smart’s new ECA platform is being validated through rigorous testing
smart #2 will present a new vision while preserving the essential DNA of the fortwo
Progress on-track for world premiere in 2026
December 15, 2025, Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany. The reinvention of smart’s iconic city car is accelerating as the all-electric #2 advances through real-world testing of its Electric Compact Architecture (ECA). To validate this all-new proprietary architecture and technological platform, smart engineers are conducting tests using car bodies of the existing smart fortwo – thereby confirming the #2 will stay true to the original’s ultra-compact dimensions.
As well as its distinctive ultra-compact size, the #2 will retain the fortwo’s two-door, two-seat configuration, rear-wheel drive dynamics and signature wheels-at-the-corners stance. This DNA, however, is just the starting point for the complete reinvention of smart’s city two-seater. With a fully redesigned interior and exterior from the Mercedes-Benz design team, the smart #2 will launch with a fresh identity. The new ECA platform will provide the basis for a next-generation electric drivetrain, advanced safety, and an urban driving experience that is unlike anything else.
The latest tests on the ECA architecture have been enabled by a creative engineering solution: integrating the new platform into existing smart fortwo bodies, creating a fleet of highly representative test vehicles. Leveraging these prototypes, smart’s R&D team is carrying out validation work at specialized facilities globally. At a proving ground in China, engineers are focusing on core driving dynamics: refining ride and handling for city agility, verifying structural strength, and optimizing brake system performance. Simultaneously, other testing locations are validating crash safety performance, suspension durability, battery performance, software systems and climate control systems across various conditions – all integral steps in preparing the vehicle for its next stage of testing and, ultimately, series production.
The all-electric smart #2 remains on schedule for its world premiere in late 2026, where it will set new benchmarks for the city-car segment that smart defined almost thirty years ago.
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