Made-in-China smart EVs secure 5-star ANCAP safety rating

KUALA LUMPUR: As consumers increasingly prioritise safety when buying a car, automakers are putting up more effort to elevate the safety standards of their vehicles. To ensure that vehicles meet high safety benchmarks, rigorous crash testing is carried out by independent safety assessors like ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program). In a recent evaluation, two smart electric cars - smart #1 and smart #3 underwent ANCAP testing and achieved an impressive 5-star safety rating.

These are the first ANCAP safety ratings for the smart brand in 16 years, and smart #1 and smart #3 are the first vehicles with a smart badge to reach five stars. Notably, smart is a German automotive brand, established in 1994. However, in 2019, Mercedes-Benz AG and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group established a joint venture to produce smart cars in China for global sales. The first model, the smart #1, was launched in 2022, followed by the smart #3 in 2023. 

The smart EVs ANCAP ratings are based on the older Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Program) testing data, tested under different conditions. The smart #1 was assessed against the 2020-2022 rating criteria back in 2022 while the smart #3 was tested against the current 2023-2025 criteria in 2023. Both ratings are valid for six years.

The Smart #3 showed strong occupant protection in crash tests and achieved mostly Good and Adequate results for both adult and child safety in different crash situations. The Smart #1 showcased a mix of Adequate and Good occupant protection in crash tests and scored full points for driver safety in frontal and side-impact tests. This led to a strong Adult Occupant Protection score of 96%.

The category-wise scores are as follows - 

Category	Smart #3	Smart #1
Adult Occupant Protection	90%	96%
Child Occupant Protection	85%	87%
Vulnerable Road User Protection	84%	70%
Safety Assist	86%	94%

Both the smart EVs are equipped with advanced safety features to help prevent collisions with vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists. Tested against current rating criteria, the smart 3 underwent extra tests for its driver monitoring system, warnings for cyclists, and autonomous emergency braking for motorcycles. It performed well in most lane-keeping tests for detecting motorcycles, however, scored poorly when overtaking at low speeds.

“These five-star results for the Smart #1 and Smart #3 will be reassuring to buyers looking to purchase a new car from this unique brand. A pair of very sound safety results,” said Carla Hoorweg, ANCAP Chief Executive Officer.

Smart EVs in Malaysia

Launched in Malaysia in November 2023, the smart #1 is offered in three different variants locally - Pro, Premium, and Brabus. The base-spec version comes equipped with a 49 kWh LFP battery offering a WLTP-claimed range of 315 km while the Premium and Brabus variants feature a 66 kWh NCM ternary pack with a driving range of 440 km on the Premium and 400 km on the Brabus. The price begins at RM 169,000 and goes all the way up to RM 249,000.

The smart #3 entered Malaysia in July this year. Just like the #1, it also comes in three forms -  Pro, Premium, and Brabus. The two battery options are - 49 kWh and 66 kWh, offering a maximum range of up to 455 km on the Premium trim. The smart #3 price in Malaysia ranges between RM 175,000 and RM 255,000.

Also read: Smart #5 electric SUV makes its world premiere