Smart expands its battery electric vehicles range with the #5 SUV
- The Smart brand – wholly owned by Mercedes until 2023 – had produced and marketed the small city car Fortwo (A-segment, 75,000 sales per year on average) from 1998 to 2024 under two successive generations (the first 2.50 m long and the second 2.70 m long) and the Forfour (A-segment, 30,000 sales per year on average) from 2004 to 2021 under two generations (the first 3.75 m long and the second 3.50 m long).
- Since 2023 Smart is evolving towards the production and sales of more expensive and therefore more profitable, larger and battery electric cars, produced in China in a Geely factory, a Chinese carmaker which at the same time became the owner of 50% of the share of the Smart brand, just like Mercedes, which also owns 50%.
- After the launch of the 4.27 m long electric Smart #1 (B-segment) and then the 4.40 m long electric Smart #3 (C-segment), here is the even more imposing Smart #5, measuring 4.69 m long (D-segment). All three models are based on the same platform, which they share with some Volvo models and other models from different brands within the Geely group , such as Lynk&Co for example.
- The Smart #5 is a mid-size, all-electric SUV that competes with the Ford Explorer EV, Skoda Enyaq EV, and Renault Scénic EV. The design is by Mercedes and is reminiscent of some of the German carmaker's SUVs. The Smart #5 has the advantage of having two architecture to choose from, one 400V already used on the #1 and #3, the other 800V which is completely new. The electric motor delivers 340 hp (254 kW) associated with a 74.4 kWh LFP battery (range: 465 km) or a 94 kWh NMC battery (range: 590 km). The weight of the car is between 2,200 kg to 2,370 kg depending on the version.