• 2 min read
Smart #1 cuts charging time to 12 minutes
The updated Smart #1 switches to 800-volt charging, cutting its 10–80% charge time from 30 minutes to 12 minutes at up to 370 kW.
Image: iXBT
The updated Smart #1, developed jointly by Geely and Mercedes-Benz, will debut in China on August 6, 2026 with a major charging upgrade: an 800-volt architecture replacing the previous 400-volt system.
Its 61.52 kWh battery supports 6C charging, allowing input of up to 370 kW. Smart says the battery can charge from 10% to 80% in 12 minutes, compared with about 30 minutes for the previous version.
The refreshed electric crossover offers up to 535 km of CLTC range. It also gains a lidar sensor and a next-generation 16-in-1 electric drive, which combines key drivetrain components into a single module. The official premiere is scheduled for August 6 in the Chinese market.
Recommended reading
Zoox robotaxis win approval without steering wheels
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via iXBT
