Smart will unveil the production version of its #2 this autumn, as it seeks to plug the huge gap in its brand identity left by the tiny car’s absence. The electric car company – a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and China’s Geely – has made minimal commercial impact in the European market, despite rolling out three electric SUVs in the past three years. It registered just 1,770 cars in the UK in 2025, an 11 percent drop on 2024’s volume.
Wolfgang Ufer, Smart’s newly appointed CEO, is charged with giving the brand momentum. “It’s time to raise our sales and marketing levels; here we can be better and create awareness. To introduce cars from a brand no-one knows in new segments, it’s not easy.” Ufer has worked for Smart for 13 years, managing various European territories and establishing the Chinese manufacturing operation, despite initially turning down the brand three times: “I was really happy selling Mercedes SLS and AMG Performance cars!” he joked.
View Price on AmazonSmart’s challenge is to gain a European foothold with a good quality but indistinct range that’s easily lost amid the influx of Chinese electric SUVs, which typically have lower prices. The #1 small SUV, twinned with Volvo’s EX30, starts around $37,000, while the flagship #5 costs a shade under $45,000 and measures 15.5 feet long, the size of a Tesla Model Y. Couple this with a lack of cars on the streets to boost visibility and it’s clear Smart needs to get back to its iconic roots.
“This question is always: ‘where is the two-seater, guys?’,” admits Ufer. “It was never forgotten and we had several attempts to get the right package, the right platform. But the truth is the two-seater was never a car where we made money. Would you start a company today with a two-seater? It’s really challenging so we started with a portfolio. Now we are bringing the answer to the big question.”
Don’t expect the ForTwo EQ replacement to undercut Renault’s $20,000 Twingo: Ufer is adamant that Smart is a “premium lifestyle brand”. And miniaturizing components to bring the little coupe in around 8.9 feet long is “probably the most complex car you can build,” argues the boss: “normally you don't find a platform on the shelf, so we did it on our own.”
Source: autoexpress.co.uk
