- Smart ForTwo returns with a new name: Smart #2.
- This concept will continue with a production model in September.
- Designed by Mercedes, the new two-door EV is expected to offer a range of 186 miles.
The Smart brand has changed radically since 2019, when Mercedes and Geely set up a 50:50 joint venture. Production is now carried out exclusively in China, and all models are significantly larger and heavier than their predecessors. The company currently has a pair of SUVs and even a sedan that’s almost as long as the current-generation E-Class.
The new Smart #2 marks a return to form, managing to revive the spirit of the original ForTwo in both style and size. Designed by Mercedes, this tiny two-door hatchback clearly pays homage to its predecessor, which debuted in 1999 and lasted for three generations before being retired in 2024.
While previous models offered petrol and even diesel engines, the fourth generation will use only electric engines. The Smart #2 picks up where the EQ ForTwo left off, featuring prominent wheel arches and very short overhangs. Some design elements are deliberately exaggerated because they are still concepts.
Photo by: smart
The production version will debut in October at the Paris Motor Show. It will be built from the ground up as an electric vehicle on what Smart calls an Electric Compact Architecture (ECA) platform. While the old EQ ForTwo was only capable of a range of 84 miles (135 kilometers) on a single charge, its spiritual successor targets more than double that figure: 186 miles (300 kilometers).
However this range estimate comes from Smart and is not WLTP certified. Still, substantial improvements over its predecessor are to be expected, given the rapid advances in battery technology in recent years. The new #2 battery will also charge faster, taking less than 20 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 percent. It will support Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality, which allows the car to act as a mobile power bank.
Car #2 will be offered in Europe as one of the smallest EVs on the market. Exact dimensions haven’t been revealed, but the concept appears to share similarities with the old EQ ForTwo, which measured about 106 inches (2.7 meters) long. In comparison, the new Renault Twingo is much larger, stretching to almost 150 inches (almost 3.8 meters). It will also be much shorter than the BYD Dolphin Surf.
Although Smart is now based in China, its vehicles are sold in 40 markets around the world.
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Source: Smart
Motorcycle Pickup1: The Smart #2 is poised to be the successor to the ForTwo and is ideal for dense cities. The range won’t be impressive on paper, but that’s not the point: this is a car designed primarily for urban use. It should offer enough range to meet everyday driving needs in comfort and then some.
The production model will certainly be scaled down, with the striking gold accents possibly removed and the large alloy wheels scaled down. Mercedes and Geely seem to have captured the essence of the original ForTwo, and this tiny EV offers a refreshing alternative in a market increasingly dominated by bloated trends.
