The Grand Tour – smart’s Europe market CEOs driving the new smart from Lisbon to their home countries
After the new smart #1 was already successfully tested by media, influencers and smart associates in Lisbon, it was time to pass on the steering wheel to the market CEOs of smart Europe and explore the vehicle in a unique driving experience: In October, the CEOs from 9 out of 11 European markets went on the “Grand Tour” together across the continent from Lisbon back to their home countries – driving the new smart #1 Premium and #BRABUS lines. Their first stop: Madrid. Yet thanks to the smart #1's maximum range of up to 440 kilometres (WLTP), the travellers only had to make one charging stop on their drive to Spain’s capital. From here the smart #1 took our CEOs to Paris, Rome, Brussels and even to the UK, Switzerland and the smart hometown Stuttgart – a total combined distance of 15.737 kilometres!
All-electric smart #1 – A perfect partner for long-distance journeys
On their grand tour throughout Europe, the smart CEOs have proven wrong one of the most common e-mobility fears: They have displayed that an EV is not only a great companion for drivers with an urban lifestyle - it is just as perfect for a cross country trip.
True, E-mobility means having to redefine charging and rethinking seemingly comfortable trips to the nearest petrol station that most drivers have been accustomed to for decades, but thanks to a long-living and efficient battery and a clever charging ecosystem, the smart CEOs from all over Europe have had a convenient refuelling experience with their smart #1. Even while crossing more rural areas of the continent, they were able to sit back and enjoy the ride:
„smart #1 has proved to be consistent on all parts of the trip with very stable and repeatable charging behaviour across multiple charging equipment. On the way back we had great use of 155+ kW DC high power charging and 22 kW AC opportunistic charging ”, says Lucio Tropea, CEO smart Italy, who had the longest trip back home and drove over 2.800 kilometres. “The onboard charger made our lunches efficient while the platooned charging curve in DC gave us peace of mind all across this super cruise. “
Thanks to partnerships with ABB E-Mobility (ABB) and DCS, the smart #1 navigation function can route drivers to one of more than 290,000 European charging points, giving all CEOs access to a large European charging infrastructure. In addition, the Hello smart App map supported them in finding information on the nearest charging station including details such as opening hours, availability, type of connector, and price.
New connectivity put to the test
The new smart #1 simplifies everyday life through the power of connection. With state-of-the-art features like an interactive interface inspired by gaming, a connected eco-platform and a high-performance computing architecture, smart #1 offered our CEOs a seamless digital experience during their grand tour.
“These few days and more than 2000km spent on board, the smart#1 allowed me to fully appreciate the features”, Cyril Bravard, CEO smart France, sums up. “The automatic door unlocking when approaching the car, the ‘easy entry‘ mode, the large touch screen, the induction smartphone charger, how quickly my Spotify account was uploaded and the multiple storage compartments in the centre console... you get used to this intelligent and comfortable cockpit very quickly. Hard to do without it afterwards!”
Worry-free and comfortable travelling
The compact smart #1 provides all those amenities that one might otherwise expect to find in a cosy living room. Our smart CEOs were especially keen on the spacious interior, the panoramic roof that provides a whole new view of the world, and also the comfortable seats that invited them to relax and linger during their trips. These convenient features - in addition to the flawless design – made our CEOs want to take the new smart #1 for another ride as soon as possible:
“I am looking forward to my next trips! “, says Roland Stähler, CEO smart Netherlands. “Driving our all new smart #1 for the first time over such a long distance has been a revelation – the long-haul comfort feels like what you would expect from much bigger premium cars and the advanced driver assistance systems made the journey such an easy cruise.”
If you want to know more about the smart CEOs experiences during their road trip through Europe and stay up to date on the upcoming corporate activities, please connect with smart Europe on LinkedIn.
Press contact:
Steven Peddie
Head of Public Relations and Communications smart Europe GmbH
Email: eu.communications@smart.com