When everything seems to have been invented, it’s time to open your mind”, stated Catalina Gómez, Marketing and Network Development Director for smart and Mercedes-Benz Colombia. With this philosophy, smart officially begins its commercial operations in Colombia. This marks the addition of a new offering to the electric mobility segment in the country, characterised by its urban, technological, and sustainable focus.
Compact, technological, efficient, and with a design that breaks conventions, the new 100% electric smart #1 and smart #3 models that have arrived in Colombia will be available at Mercedes-Benz dealerships in Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali.
“The arrival of smart in Colombia is not just the introduction of a new brand: it is a decisive step in the transformation towards smarter mobility. Colombia is one of the most relevant players in the automotive industry in Latin America, with annual sales exceeding 200,000 units and showing sustained recovery, especially in the electric segment. This launch represents a strategic milestone that reinforces our vision for the future, where mobility and sustainability go hand in hand”, stated Mario Fernando Correa, General Manager of Inchcape smart and Mercedes-Benz in Colombia.
Initially, smart enters Colombia with two fully electric models: smart #1 and smart #3. While both are based on the premise of intelligent design and advanced technology, each offers distinct features and equipment. They are designed by Mercedes-Benz on a platform exclusively dedicated to electric vehicles.
The smart #1 combines agility and minimalist design with a range of up to 420 km. Its interior features a 12.8-inch screen, its own operating system, voice commands, and full connectivity. It comes in three versions: Pure, PRO+, and BRABUS; the latter offers a sporty upgrade with all-wheel drive configuration and up to 422 horsepower.
Meanwhile, the smart #3 is also available in three versions: Pro, Pro+, and the sporty BRABUS, which offers enhanced equipment, with a range of up to 435 km and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds.
Both models are equipped with the smart Pilot Assist system, multiple driving modes, and connectivity technology that make the driving experience simpler and safer. Among their most important features is adaptive cruise control, allowing the vehicle to maintain a preset speed and distance relative to the vehicle ahead. Additionally, the system includes traffic sign recognition, a function that very few brands currently offer in the market.
In terms of safety, all versions of the brand include seven airbags and have achieved a 5-star rating in Euro NCAP and C-NCAP safety tests.
smart is defined by three fundamental characteristics that make it a completely different brand: sophisticated design, purposeful technology, and unparalleled comfort, inviting Colombians to break paradigms and adopt a new form of cleaner, functional mobility that aligns with modern lifestyles.
In 2024, smart received four major awards, including the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2024 and the iF Design Award 2024, both awarded to the #3 for its design. Simultaneously, the #1 was recognised as the best small electric SUV of 2024 at the What Car? Awards.
A groundbreaking origin
smart, the iconic brand born in the 1990s as a visionary alliance between Mercedes-Benz and Swatch, was created with the intention of completely rethinking urban mobility. Since its inception, the brand has combined the best of German engineering with a bold and unexpected design vision.
The name smart originates from the combination of Swatch, Mercedes-Benz, and the word “art”, a fusion of engineering, design, and attitude that resulted in a revolutionary concept: a compact, functional, and aesthetically disruptive car, responding to the dynamics of modern cities.
The first model was the smart ‘fortwo’, a compact car that was easy to park and captivated those seeking a simple solution for urban mobility. Today, under the alliance between Mercedes-Benz and the Geely group, it maintains its urban essence and commitment to innovation. The brand continues to develop connected, sustainable urban mobility solutions aligned with a modern, intelligent, and conscious lifestyle.
With this launch, Inchcape reaffirms its leadership in the electric vehicle segment in Latin America — where it already holds a 17% market share — and strengthens its strategy to offer mobility solutions that meet the sustainability and innovation demands of the Colombian market.