City-rider smart EVs drive into UAE market after AWR Automotive wins dealership rights
Ultimate cityrider smart has the looks and premium pricing to gun for growing EV demand
Dubai: For UAE car owners, their EV choices are coming in different models, range options, and pricing. Soon, they will be getting the ‘smart’ option too.
Yes, the city cruiser is launching in the UAE through AWR Automotive, which owns Arabian Automobiles and is the local dealer for Nissan, Infiniti, Renault and, more recently, of Chery and Zeekr.
smart represents a 50:50 venture between Mercedes-Benz and China’s Geely, and there will be two 2025 model year versions coming to the UAE.
With a range of 400-450 kilometres on a single charge, the smart #1 and smart #3 are definitely in the premium end of the EV market, starting from Dh150,000 and Dh200,000, respectively.
“What we are doing is just opening up the EV choices available to UAE car buyers,” said Michel Ayat, CEO of AWR Automotive. “Currently, nearly all of the buyer interest in the EV space is tuned towards premium models. The smart fits in neatly into that space.”
That, the smart does. The Smart #3 can do a top speed of 180 kmh and the 0-100 kmh in about 6 seconds. As for smart #1, powered by a 154hp motor, it can go 0-100 in 3.9 seconds.
The smart has its share of history. In its first avatar, the Smart was brought out by a joint venture between SMH and Daimler-Benz. It had its moments and a committed following, especially in Europe. There were a few Smart vehicles that landed in the UAE, but it was nothing more than a micro-niche. By the mid-2000s, the Smart global sales had reached a point where production was discontinued.
In 2019, the smart was revived via the Daimler-Geely alliance, and with EV movement building up sizeable steam, Smart timed its run to be the go-to super-premium city hatchback.
And now, the smart is all set to make its appearance felt in the UAE.