Smart returns to its city car roots with tiny new #2, due next year as UK’s smallest electric car
The production-ready design of the new Smart #2 – an electric successor to the famed Fortwo – has been uncovered ahead of its official unveiling in October.
The #2 marks Smart’s return to city cars after spending several years launching a range of electric crossovers – which includes the #5, its biggest model yet.
It’s due to be revealed in full at the Paris motor show, but new filings with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) have showcased its design two months early.
It bears a strong resemblance to the old Fortwo, retaining its stubby proportions, although key changes include scowling headlights and rounded units at the rear end.
Due in UK dealerships next year, the #2 has been designed to offer what Smart calls “uncompromised urban capability”.
It will be the smallest EV on sale, looking more like quadricycles such as the Fiat Topolino and the Micro Microlino rather than full-sized models such as the Dacia Spring and Fiat 500e.
The #2 has been co-developed by Mercedes-Benz and Geely, with the former taking the lead on its design and the latter supplying a bespoke architecture designed around its diminutive size.
Full details have yet to be confirmed, but the MIIT filings reveals the #2 has an 80bhp drive motor and a lithium-iron-phosphate battery pack. The car weighs 1130kg, thanks to it measuring just 2.75m long.
Smart previously confirmed the #2 will offer a range of 186 miles and be capable of charging its battery from 10-80% in less than 20 minutes.
It will also have vehicle-to-load capability, meaning its battery can be used to power external devices.
Smart has also claimed it will have a turning circle of just 6.95m, smaller than that required of London’s black cabs.
The #2 will move the entry-level model upmarket while also attempting to improve its interior space within its compact dimensions, using a bench seat rather than two individual chairs.
Kai Sieber, head of Smart design at Mercedes, previously said the Concept #2 shows a city car “should spark joy”.
Smart has given no indication of pricing ahead of next year’s scheduled launch, but a more luxurious cockpit and vastly superior technical attributes mean the #2 could command a premium over its short-legged predecessor, which cost around £22,000 when it was discontinued in 2024.
There’s no word yet on whether Smart plans to stretch the #2 and add a back seat to create a successor to the Forfour, but such a model would give the brand a footprint in the increasingly competitive electric supermini market, where it could take on the likes of the Renault 5, Citroën C3 and next DS 3.
