New Smart #2 EV: ForTwo successor leaked ahead of official reveal
This is our first look at Smart’s replacement for the iconic ForTwo undisguised
The all-new Smart #2 has been leaked – giving us a full preview of the small electric car’s design and some crucial new information ahead of its official reveal at this year’s 2026 Paris Motor Show in October.
Like its Smart ForTwo forebear, the #2 will be a pint-sized runabout with Smart promising “unmatched urban agility” to cope with even the most congested cities, plus impressive levels of refinement, quality and stability.
Despite the newcomer sitting below the #3, #5 and rather confusingly the #1 in Smart’s line-up, the company also says the #2 will be the “undisputed halo product of the Smart portfolio”.
The latest images come courtesy of patent filings in China and they confirm the #2’s exterior design – something we already had a good idea about thanks to previous teaser shots and recent murals of Smart’s city car which appeared in Shanghai, Buenos Aires and Melbourne.
We can immediately see the classic tiny ‘Smart car’ proportions and influences are present and correct, with a simple, rounded front-end design and aggressively angled headlights with LED signatures within. The monobox shape, almost non-existent overhangs, wheels pushed right out to the corners of the car and even the bulging wheelarches were all elements that defined the ForTwo, and have been carried over to the new #2.
The latest images give us our best look yet at the rear. The floating roofline effect caused by the black band on the rear pillar has been taken from existing Smart models, while the simple, rounded rear lights give off an inoffensive, cutesy style.
The boot opening button, which on the #5 is integrated within the ‘a’ of the ‘Smart’ rear badge, looks like it’s been relocated to a more conventional slot above the rear number plate housing.
The patent also details a few technical specifications. The #2 appears to have a choice of two rim sizes – 15 or 16 inches – and the dimensions are revealed, too, with the model 2,751mm long, 1,669mm wide and 1,555mm high.
That makes the Smart a metre shorter than the new Renault Twingo, but taller. Overall, the production-ready #2 looks strikingly similar to the Concept #2 revealed last year.
How much range will it have?
The #2 will sit on a brand-new platform, called the Electric Compact Architecture (ECA), which “demonstrates how intelligent use of space, agility, safety and everyday electric usability can be brought together in a vehicle of this size,” according to the brand.
Manoeuvrability is hugely important for a city car, and Smart claims the new #2 has a turning circle of just 6.95 metres kerb-to-kerb – the same as the last-generation ForTwo, and far better than the Fiat 500e’s 9.6-metre turning circle.
However, the #2 is not intended to be only a city car. Smart’s goal is to create a “fully capable electric vehicle” that just happens to be incredibly small, and will be able to hold its own on the open road as well. Thanks to a 35.7kWh battery, the #2 will offer more than 186 miles (300km) of range – far better than the 128-mile Honda Super-N and also the 163-mile Renault Twingo. In addition, the Smart #2 can recharge from 10 to 80 per cent in less than 20 minutes.
The dedicated architecture has also been designed to make the best use of the available interior space, with its short overhangs and compact packaging. Meanwhile, the battery under the floor should result in a slightly higher driving position than in the previous ForTwo, improving visibility as well as the sense of roominess.
Elsewhere, Smart has confirmed the new #2 will feature an evolution of the ‘Tridion Cell’ concept from the ForTwo. It was a signature component of the old Smart cars, and acted as a reinforced steel roll cage that encases the passenger compartment.
Performance figures haven’t been revealed in full, but the patent leak from China states the #2 will come with an 80bhp electric motor mounted on the rear axle. That doesn’t sound like much but it’s worth remembering the car weighs in at a relatively light 1,130kg.
What’s it like inside?
Despite the new Smart #2 offering an uncanny resemblance to the old ForTwo, its interior should be very different. For starters, it will have a bench seat that’s meant to make the small cabin feel as roomy, open and inviting as possible, within this car’s tiny footprint. The flowing S-shaped dashboard is also designed to maximise space efficiently.
Other details include turbine-style air vents and window switches in the middle of the bench seat. Meanwhile, the white knitted fabric and other materials are contrasted by gold piping and trim, highlighting that Smart is still prioritising quality, even on its entry-level model.
One thing we can’t see in any of these interior images is a touchscreen or any type of driver’s display, although we’re assuming the #2 won’t do without – even if it’s a Tesla-style layout where a central screen handles everything.
How much will the Smart #2 cost?
While Smarts have always been funky, they’ve never been particularly cheap. We expect this new generation of the city car to cost in the region of £20,000 to £25,000. Some European companies are in the process of bringing low-cost EVs to market at under that figure, to which now-former Smart CEO Dirk Adelmann responded: “there’s no reason we can’t bring [the #2] in at that price.”
We previously discussed the possibility of a ForTwo successor with now-former Smart UK CEO Jason Allbutt in an exclusive interview, and he said the return of the cult-favourite city car could “help almost bring the brand together in a way, and I think it definitely could be a positive if it were to happen”.
Allbutt acknowledged that cost will be key for an entry-level model like this, but added that while “starting price is certainly important, I wouldn’t say it’s the be all and end all”. He added: “We still want to make sure we’ve got a premium product, and of course, one that has got a good range for a small electric car.”
The former UK boss pointed out that the original ForTwo wasn’t created to be a bargain-priced model, and it would be a similar story with the #2. “We’re not necessarily looking to have the cheapest car available in the market, but we are looking to make sure that we’re affordable enough to generate enough volume, then not move too far away from our heritage or what we stand for,” Allbutt explained. “I don’t necessarily see a difference completely between affordability and premium – I think you can be both.
We’re not expecting the Smart #2 to arrive in the UK until next year, but if you want a small, funky and incredibly fun electric city car, the Honda Super-N is now available from less than £19,000 through the Auto Express Buy A Car service.
