Ultra compact smart #2 undergoing real-world tests

Quick look

• The #2 is the fully electric successor to the original 2-seater fortwo, with similarly ultra-compact dimensions.

• It will have a new all-electric platform called Electric Compact Architecture (ECA), designed specifically for small EVs.

While smart has not officially launched or announced its first sedan model – the #6 – pictures and some details have appeared in China and have generated a lot of interest. Meanwhile, development work on the new #2 city car is accelerating as prototypes are going into real-world testing.

Electric Compact Architecture
The #2 is presented as a descendant of the original smart car which appeared in the 1990s. smart has now provided details of its all-new proprietary architecture and technological platform known as Electric Compact Architecture (ECA).

This new platform will provide the basis for a next-generation electric drivetrain, advanced safety, and an urban driving experience the company promises ‘is unlike anything else’.

The latest tests on the ECA have been enabled by a creative engineering solution: integrating the new platform into existing smart fortwo bodies, creating a fleet of highly representative test vehicles. Leveraging these prototypes, smart’s R&D team is carrying out validation work at specialized facilities globally.

Validating all aspects
At a proving ground in China, engineers are focusing on core driving dynamics: refining ride and handling for city agility, verifying structural strength, and optimizing brake system performance.

Simultaneously, other testing locations are validating crash safety performance, suspension durability, battery performance, software systems and climate control systems across various conditions – all integral steps in preparing the vehicle for its next stage of testing and, ultimately, series production.

As compact as the original
The #2 will stay true to the ultra-compact dimensions of the original which were shorter than the Perodua Kancil. As well as its size, the #2 will retain the fortwo’s two-door, two-seat configuration, rear-wheel drive dynamics and signature wheels-at-the-corners stance.

This DNA, however, is just the starting point for the complete reinvention of smart’s city two-seater. With a fully redesigned interior and exterior from the Mercedes-Benz design team, the smart #2 will launch with a fresh identity.

On sale in 2027?
As with the rest of the current range (although the #6 is said to be a PHEV), the #2 will have a fully electric drivetrain. Whether the #6 makes its debut first is uncertain although it seems the sedan is ready for production and would be launched during 2026, while the #2 is scheduled to make its debut at the end of the year and would only go on sale in 2027.

smart fortwo to return as #2 model in 2026