The front end of the Smart #2 as shown in an MIIT regulatory catalog.
- The Smart #2 has entered a regulatory catalog in China, paving the way for its upcoming launch.
- The all-electric two-seater will make its global debut at the Paris Motor Show in October.
The Smart #2, a highly anticipated two-seat city electric vehicle (EV) from Smart, the joint venture brand between Mercedes-Benz and Geely Auto (HKEX: 0175), has appeared in a new vehicle catalog in China, meaning the model is one step closer to launch.
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on Friday published the latest batch of new models set to be approved for sale, with the Smart #2 among them.
In China, new vehicles need to complete MIIT filings before they can go on sale. Typically, new models are officially launched within a few months of completing the filing.
The filing shows that the Smart #2 is classified as an all-electric 2-seat sedan, produced by Geely’s Zhejiang Haoqing Automobile Manufacturing.
The model is available in two body lengths — 2,751 mm and 2,764 mm — both with a width of 1,669 mm, a height of 1,555 mm, and a wheelbase of 1,875 mm.
The Smart #2 has a curb weight of 1,130 kg and a top speed of 140 km/h.
For power, the vehicle is equipped with a 60-kW (80 hp) drive motor produced by Geely’s InfiMotion.
It uses a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, with cells produced by CATL (HKEX: 3750) and the battery pack assembled by Geely’s Energee.
The filing also shows that the model can be optionally fitted with a black roof, a body-colored roof, or a hard roof, among other features.
The Smart #2 is the successor to the brand’s original iconic model, the Smart ForTwo, and is built on Smart’s new all-electric architecture developed specifically for ultra-compact vehicles.
The vehicle will be produced in China for sale in China, Europe, and other overseas markets, and will make its global debut at the Paris Motor Show in October, according to information previously released by Smart.
Its prototype concept, the Smart Concept 2, was unveiled in April ahead of the Beijing Auto Show, with a total body length of just 2.79 meters, a turning radius of 6.95 meters, and an electric range of nearly 300 km.
The Smart #2 retains the original Smart ForTwo’s signature “wheels-at-the-corners” layout for excellent maneuverability in tight urban spaces.
On July 20, Smart said the model was undergoing pre-production testing and validation globally, covering agility, driving stability, NVH refinement, and safety.
The Smart brand was born in 1998. In January 2020, Mercedes-Benz and Geely formed a joint venture based on the brand, headquartered in Ningbo, Zhejiang province.
The original Smart ForTwo two-seat city car was launched in 1998, with cumulative sales of more than 2 million units.
The all-electric 2-seater Smart #2 is undergoing global testing ahead of its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October.
