New Smart #5 electric SUV revealed as outdoorsy Tesla Model Y rival
The electric mid-size SUV is due to arrive early next year, and can recharge from 10 to 80 per cent in just 15 minutes
The Smart car brand may have built its name on dinky city runabouts, it’s now trying its luck in the hugely competitive mid-size SUV segment with this new all-electric Smart #5. It’s the largest, most practical and, supposedly, the most versatile model the brand has made to date.
The Smart #5 measures 4,705mm long, which is about 50mm longer than key rivals like the Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y, while a 2,900mm wheelbase should help provide plenty of interior space.
Styled by Mercedes-Benz, the Smart #5 has a much more boxy and rugged look than the smaller Smart #1 SUV, as well as unique lighting design. But there are some shared characteristics like the very short overhangs at the front and rear, frameless doors and the glass ‘panoramic halo roof’. One unique feature on the #5 are the floating wheel caps that allow the Smart logo to stay upright when the wheels are moving – just like they do on a Rolls-Royce.
The Land Rover Defender may have also served as inspiration, because Smart #5 Summit Edition also comes equipped with an ‘Adventurers' Collection’ package of off-road-oriented features like a roof-mounted light bar, roof rack, side steps, a storage box and a ladder to help get to anything on the roof.
Inside, the Smart #5 is awash with screens including a 10.3-inch ultra HD driver’s display and two 13-inch AMOLED 2.5 displays on the dashboard. There’s also a 25.6-inch augmented-reality head-up display. A Sennheiser sound system with a peak output of over 2,000 watts is fitted onboard and there’s a generative AI voice assistant that Smart claims can answer almost any question.
The cabin also features a total of 34 storage compartments and all the seats can be folded down to create space for a makeshift bed. With the rear seats folded down, luggage capacity grows to 1,530 litres, and there’s a 72-litre ‘frunk’ for extra storage under the bonnet, too.
Technical details for the Smart #5 are quite scarce at the moment. We know it’s powered by a 100kWh battery that offers a range of over 460 miles on China’s CLTC test cycle, however a European WLTP figure has yet to be confirmed. Smart also claims that a 10 to 80 per cent charge only takes 15 minutes thanks to the #5’s 800-volt architecture and super-fast charging function.
Performance figures for the Smart #5 haven’t been announced yet either, but information on the car that leaked online earlier this year indicates buyers will have a choice of single and dual-motor powertrains.
The range includes two single-motor variants that produce 335bhp and 386bhp, a dual-motor version with all-wheel drive and a combined power figure of 579bhp, and a high-performance flagship that delivers up to 637bhp.
Pricing for the new Smart #5 also remains under wraps for now, but considering the technology onboard and the size of the battery, it will probably start from well over £40,000.
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