Good news, lovers of easy-to-park cars that somehow have pretty voluminous space: the Smart Concept #2 is a concept no more. It has just been officially unveiled, and boy, am I sold! That’s right, my friends, the beloved Fortwo has been reincarnated as a cute-looking little car powered by electricity. There’s a lot to shout about this car.
Revealed at the 2026 Paris Motor Show, the new Smart #2 brings the brand back to the ultra-compact two-seater format that made it famous. Thirty years after the original two-seater concept appeared in Paris, we have another little Smart making a persuasive argument against buying more car than you need.
Small Enough to Be Smug About Parking
The #2 measures just 2,746 mm (9 feet) long. Its wheels sit at the corners, leaving as much of that tiny footprint as possible for the people inside. There are only two of you, of course, but neither should have to feel like luggage.
It has a curb-to-curb turning circle of just 6.95 meters (22.8 feet). I can already picture the satisfaction of turning into a space that the much larger car ahead of you had to abandon. Small victories, literally.
The familiar split tailgate returns, too, along with two-tone body finishes. Those details helped give the Fortwo its identity, and I am glad they have survived. A tiny car should have a personality to match, not look like someone simply cropped the rear seats out of a hatchback.
Rear-Wheel Drive, Without the Supercar Budget
Underneath is Smart’s newly developed Electric Compact Architecture, or ECA, built specifically for this two-seater. A rear-mounted electric motor sends 60 kW (approximately 80 hp) and 130 Nm (96 lb-ft) to the rear wheels.
No, those are not outrageous numbers. But this is a small city car, and I would rather hear about how nicely it turns than how quickly it can get me into trouble.
Smart has given it a five-link rear suspension, which it describes as a first in its class, plus wider rear tyres. Yep. It has a narrow-front, wide-rear tire setup. The floor-mounted battery keeps the center of gravity low, with the chassis tuned for comfort as well as responsive handling. Its remit includes highways, so it has to do more than dart between cafés and parking meters.
Speaking of the battery, it is outfitted with a 35.8 kWh LFP unit, with a target combined WLTP range of up to 180 miles (290 km). It is definitely not going to set the range record, but hey, it’s a city car, so where are you heading that’s farther than your local supermarket? As for charging, DC charging tops out at 65 kW, taking the battery from 10% to 80% in a claimed 20 minutes. It also supports AC charging of up to 11 kW, with that specification explicitly included on the Premium trim. So, take note.
Vehicle-to-load capability also lets the #2 power compatible electrical devices. Your little car can bring the electricity to wherever you have parked it, which is a nice touch, though I’d be frugal with it. You know, 290 clicks aren’t exactly a lot.
Two Seats and a Place for Your Gadgets
Inside, a continuous bench-style seating arrangement faces an S-shaped cockpit. An 8.8-inch driver display and a 10.1-inch central screen—which is intentionally angled towards the driver—handle information and controls, with 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and an eight-year Connectivity Package.
There is also something called the Smart Pillar on the dashboard, where small gadgets can be mounted within easy reach. I am curious to see what owners end up putting there. Give people a dedicated mounting spot, and they will find something that needs mounting.
The car might be small, but safety remains a top priority. Speaking of which, it boasts a Tridion Cell Evo safety structure that surrounds the cabin, continuing one of Smart’s signature engineering features. And then there’s the suite of standard assistance, which includes Smart Pilot Assist, adaptive cruise control with Stop & Go, and Highway Assist, alongside blind-spot detection, rear collision mitigation, and rear cross-traffic alert.
Pure, Premium, or a Little Gold
The announced trim lineup includes Pure and Premium, along with the limited Couture Edition. Equipment may vary by market, but the UK specifications give us a look at what’s on offer.
Pure includes V2L, the driver-assistance package, and LED lighting with automatic high beam.
Premium adds equipment including 11 kW AC charging, a glass roof, heated faux-leather seats, and a seven-speaker Sennheiser sound system. It also offers more color combinations, including two-tone finishes with matching interior choices.
Then there is the Couture Edition, limited to 999 units in Europe. Atelier White Matte paint meets a Platinum Gold roof and 16-inch Lyra wheels with gold details. It gets the full Premium specification, plus features including ambient lighting, a heated steering wheel, wireless charging, navigation, and a numbered interior badge.
A little extravagant for something so little? Sure. But I think Smart is making the car a fashion piece, too, so it is kinda fair for it to do so.
In Smart’s home market of Germany, the #2 starts at €19,990 [DE]. Meanwhile, UK pricing will start at less than £20,000, with the complete UK price list coming later this year. UK pre-orders are scheduled to begin in spring 2027.
For now, I am just pleased to see a new Smart that looks like it understands why people liked the old one. Two seats, a tiny footprint, and enough character to make the choice feel deliberate. Not everyone needs a big car. Some of us just want a good little one.
Images: Smart [DE].