Smart might no longer be operating in the U.S. but the minicar brand is very much alive and in the midst of a reboot that kicked off last year with the arrival of the #1 electric subcompact crossover.
The rebooted Smart is now planning its second model, the #3, which judging from teaser material will be a coupe-like version of the #1. It’s set to make its world debut on April 18 at the 2023 Shanghai auto show.
Like the #1, the #3 has been developed in China by the joint venture Smart Automobile owned by Mercedes-Benz and Zhejiang Geely.
No details have been released, but the mechanicals are likely shared with the #1. Those mechanicals are a shortened version Geely’s SEA modular electric-vehicle platform, which offers support for fast charging and over-the-air updates.
The #1 features a single electric motor at the rear axle as standard, rated at 268 hp, and a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup in a range-topping Brabus variant, rated at 422 hp. The sole battery is a 66-kwh unit that supports charging at rates of up to 150 kw and a maximum range of 270 miles on the WLTP test cycle used overseas. The stricter EPA cycle would result in a lower rating.
Expect similar numbers for the #3.
Sales of the #3 are scheduled to start in markets where Smart operates later this year. Pricing information will be announced closer to the market launch.
