The Smart car company in Beijing, under the motto “Change of perspective”, presented the key steps in its evolution. The main star of the event was the two-seater smart Concept #2, which serves as the first physical announcement of the upcoming production model smart #2. Along with it, the brand also presented the smart #6 EHD model for the Chinese market, thereby confirming the strategic plan to expand its offer from three to five models during the current year.
This turn in business emphasizes the transformation of smart into contemporary premium brand of electric vehicles. All models in the portfolio, including the already established smart #1, #3 and #5, are the result of a collaboration between intelligent engineering and the Mercedes-Benz design team. The goal of this cooperation is to offer solutions that go beyond the traditional limitations of urban mobility, focusing on sustainability and independence, it was announced at the presentation.
Innovative two-seater design
The two-seater Concept #2 embodies the design philosophy of “Love, Pure, Unexpected”, turning the functionality of a city car into a “fashion statement”. It is characterized by a compact silhouette with a two-tone palette of matte white and warm gold colors and the use of fine leather in the interior. Despite the total length of only 2,792 mm, the interior space is used to the maximum thanks to the specific placement of the wheels at the very corners of the body and extremely short overhangs.
In addition to aesthetic appeal, the vehicle offers exceptional agility in urban conditions with a turning circle of only 6.95 meters. The Concept #2 is set on a new, proprietary Electric Compact Architecture (ECA) that should set new standards in the performance of electric vehicles in this segment, and which will also ensure that the new #2 continues where the ForTwo left off – that is, it will be a recognizable, unconventional city car that you can park “anywhere”.
The technical specifications of the new platform foresee an electric range of almost 300 kilometers, which is quite enough for the needs of modern urban centers. The system supports DC fast charging, which enables the battery to be recharged from 10% to 80% capacity in less than 20 minutes. Additional functionality is provided by innovative Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capabilities, which enable external devices to be powered directly from the vehicle. The world premiere of the smart #2 production model is scheduled for October, and will take place at the Paris Motor Show.
Then smart #6
In addition to the global model #2, the public was shown the smart #6 EHD, which represents the first entry of this brand into the segment premium fastback limousine. This model, which will be sold exclusively in the Chinese market, combines the spaciousness of a higher class with an aerodynamic silhouette. The design, which is signed by the Mercedes-Benz Global Design Team, aims to achieve elegance at rest and sharpness in motion, with which smart extends its influence beyond the confines of exclusively city vehicles.