Smart #2 begins testing ahead of 2026 launch

Smart has begun real-world testing of its upcoming electric city car, the Smart #2.

After several years focused on larger SUVs, the brand famous for its tiny urban runarounds is returning to its roots in 2026 with a reinvention of its famous two-seater.

Smart has shared the first images of its new Electric Compact Architecture (ECA) platform undergoing testing at a proving ground in China.

The ECA platform is an all-new electric architecture expected to bring major improvements over the previous Fortwo EQ. Smart says the new car is a “reinvention” of the iconic city car and will bring “a fresh identity”.

Images show the platform being tested beneath existing Fortwo body shells, suggesting that despite a new identity, the #2 will be very similar in size to its predecessor. At 2.7m long by 1.66m wide, the Fortwo was small enough to fit two in a single parking space and saw huge success in crowded cities such as Paris and Rome.

Like the Fortwo, the Smart #2 will feature a rear-wheel-drive configuration, with the wheels pushed out to the very corners. It will also retain the two-door, two-seat layout of its predecessor.

But Smart says the new model will bring a completely redesigned interior and exterior penned by Mercedes’ design team, as well as bringing new levels of technology to the city car segment.

Current testing is focused on ensuring that the new platform delivers the same “core driving dynamics” as previous Smart cars, as well as assessing ride, structural strength and optimising braking performance for city use.

Smart says that the #2 is on track for a world premiere in late 2026 where “ it will set new benchmarks for the city-car segment that Smart defined almost thirty years ago”.

While designed for Europe, the #2 is expected to be built by Geely in China, meaning it could miss out on incentives planned for the new M1E compact EV class announced recently by the European Commission.