The upcoming electric version of the new Smart city car, confirmed last year, is currently undergoing an extensive testing and validation program ahead of its world premiere scheduled for October 2026 at the Paris Motor Show. The production model was developed in close cooperation between the global design team of Mercedes-Benz and the global research and development team of the Smart brand.
In order to heat up the atmosphere in the months before the world premiere, they also published several photos of the Smart #2 model, still in thick black and white camouflage. Designed to handle the challenges of modern urban environments with ease, the Smart #2 will retain, they say, the characteristic “corner-on” wheel alignment that has been a signature feature of the ForTwo model since its first generation.
Comfort, durability and safety
Such a geometric base enables exceptional maneuverability even in the tightest city spaces. During testing on specialized training grounds, the vehicle’s agility was checked in real conditions, avoiding sudden obstacles, emergency lane changes and driving on wet and slippery roads, with continuous adjustment of the chassis, steering system and suspension, said Smart.
In addition to driving dynamics, engineers conducted extensive NVH (noise, vibration and comfort) tests in a wind tunnel, acoustic chamber, temperature-controlled chambers, training grounds and on public roads. Wind and road noise, drive system characteristics, thermal footprint, and rattling and screeching in the cabin were analyzed, along with sound quality optimization. By testing different tire compounds on rough asphalt, concrete and fast roads, the optimal ratio between low rolling resistance for maximum range and noise reduction was sought.
Long-term reliability and structural resistance were tested on rough roads, continuous undulating surfaces and potholed city streets, with curb impact simulations. By refining the chassis stiffness and structural load points, high reliability of the vehicle is ensured, which will be revealed to the public in less than three months. The goal is to bring an agile, quiet, stable and safe city vehicle back to the roads, in order to maintain the tradition started at the end of the last century.
