First Look: smart #5 EV – Largest smart EV with 740 KM (CLTC) Range

Making its global debut today is the smart #5 – the brand’s largest EV to date with up to 740 KM of EV range.

Following several teasers and leaked images, the much-anticipated smart #5 EV has finally made its global debut today. Touted as the largest smart EVs to date, the #5 EV SUV retains the similar design cues we’ve seen on its smaller siblings while harbouring tons of new tech amenities inside.

As previewed by its concept twin and several leaked images, the #5 carries over some key design cues from other smart EVs, albeit in a larger footprint and peppered with some off-road touches. Key design touches include the distinct front face featuring oblong-shaped LED headlights with segmented LED DRLs that run across the front grille, LED taillights with similar design as the front, flushed door handles, and illuminated smart emblems on its D-pillars.

The slight off-road design bits come in the form of the plastic underbody claddings present on all sides of the car, while its enclosed alloy wheels come with smart-badged floating centre caps, a la Rolls-Royce.

In case you think the standard #5 isn’t rugged enough, there’s also the special Summit Edition variant for the EV SUV. This rugged variant adds several pieces of adventure equipment, such as a roof-mounted LED light bar with a roof carrier and an access ladder, side steps, some underbody protection, an electric trailer hitch, as well as an external storage compartment inspired by a certain British off-roading SUV.

As we mentioned earlier, the #5 currently stands as the largest model in smart Automobiles’ current lineup, with the EV SUV measuring 4,705 MM long, 1,920 MM wide, 1,705 MM tall, and with a wheelbase of 2,900 MM. This puts the #5 on par with other midsize EV SUVs such as the Xpeng G6, Tesla Model Y, and many more.

On board, the smart #5 has single-handedly elevated the interior game for the whole brand, as it features a much posher and tech-laden cabin compared to other smart EVs. For starters, the #5 gets a larger 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster paired with a massive 25.6-inch augmented reality (AR) head-up display, plus a dual 13-inch infotainment screen, with the latter featuring a lion avatar named Leo and powered by a “state-of-the-art generative AI voice assistant.

Besides the triple-screen setup, front passengers are also engulfed in tons of oak wood veneers, as well as the plush, leather-wrapped zero-gravity front seats that can be reclined at up to 121 degrees. Rear passengers, on the other hand, get heated seats with adjustable backrests for better comfort, plus dedicated climate vents and airline-style LED reading lights.

Topping off the cabin amenities list are a 256-colour ambient lighting system, a panoramic glass roof, and the new 21-speaker Sennheiser premium audio system.

As of now, smart Automobiles has yet to unveil the powertrain specs for the #5, but China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) previously revealed that the EV SUV will come in three powertrain specs. The first one is a single RWD version with two power outputs of 335 HP (250 kW) and 358 HP (267 kW), followed by a dual-motor AWD setup that delivers a total system output of up to 637 HP (475 kW).

Battery-wise, the #5 is juiced by a sizable 100-kWh battery pack that provides up to 740 KM of CLTC range. Thanks to its 800-volt battery architecture, the #5 supports super fast charging, which sees a 10-80% charge to be completed in just 15 minutes.

The all-new smart #5 is slated to make its entry into selected European markets later in early 2025. Given that the EV SUV made its global debut in Australia yesterday, there’s a huge chance that we may get a right-hand-drive (RHD) version of the #5, possibly arriving into our market in the near future…