Smart #2 electric city car to launch in China on November 5 with two-seat ForTwo layout

• The Couture Edition went on sale last week at an official retail price of 112,999 yuan ($16,820), with availability limited to 999 units in China.
• The all-electric ForTwo successor features a 2-seat layout and a 35.8-kWh battery that can charge from 10% to 80% in 20 minutes.

Smart, the joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely Auto (HKEX: 0175), will launch the Smart #2 in China on November 5, advancing the roll-out of its all-electric 2-seat city car.

Chinese automotive media outlet Yiche reported the launch date on Friday, citing official information. Smart China had previously announced that the #2 Premium variant would launch in early November, without specifying a date.

The Smart #2 succeeds the classic ForTwo 2-seat city car. 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.

The newly announced launch date sets a timeline for the next stage of the #2's roll-out in China. Early reservations opened on September 14 with a refundable deposit of 298 yuan.

The car features a 35.8-kWh lithium iron phosphate battery with cells supplied by CATL (HKEX: 3750), delivering a maximum CLTC range of 410 kilometers.

Its electric motor produces up to 60 kW (80 hp). The battery can charge from 10% to 80% in 20 minutes, while vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality allows the car to power external devices.

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.

The car retains the ForTwo's 2-seat proportions and "wheels-at-the-corners" layout. It measures 2,751 mm or 2,764 mm in length, with a wheelbase of 1,875 mm.

The interior features a Bench Seat and an S-Shape wraparound cockpit with wave-inspired contours. It also retains a split tailgate, whose lower section folds down to serve as a loading platform or a seat when parked.

The Smart #2 is manufactured in China by Geely's Zhejiang Haoqing Automobile Manufacturing and is intended for sale in China, Europe and other overseas markets.

The original Smart ForTwo debuted in 1998 and recorded cumulative sales of more than 2 million units. The #2 brings the brand, now jointly operated by Mercedes-Benz and Geely, back to its signature 2-seat city car segment.