Call us crazy, but something tells us that if you’re looking for a suitable vehicle to cross a vast desert, a softcore electric coupe-SUV like the smart #3 won’t be the first car that comes to mind. Still, a few fitting modifications and a lot of courage allowed the EV to make it across the Gobi desert in China, at least according to the parent company Geely.
Photos of the modified vehicle were published by the automaker on social media alongside a few bits of information. The most notable upgrade is the new set of 18-inch all-terrain (A/T) tires wrapped around white off-road steel wheels. These enhancements provide the necessary traction on the dunes, and the EV also received a new suspension to make it more resilient to difficult terrain.
The practicality of the smart #3 has been improved with the addition of a roof rack and special mounts for camera equipment. The “Speedsters” decals on the white bodywork refer to a Chinese YouTube Channel that is responsible for the off-road build. Finally, blue and teal graphics enhance the rally-spec appearance alongside the special stickers celebrating smart’s 25th anniversary on the profile.
More: Smart #3 Arrives In Europe With New 25th Anniversary Edition
Geely
The smart #3 is available with single and dual electric motors (Brabus) producing 268 hp (200 kW / 272 PS) or 422 hp (315 kW / 428 PS). While the AWD version sounds more suitable for an off-road adventure, the pictured model doesn’t feature the Brabus-specific styling cues, leading us to believe it’s the RWD model.
It is not clear if the EV crossed the entire length of the Gobi desert, which according to Google is 1,500 km (930 miles). If so, the smart #3 must have made at least a couple of recharging stops, as the maximum WLTP range of the RWD version is 440 km (270 miles) thanks to a 66 kWh battery pack.
The Gobi desert has sections in China and Mongolia, covering a massive area of 1.295 million km² (500,000 square miles). Its diverse landscapes range from dunes and mountains to deep ice fields, making it the perfect scenery for a cool YouTube video. Hopefully, evidence of the crossing will follow shortly, and we plan on updating this story when Speedsters or the automaker publishes more details and footage.
