Smart has revealed first testing pictures of its new #2, a successor to its iconic original model the fortwo, which first went on sale in 1998. (And make sure you call it the Hashtag Two, because Number Two has a different meaning depending on where you are…)
Actually these images from a test track in China are of a hacked up prototype that’s being used to check out new batteries, motors and other drivetrain components to see if they’ll work. But the positive news is that the new car is suitably tiny.
Will the new Smart #2 still be a two-seater?
Yes, thank goodness. Were you worried they were going to turn it into a seven-seater SUV as well? Smart still has a few numbers in its lineup to fill, but thankfully it’s saved the #2 for the little car that started it all.
The new #2 looks set to stay true to its Fortwo heritage – Smart has even hinted that the new city car will be as bold as the original, saying the car will “present a new vision while preserving the DNA of the Fortwo”, that it’s a “complete reinvention” and will offer a city driving experience “that is unlike anything else”. Powerful words.
When does the new Smart #2 go on sale?
Smart is still in the very early testing stages of its new platform – it might look like the car is already in a reasonable working state, but actually the company has Frankensteined its new platform into the body of a third generation Fortwo just to get things going.
It’s likely that we’re going to have to wait until early 2027 before we see any customer deliveries of the new car, but it’s set to be revealed in production form towards the end of 2026.
Will the Smart #2 be petrol or electric?
The new #2 will be electric only, rather than trying to balance petrol and diesel versions like previous generations. The third generation car that was sold until 2024 eventually dropped its combustion options and went with Mercedes-style EQ branding to show off its electric drive.
Smart is hoping that the new car will be slightly more popular than that last Fortwo – a miserable real world range of around 70 miles and a high list price rather hampered the appeal of that car.
Smart, which is jointly owned by Chinese carmaker Geely and German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz, has come up with a new platform for the #2, called the Electric Compact Architecture. It didn’t have anything within its current roster that could be chopped down as small as required, you see.
What about batteries and that?
Smart hasn’t really given us any useful information about what will be under the skin of the new #2, but we can do a bit of conjecture. The entry level Fiat 500 has a 24kWh that’s probably at the low end of acceptability in terms of range, while Volkswagen’s ID.Every1 (the e-Up replacement) has around 38kWh.
Rumours suggest that the new #2 will split the difference for a battery pack just over 30kWh that’s aiming for an impressive range figure of 200 miles.
How popular were the #2’s predecessors?
When production of the third generation car was stopped in 2024, it is estimated that almost 2.5 million Fortwos were sold in the 26 years that the car was on sale.
The 1998 original was a cultural force, however, becoming an instant iconic with its wacky looks and go anywhere urban practicality.
It was developed as a project between Swiss watchmaker Swatch and Volkswagen, but Mercedes took the project on after VW passed on it. The original creative team also left the project, with Mercedes taking it on to production.
These all fit in one normal sized parking spot... jokes, but Smart is keen to show the new #2 is part of the family 
