Smart has introduced a new-generation #1 in China, repositioning the small electric SUV with an 800\u2011volt silicon carbide high\u2011voltage architecture, a 61.52 kWh LFP battery, and fast\u2011charging claims that the company says let the car go from 10% to 80% in 12 minutes. The model launches in two trims and comes with optional advanced driver\u2011assistance hardware on the higher variant. Limited\u2011time pricing starts at about RMB 149,900 (roughly $22,080), according to the manufacturer.<\/p>\n
The Smart #1 is the latest small all\u2011electric SUV from Smart, a joint venture between Mercedes\u2011Benz and Geely Auto. The 2026 new\u2011generation model is Smart\u2019s first product to use an 800\u2011volt platform as standard across the range, a step the company highlights to compete on charging speed and system efficiency.<\/p>\n
The new model is offered in two main versions at launch: the 535 Max and the 535 Ultra. Official list prices are RMB 152,900 for the Max and RMB 172,900 for the Ultra. Smart is advertising limited\u2011time prices of RMB 149,900 and RMB 169,900 respectively; the lower limited\u2011time price converts to about $22,080. The company is also promoting purchase incentives worth more than RMB 25,000 in aggregate, including cash deductions, discounted upgrades for assisted\u2011driving hardware and reduced options for wheels and an official home charger. Trade\u2011in discounts for current Smart owners are also listed on the launch materials.<\/p>\n
Smart emphasises upgraded intelligence in the Ultra trim. That version is fitted with a roof\u2011mounted LiDAR, Nvidia\u2019s Orin Y compute chip and Geely\u2019s Afari Smart Driving (G\u2011ASD) H5 assisted\u2011driving system. The announced sensing suite counts 31 components and a peak compute capability of 200 TOPS; Smart says that configuration supports navigation assistance on urban roads and highways without relying on high\u2011definition maps. On the Max trim those features are optional, with the G\u2011ASD H5 package initially offered at a promotional half price (RMB 14,000 at launch).<\/p>\n
The launch material positions the new #1 against several compact electric SUVs in China. Direct competitors named by the company include the Zeekr X, the Mini Aceman (electric Mini), and Nio\u2019s Firefly EV. In a broader price band, Smart expects to compete with value\u2011oriented offerings such as BYD\u2019s Yuan Plus and Xpeng\u2019s Mona L03. The main technical differentiator Smart highlights is the move from the previous 400\u2011volt architecture to an 800\u2011volt SiC platform, which it presents as an improvement in fast\u2011charging capability.<\/p>\n
Why this launch matters: 800\u2011volt architecture and SiC power electronics are widely seen in higher\u2011performance EVs because they can enable faster charging and smaller, lighter powertrains. Making 800V standard on a lower\u2011priced compact SUV is noteworthy if charging infrastructure and real\u2011world charger compatibility support the advertised charging rates. The claimed 10\u201380% in 12 minutes would be a competitive charging time if delivered under accessible public DC fast\u2011charging conditions.<\/p>\n
Limits and open questions: the launch materials use the CLTC test cycle for range (535 km), which is generally more optimistic than WLTP or EPA numbers used outside China; readers should not assume equivalence between CLTC figures and internationally used range standards. The 10\u201380% in 12 minutes claim is manufacturer\u2011stated and depends on charger availability, battery thermal state, ambient temperature and battery state of health \u2014 factors not detailed in the announcement. The information packet does not provide independent test data, real\u2011world charging power curves, or the number of production units planned, so production scale and how frequently buyers will be able to reach the peak charging rate in everyday use remain unconfirmed.<\/p>\n
For Chinese consumers, the new #1 offers a relatively affordable entry point to an 800\u2011volt SiC EV if the limited\u2011time pricing is applied. Buyers who prioritise rapid charging and assisted\u2011driving options will need to evaluate whether local DC fast\u2011charging networks offer compatible power delivery and whether the optional sensing and compute package meets their desired level of driver assistance. Fleet operators should seek independent verification of charging throughput, duty\u2011cycle performance and the effects of repeated fast charging on LFP battery longevity before committing at scale.<\/p>\n
All technical specifications, prices and promotional offers cited above are taken from Smart\u2019s launch information published at the time of the model\u2019s China introduction. The company lists competitors and positioning in its materials; independent third\u2011party testing and broader availability outside China were not included in the launch documents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Smart’s rebuilt #1 arrives on an 800\u2011volt silicon carbide platform with a 61.52 kWh LFP pack, 535 km CLTC range and a 10\u201380% charge claim in 12 minutes; pricing in China starts at about RMB 149,900 (~$22,080) for a limited-time offer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":77980,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6023],"tags":[6086,6087,6017,5948,6076,6089,6085,6088,6084],"class_list":["post-77978","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-latest","tag-800v-charging","tag-autonomous-driving","tag-china","tag-ev","tag-geely","tag-lfp-battery","tag-mercedes-benz","tag-nvidia-orin","tag-smart"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77978","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77978"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77978\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":77979,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77978\/revisions\/77979"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77978"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77978"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77978"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}