Smart #3 will be longer and wider than Smart #1, but lower.
A new model from Geely's joint venture with Mercedes-Benz, Smart Automobile, may not be far from release, just as deliveries of its first all-electric vehicle have begun.
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Wednesday announced the latest batch of models that will be allowed to be sold in China for public comment, and Smart's new model, the Smart #3, is included. The public can submit their feedback between November 17 and November 23 if they have comments.
The Smart #3 is a small SUV with a length, width and height of 4,400/4,542 mm, 1,844 mm and 1,556 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,785 mm.
For reference, Smart #1, the first production model after the electrification of the Smart brand, measures 4,270 mm in length, 1,822 mm in width and 1,636 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,750 mm.
This means that Smart #3 will be longer and wider than Smart #1, but lower.
The car will be powered by electric motors supplied by Weirui Electric Auto Technology and will be available in single and dual-motor versions.
The single-motor version will have a peak motor power of 200 kW, while the dual-motor version will have a peak front and rear motor power of 115 kW and 200 kW, respectively.
The vehicle has a top speed of 180 km/h and is powered by a ternary lithium battery from suppliers including CALB and Sunwoda.
The Smart #1, which went on sale in China on April 25, was designed by Mercedes-Benz, with the Smart R&D team leading the engineering development, and is based on Geely's SEA (Sustainable Experience Architecture) architecture.
Smart #1 is the first production model launched after the electrification transformation of the Smart brand and is currently priced in the range of RMB 194,200 ($27,250) to RMB 24,5000 after subsidies.
Deliveries of the model began in China on September 23, with 1,629 units delivered in October, according to figures it announced earlier this month.
