Produced by | Tiger sniff car group
Author | Wang Xiaoyu
Edit | attentive
Header image | smart
As we all know, Chinese like to buy a big car when they buy a car. Wang Fengying, the former general manager of Great Wall Motors, once said in an interview with the media that in the global view, the consumption of Chinese car users is very unique, and this uniqueness is "face" - to be spacious and large, "buying big rather than buying small has become an important feature of Chinese car consumers, in fact, other countries are not like this."
It is precisely because of this concept of "big is good" that a decent compact fuel SUV has long been hit by domestic car companies to a low price of 50,000 yuan, and small cars have quickly gone to "extinction" in the era of fuel vehicles.
But what has turned around is that the popularity of the "Wuling God Car" Hongguang MINI EV has made mini cars/small cars reappear on the pure electric vehicle track.
Source: Wuling Motors
But when it comes to "electric cars", in addition to the Macro Mini EV, the picture that pops up in many people's minds may be like this:
Image source: Network
In order to change everyone's prejudice, Mercedes-Benz smart down the scene to build an "electric car".
Smart, grow up
In contrast to the smart of the fuel car era, the smart brand of the pure electric vehicle era is operated by a new company jointly established by Mercedes-Benz and Geely Automobile Group. The cooperation between the two sides can be described as a rapid speed: the official signing in 2019, the establishment of a joint venture in 2020, the release of a new concept car in 2021, and the release of the first mass production car after the smart brand renewal in 2022 - smart genie #1.
Smart Genie #1, positioned as a four-door, five-seat "small pure electric SUV", is 4.27 meters long, 1.82 meters wide, 1.63 meters high, and has a wheelbase of 2.75 meters. Not only is it one lap larger than the original fuel version of the four-door smart forfour, but it is also one size larger than the "old rival" BMW MINI, which is quite close to the size of the MINI CLUBMAN.
Image source: smart
Of course, we can still call Smart Genie #1 a "little car.". After all, in order to stack large-capacity batteries in today's pure electric vehicles, designers will lengthen the body length and wheelbase as much as possible. Nowadays, pure electric "big cars" with a length of more than 5 meters and a wheelbase of nearly 3 meters can be seen everywhere.
However, when you grow up, smart is also more expensive.
Image source: smart
On June 6 this year, smart genie #1 announced the official retail price, the three models are Pure+ priced at 181,600 yuan, Pro+ priced at 196,600 yuan, and Premium priced at 226,600 yuan. At the beginning of August, the top version rose by 5800 yuan, and the adjusted price was 232,400 yuan.
On August 26, at the Chengdu International Auto Show, smart genie #1 added a BRABUS performance version, with a retail price of 279,000 yuan (excluding new energy subsidies and paid optional equipment).
Image source: smart
So far, the overall price range of the smart genie #1 model has covered 180,000-279,000 yuan.
It should be known that the market below 300,000 yuan is a "red sea", and the competition has tended to be white-hot. From 2019 to the present, the pure electric vehicle market of less than 300,000 yuan has long occupied about 90% of the measured share. From the past year, the share of high-end models has increased, but pure electricity below 300,000 yuan is still a must for China's new energy vehicle market.
Image source: Multiplying Association
Smart's situation is undoubtedly the need to kill a "blue ocean" from the "red sea".
On the one hand, it is because consumers with a budget of more than 200,000 yuan can buy many larger pure electric models. For example, BYD Song, which has long dominated the sales list, is positioned as a compact SUV, with a pure electric version of less than 200,000 yuan. Another example is the main cost-effective zero-run C11, positioned as a medium-sized SUV, the most expensive version as long as 239,800 yuan. If you choose a car, more than 200,000 yuan can even buy a medium and large car BYD Han and a medium-sized car Xiaopeng P7.
On the other hand, the pure electric mini cars/small cars on the market are still "cheap" as the main selling point. Pure electric models that are close to the size of Smart Genie #1, such as Nezha V and BYD Yuan Pro, are almost all starting at less than 100,000 yuan.
Audi Q2L e-tron (Source: FAW Audi)
The only small pure electric SUV that can be set at more than 200,000 yuan may be the Audi Q2L e-tron. But behind the "confident" pricing is the embarrassment of Q2L e-tron's monthly sales hovering around hundreds of vehicles.
So, Smart Genie #1 needs to answer this most critical question – why spend more than $200,000 on a small SUV?
Design, very Mercedes.com
After test driving smart genie #1, I seem to have found the answer to the above question.
Approaching smart genie #1, the trident logo on the B-pillar seems to be telling you that it has a part of Mercedes-Benz pedigree flowing through it, especially in terms of appearance.
Image source: smart
And walking to the rear of the car, the tail mark of "Pride Genie" seems to remind you that it is a pure electric model from Geely's production line - Geely exported its own SEA vast architecture, making Smart and Krypton and Lotus as "brothers".
Shooting: Tiger sniff
The first time I sat in Smart Genie #1 was at night.
After unlocking the vehicle, the hidden door handle illuminates a smart logo on the ground, and the way the light slowly lights up is very fast. Open the door, the 64-color mood light is lit up instantly - the smart luminous LOGO on the lower edge of the steering wheel, the outer edge of the T-shaped center console, and the Beats speakers on both sides of the A-pillar, all of which set off the best "nightclub style" atmosphere of Mercedes-Benz.
Image source: smart
However, the atmosphere light in the Mercedes-Benz car is not only for the sake of appearance, but also for the cockpit interaction. Like on pure electric EQE models, when the space temperature is raised/lowered, the mood light is displayed as red/blue. Smart Genie #1, which inherits this tradition of the Mercedes-Benz family, has an ambient light at the exit that changes the color when you adjust the temperature.
Image source: smart
Similarly, the mood light on beats' speakers flashes a red light when triggering a lane departure warning to alert the driver to safety. In addition, Beats has also tailored various driving reminder sounds for smart, such as the most commonly used turn signal sound, which was specially made by Beats for smart genie #1. Even, the smart genie #1 lock car sound effect is a "special tune" - "croak" a sound, unique.
In addition to using light and sound to create a sense of sophistication, Smart Genie #1 also tries to use Mercedes design elements to enhance the sense of luxury. For example, the square rounded corner air outlet design on the new generation of Mercedes-Benz S (W223) is equivalent to transplanting to smart genie #1. For example, the opening/closing mode and damping of the smart handbox storage compartment have completely restored the feel and texture of Mercedes-Benz.
On Smart Sprite #1, smart's classic rounded corner design elements are everywhere.
Like the center console dashboard is rounded on both sides, the black bezel of the 12.8-inch center console screen is also rounded, and even the edges of the main driver screen are rounded. More detailed is that the HMI (Human Machine Interface) on smart genie #1 is also full of rounded designs. Whether it's a quick action card on the desktop, a navigation bar in the settings interface, or a pop-up window, all of them are rounded designs – giving people a very smooth visual feel.
Shooting: Tiger sniff
Unfortunately, along with the classic rounded design, there is also the plastic feel of the smart's original interior.
The central interior panel and doorknob area do not use the leather that Chinese likes, but use an INS diaphragm imported from Germany for the PVD vacuum plating process, which is composed of four layers of material, from the outside to the inside are the plexiglass protective layer, the colored ink layer, the PVD metal layer or the environmentally friendly colloidal layer, and the substrate attachment layer. Although it is not as comfortable to the touch as genuine leather, the luster of the metal makes the interior look delicate. Moreover, the cost of this INS diaphragm is higher than that of the same level of leather materials.
The smart steering wheel and the door panel are made of delicate white stitching, which to some extent makes up for the sense of refinement.
Image source: smart
From the design to the materials, it seems to remind you all the time that this is not a Mercedes-Benz, but a smart.
The bottom, very auspicious
What impressed me the most was not only the smart design, but the fun of driving.
As we all know, in the pure electric vehicle market, the polarization is particularly serious, not only the price difference is significant, but also the advantages and disadvantages at the driving level have also appeared cliff-like differences. High-end models can easily leapfrog comfort and handling experience with higher R&D budgets and stronger configurations. However, there are only a few low-end, low-end models that can be called "easy to open".
Smart Genie #1, in addition to the BRABUS Performance Edition, the other three models use rear motor + rear-wheel drive, maximum power 272 horsepower, peak torque 343 Nm, 0-100km/h acceleration time of 6.7 seconds, maximum speed of 180km/h. It seems that the parameters are unremarkable, but in fact, comparing the data with many pure electric vehicle models on the market, you will find that the smart genie #1 is definitely the existence of "small steel cannon".
Like BYD Han's single-motor version, the acceleration of 100 kilometers is only 7.9 seconds. The single motor version of the Xiaopeng P7 accelerates by only 6.7 seconds per 100 kilometers, and even the official maximum speed is only 170 km/h. As a comparison, a Xiaopeng P7 we drove, the acceleration pedal can only run to 135km/h. When I opened smart genie #1, I deliberately accelerated it briefly to 140km/h under the conditions. At the time, I could clearly feel smart genie #1, which still retained a momentum when accelerating in the middle and late stages.
Smart Genie #1, based on the "bottom" of Geely's vast SEA pure electric architecture, does continue the "easy to open" attribute that is available on Extreme Kr 001. Especially in terms of suspension, the daily movement is hard and not bumpy, and the fierce driving is also confident enough. The front McPherson independent suspension, the rear five-link independent suspension, and the BOSCH-9.3 body electronic stability control system further strengthen the Smart's "small steel cannon" attribute.
Coupled with the elongation of the wheelbase and the low center of gravity of the chassis battery pack, the smart genie #1 can better control the "head up" when "jumping zero hundred", and definitely will not "put his feet off the ground" like the old smart.
Image source: Network
One more thing to mention is the control of smart genie #1.
The three steering hand and driving mode linkage (untied) can bring three different driving styles. In Eco (Economy) mode and Comfort mode, the steering wheel steering is lighter, the driving rhythm is generally smooth and soothing, and the occasional deep electric door can easily complete the overtaking, which is very suitable for driving in the city and is also friendly to girls. Sport mode, on the other hand, responds faster to power, with a steering feel and kinetic energy recovery that makes it drive closer to a fuel performance car.
Then there's the performance of endurance.
The Smart Genie #1 Premium edition I got this time (560km endurance under CLTC standards), after driving nearly 95.7 kilometers (including urban areas, some high-speed), the performance power consumption is 14.3kWh/100km (2 people, full air conditioning, outdoor temperature of about 25 degrees). In addition, the mileage at departure is 537km, and the remaining mileage at arrival is 414km, which is roughly estimated to be more than 90%.
Shooting: Tiger sniff
Performance and endurance, which is really a credit to Geely.
The supply brand of the same type of Extreme Kr 001, Wei Rui (part of the Geely Group), undertook the supply of key components of smart behind it. Judging from the information previously declared by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the motor of smart genie #1 is from Weirui. In addition, on the Premium version, it is also equipped with the latest SiC permanent magnet synchronous electric drive for the first time - while improving the efficiency of the system, it increases the mileage of the whole vehicle by about 3% to 5%.
In terms of power batteries, smart genie #1 is very conscientious with a 66kWh battery pack, with two different efficiency motors, respectively, to achieve 535km (Pure+ version, Pro+ version) and 560km (Premium version) of battery life.
Judging from the previous disclosure of Gaogong Lithium Battery, smart genie #1 uses the battery cell (5 series battery cell chemical system) provided by Zhongxin Airlines - using multi-element homogeneous doping technology, element directional gradient distribution technology and table interface directional coupling and other core material technologies, its product energy density reaches more than 250Wh/kg, and supports 150kW super fast charging. Veritas, on the other hand, completed the final battery pack integration work.
After completing the duty of "building an electric car", Geely also helped Smart add some advantages in the field of intelligence, especially in the car machine system. According to smart, Mercedes-Benz is responsible for the creative design of HMI, while Geely's Yijiatong is responsible for transforming the flat design into a full set of system designs, and working closely with the smart engineering team to achieve it.
As can be seen from the parameters of the underlying hardware, Geely is very willing to give smart this 12.8-inch stack - the whole series is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 cockpit chip as standard, and has 12G memory, 128G storage space, UFS high-speed flash memory, and supports synchronous reading and writing.
The jump in chip computing power, the most intuitive benefit, is to avoid the situation of caton on the smart car machine. At the same time, the fluency of in-car apps and voice interactions has been raised to a new height. For example, I did a limit test: in 14 seconds, it can complete the speech interaction of the wake-free word 8 times in a row. This means that the voice assistant of Smart Genie #1 will not take more than 2 seconds to complete the whole process of "getting instructions, executing instructions, and feedback instructions".
The startup process lasts about 20 seconds
However, smart still can't escape the "car magic curse" of the Geely system. Under the software version of the test drive at the time, when unlocking Smart Genie #1, it took more than 20 seconds to wait for the car to start. At the end of the test drive, we received a "system update download completed" reminder, and it can be seen that the smart team is already fixing software-related issues.
Apparently, they are making a final sprint for the opening of deliveries in September.
Shooting: Tiger sniff
Write at the end
In smart genie #1, we can see Mercedes-Benz and Geely trying to please Chinese consumers, such as the 66kWh battery pack full series standard, 8155 cockpit chip and the whole series of car system standard. This has allowed many people who are choosing pure electric vehicles for the first time because of smart to reduce the threshold of communication and trial and error. But smart still has a lot of product settings, a little too hard meaning.
For example, bmw and Mercedes-Benz are promoting the paid subscription package model, smart learned early. Premium models have sold for 230,000, steering wheel heating and front seat ventilation actually require additional subscriptions, one-time buyouts or seasonal payments. As for whether smart genie #1 will have other more subscription packages online, such as paid car replacement machine skins, change simulated sound waves, etc., it is still unknown.
Secondly, in order to cater to Chinese consumers, smart has added a "WeChat car version" evoking button on the steering wheel very intimately, but this design does not look advanced.
In the past, only domestic brands such as GAC and Great Wall would put WeChat buttons on the steering wheel. BMW, which has long supported the WeChat car version, did not follow the flow of domestic brands, and still insisted on putting the entrance of the WeChat car version in the car machine screen.
Moreover, the voice interaction fluency of smart genie #1 is already very high, and it is fully capable of using weChat messages based on voice interaction. This redundant design is really not too necessary. Moreover, in such a small position on the steering wheel, it may be better to place some buttons related to driving convenience such as "360 Panoramic Image", "Automatic Parking", etc.
Shooting: Tiger sniff
Finally, it comes back to the question of price. Looking at the configuration list of Smart Genie #1, you will find that the configurations that can become a highlight are all available only to the top model of the Premium version.
For example, the heat pump air conditioner that northern users most need is only the top match, the Beats speaker with various special effects is only the top match, the mobile phone wireless charging is only the top match, and even the front seat ventilation is only the top match to be eligible for paid subscription. In addition, some intelligent driving functions, such as automatic parking assistance, remote control parking assistance, and driver status monitoring, are only available on the top.
With a little selection, the price of the Premium version of the model has reached a high of 250,000 yuan. Even more embarrassing, because this year's smart genie #1 capacity is full, and now the fastest order needs to be picked up next year. With the decline of subsidies for new energy vehicles that have long been doomed at the end of the year and the uncertainty of raw material turmoil in the supply chain in the second half of the year, the price of the top version of the model will most likely rise again.
Of course, we can't just give the Smart Genie #1 a stick for price reasons. From the test drive experience, the car is still a good car, but the price is not all smart problems, it is my problem.
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