First Look at Smart #2, the Tiny Electric That Squeezes Into Any City Spot

Smart just pulled the covers off its long-awaited two-seat city car months early, and the view is pure urban practicality. Murals painted across Berlin, Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires and Melbourne gave the first clear look at the production #2. Chinese regulatory filings then filled in the hard numbers. Official world premiere still sits at the Paris Motor Show in October, with customer deliveries planned for 2027.

This car’s length can range from 2,751 to 2,764 millimeters, depending on the body type, but certain versions are slightly shorter or longer. The width remains constant at 1,669mm, the height stands at 1,555mm, and the wheelbase extends to a very clean 1,875mm. Its curb weight is a mere 1,130 kg, making it the second shortest passenger vehicle on the market. Its narrow overhang and wheels jutting out at the corners maintain the Smart’s signature look, allowing drivers to glide into tight spaces that most other cars cannot. The turning radius is an additional 6.95 meters, which is smaller than some black cabs require in tight traffic.


On the design front, Mercedes-Benz is responsible for the exterior, while Geely is in charge of the built-from-the-ground-up Electric Compact Architecture below. The front end has a shark-like look, with a vented grille and air curtains extending from the sides vertically. In comparison to the previous concept, the headlights now appear considerably more focused, even slightly scowling. The sides are still nicely rounded. At the back, there are circular lights, a simple boot lid with the license plate in the center, and a small roof spoiler. You can buy it with a black roof or match it to the body color, choose from various wheel designs, and add aero elements if desired. Conventional door handles replace some of the concept car’s frills to make it feel more like a regular vehicle.


Geely’s InfiMotion unit created a single 60 kW electric motor in the back, which generates approximately 80 horsepower. Top speed is limited to 140 km/h. Under the hood (or rather pack) is a lithium-iron-phosphate battery, with cells from CATL and final assembly handled by Geely, with an energy storage capacity of around 35.7 kWh. The range is projected to be around 300 kilometers on the WLTP cycle, which is nearly double the range of the original electric Fortwo, and it will take just under 20 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 percent using a direct-current charger. It also has a clever little trick up its sleeve: Vehicle-to-load capabilities, which allows you to use the battery to power external gadgets if necessary.


Inside, the cabin is all about making the most of the limited space available, so they’ve gone with a bench-style seat in some combinations, eliminating the separate chairs to make getting in and out much easier, especially when there’s a curb or parked car in the way. The displays aren’t particularly large, but they still have all the bells and whistles, including the same networked software as the larger Smart versions. Engineers worked hard to resolve the noise, vibration, and harshness issues, so the cabin seems a lot calmer than older city cars. The safety cell remains a lightweight tridion cell, which is superior for safety, but they have added some additional crash protection and stiffness to satisfy modern criteria.


Smart claims that the new #2 marks the company’s return to its roots, as that which made the brand renowned in the first place: a pure two-seater designed for squeezing into packed city streets. The larger models, such as the #1, #3, and #5, are already doing the crossover thing, whereas this one maintains the small footprint while increasing the range, charging speed, and kit people have come to anticipate. They’re selling it at the lower end of the 20,000-euro spectrum in Europe, making it the most affordable Smart model when it hits the shelves. Production is taking place in China thru the Geely joint venture.
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