15 L, which can be used for daily necessities such as a portable charging pile.
However, compared with its competitors, smart is slightly inferior in absolute space.
As we all know, pure electric vehicles will place a huge battery pack under the car body. The reason why smart genie #1, as the only SUV in the competition, chooses to do so is not only to improve the vehicle’s interior space but also to consider the cruising range.
Cruising power, you get what you pay for
Comparison of cruising ranges
Perhaps it is also because of the SUV’s shape that smart genie #1 has the largest battery pack on the field, reaching 66 kWh, while other competitors are around 60 kWh. This also enables smart genie #1’s CLTC to reach between 535-560 km.
It should be noted that due to the Premium version’s permanent magnet synchronous motor with silicon carbide power module and heat pump air conditioning system, it can achieve 25 km more cruising range compared with the Pro+ version, which means that it is more efficient and energy-saving.
For pure electric vehicles, PTC heating air conditioning will have a greater impact on cruising range in winter, so everyone has gradually equipped with heat pump air conditioning. Among the other four cars, BYD Dolphin and Tesla Model 3 are standard configuration, Volkswagen ID.3 requires an additional cost of 9,000 yuan, and Ora Good Cat does not have this function. In winter, heat pump air conditioning can effectively reduce energy consumption and help vehicles improve cruising range.
There are some differences in energy consumption and cruising range between the two versions of smart genie #1. Taking into account the configuration mentioned earlier, spending an extra 40,000 yuan on the Premium version would be a very cost-effective choice. But don’t worry, let’s continue to look at the configuration selection below.
Power comparison
For consumers who choose this type of small car, their demand for power seems to be not particularly large, and it’s good enough to be easy to drive. However, regarding driving experience, power reserve is still very necessary. The shorter the time you spend overtaking a long trailer on the highway, the safer it means. Therefore, power is still one of the most important consideration factors.
Among these five cars, only the Smart FORTWO EQ (#1) and Tesla Model 3 broke through 200 kW in maximum power output, with both achieving acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h within 7 seconds. The Model 3 even reached 6.1 seconds. The Volkswagen ID.3, which also has a rear-wheel drive structure, took 7.8 seconds. In contrast, the Ora Good Cat and BYD Dolphin, which are front-wheel drive models, can achieve the same in under 8 seconds. Although there are slight differences in their performances, they can all satisfy the primary need for daily commuting.
Comparison of Advanced Driving Assistance System (ADAS)
With the progress of electrification, intelligence seems to have become directly linked with all pure electric vehicles.
The Smart FORTWO EQ (#1) is quite generous in terms of advanced driving assistance system (ADAS) functions, with the Pro+ version equipped with 8 ultrasonic sensors, 1 millimeter-wave radar, 4 surround-view cameras, and 1 front-view camera, which can achieve basic L2 level ADAS functions such as adaptive cruise control and lane keeping.
The Premium version is even equipped with 12 ultrasonic sensors, 5 millimeter-wave radars, 4 surround-view cameras, 1 front-view camera, and 1 cabin camera, bringing a wide range of functions including automatic lane changing, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic parking in addition to basic L2 functions. The specific configuration differences are shown below:
It is worth mentioning that the 360-degree panoramic imaging is standard for the entire series, which is very user-friendly for novice drivers, and can greatly reduce vehicle scratching accidents.
Compared with its competitors, the Smart FORTWO EQ (#1) also performs at the mainstream level in terms of ADAS capabilities, with well-rounded hardware configurations. According to Zhang Mingxia, the representative of Smart, the ADAS chip used in the FORTWO EQ (#1) is provided by Veoneer, which is also the supplier of Mercedes-Benz ADAS chip. However, the actual ADAS capability still needs to be experienced before it can be unveiled.
Conclusion
After comprehensive comparison, it is not hard to find that the pre-sale price of 190,000 to 230,000 RMB for the smart Elf #1 is very cost-effective in a certain extent. Although smart’s spokesperson Zhang Mingxia mentioned that sales volume is not the assessment target for Elf #1, with the price of about 200,000 RMB, complete configuration, nice appearance and the brand endorsement from smart, it is indeed more attractive and has more ability to seize the market compared to BYD, Ora, and Volkswagen. In other words, smart Elf #1 does not carry too much brand premium. Also, compared to Tesla Model 3, which is everywhere, Elf #1 is more personalized in terms of vehicle model, interior, and color selection.
With a pre-sale price of 190,000 RMB for the Pro+ version, it not only lowers the threshold for car purchase but also achieves very comprehensive basic configuration which can fully meet all the demands of daily use. If you pursue more advanced configuration and individuality, you can add 40,000 RMB for lots of high-end configurations that cannot be equipped even by double the money on the aftermarket. As a flagship model, the Premium version also has its own cost-effectiveness.
If your purchase goal is a high-quality boutique electric small car and has specific requirements for brands, then the smart Elf #1 just fills this gap, and it is suitable for both men and women. When women buy cars, they pay more attention to appearance, interior, and brand, while men pursue practicability and cost-effectiveness. Elf #1 enters this market in a condition that is able to compete in all aspects. As mentioned by the spokesperson of smart, Zhang Mingxia, it is a product that cannot be defined.
Therefore, the listing delivery of smart Elf #1 in the fourth quarter of this year and the subsequent release of the domestically-produced high-performance Brabus version will not only cause a certain sales impact on the above-mentioned five products but also have certain influences on the pricing of future new products. This includes the upcoming Ora Punk Cat, Ballet Cat, and domestically-produced pure electric MINI.
Do you know the guard of Boston Celtics team in NBA, coincidentally his name is Smart, and he won the Best Defensive Player award this year. Coming to the automotive industry, based on the comprehensive performance of smart elf #1, it is not an exaggeration to say that it is the best defensive player among the 200,000 boutique cars in the market.
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This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.