Smart, a joint venture between German luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz and Chinese electric vehicle powerhouse Geely, has unveiled the Smart #2, its newest ultra-compact electric vehicle. The EV made its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show 30 years after the debut of the original Smart two-seater concept vehicle.
When Smart cars first hit the scene, they were unique and unlike most vehicles on the road. Today, the tiny EVs have plenty of competition, but Mercedes-Benz and Geely have made several key upgrades to the latest Smart car.
Here's what auto enthusiasts and fans of the brand need to know.
What is the Smart #2 electric vehicle?
The Smart #2 is a small electric vehicle designed for bustling European cities and other markets that benefit from tiny and affordable EVs that are easy
to maneuver. It is 108.1 inches long. For scale, the smallest car sold in the United States is the Fiat 500e, which is 143 inches long.
Smart's new EV is strictly sold as a two-door two-seater, not a family vehicle. It was designed with a tight turning circle (22.8 feet), allowing the car to turn curb-to-curb. It sits on Smart's Electric Compact Architecture, which was custom-built to suit micro EVs.
Smart #2 horsepower, driving range and charging speed
The tiny electric vehicle produces just 82 horsepower and 95 pound-feet of torque. It can travel about 186 miles on a full charge. The Smart #2 uses a 35.8-kWH Lithium-Iron-Phosphate battery pack.
It isn't very powerful, which is to be expected for its small size. The electric vehicle has decent driving range for areas with accessible public charging and drivers with home chargers. It can recharge from 10% to 80% in around 20 minutes using direct current (DC) fast chargers, which is impressive by today's standards.
Shorter charging sessions will give most owners enough range for daily driving tasks. The Smart #2 will be available in Pure, Pure+ and Premium trims. It comes standard with a 10.1-inch infotainment screen, an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster and adaptive cruise control.
The Premium final configuration adds heated leather seats, a glass roof and a Sennheiser seven-speaker sound system. Smart's new EV starts at €20,000, which works out to around $22,361.50.
Will the Smart #2 ultra-compact EV come to the US?
The Smart #2 is not coming to the U.S. because the company pulled out of the North American market in 2019. Declining sales and costs were major factors in Smart's decision to exit the American market.
Since the company left the American market, tariffs on foreign manufacturing have only intensified. Furthermore, the purpose-built vehicle's design isn't as appealing in a market dominated by significantly larger vehicles (often at the same price point).
So, you won't be able to buy the new Smart #2 electric vehicle, but you probably don't need one. There are plenty of competitive new electric vehicles that are small, affordable and boast solid performance specs for their respective prices.
The 2027 Kia EV3 ($29,890) is a good option for drivers searching for a small electric vehicle with decent driving range that doesn't break the bank. Nissan's Leaf EV ($29,990) is another great option that starts under $30,000. We may not get the new Smart car in the U.S., but there are plenty of alternatives that arguably provide more value for the money.
Charles Singh is an Autos Connect Reporter for The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Contact him at CSingh@Gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The new Smart #2 EV is smaller than almost every car Americans buy
