Smart #2: ForTwo Successor Hits China on November 5

The electric two-seater returns to urban roots with Mercedes-Benz styling and fast charging, as the brand faces declining sales  

The all-new Smart #2 made its world debut at Paris Motor Show

Smart, the joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely Auto will launch the Smart #2 in China on November 5. The Smart #2 succeeds the classic ForTwo 2-seat city car. 

The original Smart ForTwo debuted in 1998 and recorded cumulative sales of more than 2 million units. 

The production model made its global debut at the Paris Motor Show on October 12. 

On the same day, Smart launched the Couture Edition in China at an official retail price of 112,999 yuan ($16,820), with sales limited to 999 units. Early reservations opened on September 14 with a refundable deposit of 298 yuan. 

Designed by Mercedes-Benz's global design team, the Smart #2 is built on the Electric Compact Architecture (ECA), a platform developed specifically for ultra-compact EVs. 

Evolution of an icon: from fortwo to the all-new Smart #2

The car retains the ForTwo's 2-seat proportions and "wheels-at-the-corners" layout. Its dimensions are 2,751 (or 2,764) mm in length, 1,669 mm in width, and 1,555 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 1,875 mm.

The vehicle is powered by an 11-in-1 electric drive system, delivering a maximum power output of 60 kW (80 hp). It is equipped with a 35.8 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack from CATL, providing a maximum CLTC-rated range of 410 km (~332 km WLTP). 

The Smart #2 Couture Edition costs 112.990 yuan ($16,820) in China

The system supports fast charging, capable of boosting the battery from 10% to 80% in 20 minutes. Additionally, the car features V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) functionality, allowing it to power external devices. 

The Smart #2 features a tight turning radius of 3.35 meters. It also utilises a staggered tyre setup – narrower in the front and wider in the rear – to improve handling stability and grip. 

The interior utilises a “Bench Seat” configuration and an “S-Shape” wraparound cockpit to optimise space. Practicality is enhanced by a two-piece tailgate: the upper glass section opens independently for tight spaces, while the lower section folds down to create a loading platform or a seat capable of supporting up to 120 kg. 

The cabin boasts a 78% space utilisation rate, with a 25 mm lower floor compared to the previous-generation Fortwo and 1,000 mm of headroom. 

Unlike Smart’s increasingly larger vehicles in recent years, the #2 returns to the brand’s original microcar positioning, primarily targeting urban commuting and similar use cases. 

After the brand relaunched its electrification strategy in 2022, smart moved away from the classic two-seat Fortwo microcar and introduced two SUVs, the #1 and #3, followed by the midsize #5 SUV. 

In 2026, the brand expanded its lineup further with the #6 fastback sedan, which measures nearly 5 meters in length. However, the continued move toward larger vehicles has not translated into corresponding sales growth in China. 

Smart recorded 42,292 retail sales in China in 2023. Sales fell 21.3% to 33,280 units in 2024 and declined further to 30,799 in 2025. The downturn has continued in 2026. From January to September, Smart’s retail sales in China totaled 16,928 units, down 19.6% from 21,044 in the same period last year. 

Meanwhile, China’s micro-EV segment is also under pressure. According to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), wholesale sales of A00-class EVs fell 51% year on year to 78,000 units in September 2026. 

The segment accounted for just 7% of the battery-electric vehicle market, down 10 percentage points from a year earlier. At around 100,000 yuan ($15,000), the new smart #2 will also face competition from models such as the BYD Seagull and NIO’s Firefly.