smart began testing a new EV platform for the future model #2

By: Volodymyr Kolominov | yesterday, 22:29
New Era of Electric Cars: Testing the ECA Platform with a smart fortwo Body Prototype for testing the ECA platform with a smart fortwo body. Source: smart

smart has started road testing of its new Electric Compact Architecture (ECA) platform, on which the future urban electric vehicle smart #2 will be built. The prototypes are assembled using the bodies of the current smart fortwo.

What is known

According to the company, the future smart #2 will retain the key features of the fortwo: compact dimensions, two-door body, two-seat interior, rear-wheel drive, and maximally distanced corner wheels. At the same time, the car will receive a completely new interior and exterior, developed by the Mercedes-Benz design team.

Tests are being conducted at various proving grounds worldwide, including a test center in China. There, engineers are honing handling, ride comfort, structural strength, and braking system efficiency, as well as checking passive safety, suspension resource, battery operation, software, and climate control in different conditions.

The world premiere of the smart #2 is scheduled for late 2026. The manufacturer aims to strengthen its position in the urban microcar segment, which was created nearly 30 years ago with the release of the original fortwo.

Source: Smart