Smart launches charging service with DCS
Digital Charging Solutions (DCS) kicked off its cooperation with Smart in Europe. The charging service will be launched in Germany in time for the market launch of the new Smart #1 and will subsequently be rolled out in other European countries.
Smart Europe customers will have access to DCS’s charging network of over 460,000 charging points, and buyers of the Smart #1 will receive the DCS charging card free of charge. Details about the conditions and rates have yet to be made available. In Germany, the Smart #1 model can be ordered since the beginning of February. The cooperation between the two companies is not surprising, as Smart shareholder Mercedes-Benz has a stake in Digital Charging Solutions and uses DCS’s white labelsolution for its own charging service.
Smart had announced two charging infrastructure partnerships in spring 2022 ahead of the market launch of its #1. One with ABB E-Mobility for domestic AC wallboxes and associated installation services, and another with Digital Charging Solutions for Smart’s charging app. The latter provides information such as location, available plug types and general availability. In addition, the service can be used via a dedicated website and the map integrated in the vehicle.
The charging service will also be made available in other European countries in the future – in line with the local market launches. According to DCS, “the service can already be used for charging outside Germany in 17 DCS markets in Europe via roaming.”
“The charging infrastructure on the road is as important as charging solutions at home. A key factor in advancing green mobility is to give drivers of electric vehicles the best possible support in accessing the charging network. In DCS, smart has found a partner that not only shares this mindset but can also deliver,” says Bernd Vollmayr, Chief Product Officer at Digital Charging Solutions.
Xuan-Zheng Goh, Head of Product Management Smart Europe, adds that “By integrating the smart charge@street service into the Hello smart app and in-car systems, we create a seamless user experience, making e-mobility even more effortless to integrate into everyday life – another important building block towards the electric future of individual mobility.”
The Smart #1 is a compact electric SUV scheduled to launch this year. In Germany, the base model, called Pro+, will start at €41,490, with three more variants on offer above that. Smart unveiled the production version of the #1 in April 2022. The vehicle (apart from the brand name) no longer has anything in common with the familiar small cars. The #1 is based on Geely’s SEA platform and is 4.27 meters long. The electric drive has an output of 200 kW, and the 66 kWh battery provides a WLTP range of up to 440 kilometres.
Smart Automobile Co, based in Hangzhou Bay, was established by Mercedes-Benz and Geely at the end of 2019. Mercedes brought in the brand and will design the cars. Geely, on the other hand, provides the technology and handles production.
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