Smart’s Pivot Back to the City Car
The Smart #2 EV is a compact electric city car measuring around 2.75 metres in length, offering two seats, a curb weight of 1,130 kg and a targeted WLTP range of about 300 km, positioning it as a lightweight urban commuter for short- to medium-distance daily use. Smart’s decision to launch the #2 marks a deliberate shift away from the recent focus on larger crossovers and a plug-in hybrid sedan, and back toward the tiny city car formula that originally defined the brand. After years without an updated Fortwo and a product line dominated by bigger models, the company now believes the city car market is growing and “cannot be left without a proper Smart in it,” prompting an all-new platform and design for this small electric vehicle.
Design: A Fortwo Successor for Congested Streets
Early images from regulatory filings show the Smart #2 as an exceedingly compact two-seater electric city car with minimalist styling that echoes the brand’s SUV family while shrinking the footprint dramatically. The car is produced as a compact urban commuter with seating for two and will be available in body lengths of 2,751 mm and 2,764 mm, both 1,669 mm wide and 1,555 mm tall, riding on a 1,875 mm wheelbase. This makes the #2 shorter than many past city cars while visually resembling a crossover reduced in scale, an intentional play on familiar design language applied to a much smaller canvas. Frameless windows, a contrasting floating roof and simple front and rear treatments underline the idea that a small electric vehicle can still look modern and distinctive, rather than like a compromise purely for efficiency.
Lightweight Engineering and Everyday Range
Under the compact body, the Smart #2 EV focuses on efficiency rather than power figures traditionally associated with larger electric crossovers. It uses a 60 kW motor supplied by Infinitium, the same company providing motors for other Geely-related models, paired with a 35.7 kWh battery pack. The result is a curb weight of 1,130 kg and a WLTP-targeted driving range of around 300 km, with a claimed top speed of 140 km/h, aligning performance with real-world commuting rather than headline-grabbing acceleration. One quotable detail stands out: “Under the floor lies a 35.7 kWh battery that is targeted to achieve a WLTP-rated range of around 300 km.” DC fast charging from 10 to 80% is said to take under 20 minutes, and a turning circle of 6.95 metres further reinforces the car’s purpose as a nimble, lightweight urban commuter built for tight streets and cramped parking.
Marketing the Return to Smart’s Roots
Smart has not treated the #2 like a quiet niche model launch. Ahead of the full reveal, the brand released the car’s design through murals painted in several major cities, using public art to build anticipation for the compact electric city car. The global chief marketing officer described the Smart #2 as “the evolution of a revolution,” highlighting intentions to restore “playfulness, premium sophistication, and effortless agility” to the modern urban jungle. This messaging directly connects the #2 to the original Smart City Coupe and the Fortwo, both of which made small city cars desirable rather than merely practical. By opting for murals and teasers instead of traditional unveilings alone, Smart is trying to frame the #2 as more than transport: a small electric vehicle that doubles as a statement about personal style and urban identity, even as regulatory leaks quietly exposed the full design ahead of schedule.
What the Paris Debut Signals for Urban EV Buyers
The #2’s official debut is set for the Paris Motor Show on October 12, where Smart will finally move from murals and filings to a full production reveal. Regulatory documents confirm it will launch in production form before the end of the year, re-establishing a clear successor to the seminal Fortwo after that model’s cancellation. For urban buyers who care more about fitting into tight spaces and using less energy than about dominating road presence, the Smart #2 EV represents a pointed critique of the oversized SUV trend, even if the company has also invested heavily in larger vehicles in recent years. The return to a tiny, two-seat format, supported by a practical 300 km WLTP range and lightweight engineering, suggests Smart now sees growth in the compact electric city car market and intends to claim that territory with a dedicated small electric vehicle rather than a downsized crossover derivative.
