smart used its Global Brand Event in Beijing to show where the brand is heading next.
The brand is trying to stretch beyond its small-car image, with more EVs, more hybrids and a wider range of models.
The two headline acts were the global debut of the Concept #2 and the world premiere of the #6 EHD, with smart also saying its global portfolio is set to grow from three models to five this year.
The more interesting of the two, at least for long-time smart followers, is the Concept #2.
It is effectively a preview of a new two-seater electric city car, and in spirit it looks like smart trying to reconnect with the old fortwo idea after spending the past few years moving upmarket.
smart says the production #2 will sit on its new Electric Compact Architecture, measure just 2,792mm long, have a 6.95m turning circle, offer close to 300km of electric range, and support 10 to 80% DC charging in under 20 minutes.
The production car is due to make its world debut in Paris in October 2026.
If the #2 looks back to smart’s roots, the #6 EHD plug-in hybrid pulls in the opposite direction (the ‘EHD’ stands for Electric Hybrid Drive).
It is smart’s first premium fastback sedan and, for now, it is intended only for China. smart positions it as a larger, more premium offering, styled by the Mercedes-Benz Global Design Team but developed for a market that still has a strong appetite for roomy electrified saloons.
That alone says quite a bit about where the brand sees its growth opportunities.
smart is chasing two goals at once. It wants to keep the glossy, premium aura, while also growing into a brand with more models and more sales weight.
Whether those aims sit comfortably together is not clear yet. Even so, the #2 feels like the first car in a while that really taps back into what smart used to be about.
