No pension, the compact city car par excellence is ready to return to the scene. Smart announced the development of the new smart #2, the electric heir to the fortwo that in 1998 changed the way of experiencing cars in the city forever. After the farewell in 2024, which had left a void not only among motorists but also in the brand's strategies, the most beloved two-seater will return to the market. The world premiere is scheduled for the end of 2026 and Europe will be the main stage.
Behind the code name “project: two” the decision that many were waiting for was hidden. Once the evaluation phase was over, the smart #2 enters final development. It will be 100% electric, ultra-compact, intelligent and sustainable, with the ambition of bringing the essence of the fortwo back to the range in an updated and contemporary version.
“The launch of the smart #2 represents a decisive moment for the brand on a global level,” said Dirk Adelmann, CEO of smart Europe, recalling that the new model will shape a new era of urban mobility, especially in the brand's symbolic cities such as Rome and Paris.
Smart #2: Mercedes design, Chinese production
At the moment no official images, if not an evocative teaser: the silhouette of #2 projected on a Roman wall, almost as if to remind us that the capital was the "smart city" par excellencethat style is entrusted to the Mercedes-Benz team, While the production will take place in China, under the Geely umbrella, not without uncertainties regarding European duties which hang like the sword of Damocles over imported electric cars.
The return of the Smart Fortwo: why go back?
The choice to resurrect the two-seater it's not just nostalgia. In recent years, smart's strategy has aimed high, literally, with the Electric SUVs #1, #3 e #5But the numbers weren't convincing. Sales fell short of targets, especially in key markets like Europe, where Asian competition and the wave of new compact electric cars made things difficult.
The #1 and #3, designed to expand the customer base with larger, more premium models, never had the same appeal as the Fortwo. The #5, enormous and almost paradoxical compared to the brand's original philosophy, demonstrated the limits of this strategy, with more margins for large cars but less identity. And so Smart has decided to go back to its origins, where his legend was born: in the urban A segment.
Smart Fortwo: A 27-Year Legacy
La The history of the Smart fortwo is almost three decades long and spans three very different generations. The first, launched in 1998, was just two and a half metres long and immediately established itself as an out-of-the-ordinary object, with the Tridion chassis and a design never seen before. Then the second generation arrived, from 2007 to 2014, more spacious and with more powerful engines, which transformed the fortwo into a true urban icon, much loved especially in large European cities.
Finally, from 2014 to 2024 the third generation arrived, the result of the joint venture with Renault, which marked the debut of the electric with the EQ fortwo and accompanied the model until its final retirement. But what seemed like an end was, in reality, just a goodbye.
New Smart #2, price and range: initial leaks
I technical data remains confidential, but rumours speak of aautonomy well above 135 km guaranteed by the latest electric fortwo, enough to move easily even beyond the city limits. As per tradition, there will also be a sportier version by Brabus.
On the price front, the strategy seems to be that of stay below the psychological threshold of 20 thousand euros, in line with the new electric city cars expected from 2027. A necessary move to avoid repeating recent mistakes and challenge especially the Chinese low-cost airlines.
From revolution to relaunch
When debuted in 1998, the smart fortwo was not just a car: it was a revolution. Only two places, microscopic dimensions and the freedom to slip in where no one else could.. Today, almost thirty years later, that philosophy is reborn with the smart #2. But the return is not just nostalgia, it's a relaunch of identity. Because without a compact and agile city car, the brand was at risk of losing its raison d'êtreAnd if the petrol models will always remain the most loved by nostalgics, the new electric version promises to conquer Rome, Milan and Paris again with a truly “smart” car, in name and in fact.
