Camouflaged Smart #2 spotted on Chinese streets ahead of Paris Motor Show debut

Test cars of the Smart #2, still wearing camouflage, have been photographed on public roads in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. The compact two-seater, styled by the Mercedes-Benz design team, was first previewed in June through concept images and early specs, and is set to premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October.

The car rides on Smart's ECA platform, an architecture created for "small-format electric vehicles" that gives it a turning circle of just 6.95 meters. Chinese MIIT filings describe it as a purpose-built two-seat electric sedan offered in two lengths, 2,751 mm and 2,764 mm, sharing a 1,669 mm width, 1,555 mm height, and 1,875 mm wheelbase, with a listed curb weight of 1,130 kg and a 140 km/h top speed.

Propulsion comes from a 60 kW (80 hp) motor drawing on a 35.7 kWh LFP pack sourced from CATL, rated at around 300 km of WLTP range, with 10-80% DC fast charging in 20 minutes. The timing matters for the brand: per China EV DataTracker, Smart moved 1,841 cars in China this July, a 32.2% year-over-year drop.