According to Carscoops, the ForTwo was once the flagship model of the Smart brand, but it gradually faded into obscurity as the brand focused on crossovers and sedans. However, recently, Smart has begun to return to its roots with the #2 electric vehicle.
Scheduled to debut at the Paris Motor Show this October, the two-seater city car was first unveiled as a concept earlier this year. The production version, spotted on the road, closely follows the design of the concept car, but features a refined grille with vertically positioned air intakes.
Smart #2 features more traditional rearview mirrors and body cladding, door handles, and a larger charging port cover compared to the concept model on display.
The rear of the car has been redesigned, now featuring a new tailgate and license plate holder. The production version also has a fairly simple rear spoiler and bumper.
A pre-production version of the Smart #2 is undergoing road testing.
Smart notes that the #2 is still undergoing “rigorous pre-production testing and validation” to ensure the model delivers urban agility and driving stability, thereby refining noise, vibration, and harshness, in addition to improving safety.
The automaker stated that the Smart #2 prototype had to undergo a series of real-world urban traffic tests. The engineering team also worked continuously to find ways to optimize the vehicle.
Smart also paid particular attention to tires, testing various tire compounds on rough asphalt, grooved concrete, and high-speed straight sections. The ultimate goal was to select a tire that offered the optimal balance between noise reduction and low rolling resistance for maximum operating range.
The concept version of the ultra-compact electric car was unveiled earlier this year.
The automaker previously revealed that the Smart #2 would use the Electric Compact Architecture platform, which was developed specifically for electric vehicles.
This ultra-compact electric vehicle aims to utilize a 35.7 kWh battery to provide a maximum range of approximately 300 km on a single full charge. When connected to a DC fast charging station, the vehicle can recharge 10-80% of its battery capacity in less than 20 minutes.
The Smart #2 is confirmed to have an overall length of 2,792 mm and a turning radius of just 6.95 meters. This electric vehicle will be approximately 97 mm longer than the second-generation Smart ForTwo, but its overall length will be shorter than the VinFast VF 2 currently on sale in Vietnam.