Smart debuting Model Y rival in Australia as it abandons tiny car roots (2024)

Electric vehicle (EV) maker Smart will reveal the newest model in its global lineup in Australia, ahead of its two existing SUVs going on sale locally.

Smart – known for its quirky city cars and now co-owned by Mercedes-Benz and Geely – will unveil the #5 electric SUV to the world in August 28 in Brisbane, coinciding with the local media launch of the Smart #1 and #3.

Global deliveries of the Smart #5 will begin in Europe throughout 2025, though it's not known when the EV is due to go on sale in Australia.

While Smart has teased the #5 in a series of design sketches, the electric SUV was uncovered and detailed earlier this year in a Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) filing.

Reported by automotive outlet CarNewsChina, the Smart #5 will measure 4705mm long, 1920mm wide, and 1705mm tall – 46mm shorter, 58mm narrower and 81mm taller than a Tesla Model Y.

Based on an 800V EV platform, the Smart #5 will reportedly be offered with a choice of two single-motor rear-wheel drive powertrains and two dual-motor all-wheel drive ones.

Rear-wheel drive examples will produce either 250kW or 267kW, paired with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries unlocking up to 700km of driving range on China's lenient CLTC lab test cycle.

All-wheel drive models are tipped to feature a 165kW front electric motor and a 267kW or 310kW rear motor, bringing total outputs up to 432kW or 475kW in flagship guise, leading to predictions of a sub-three second 0-100km/h time.

All-wheel drive examples will also use a nickel cobalt manganese battery pack, though driving range figures are yet to be announced.

Smart has requested approval for wheels ranging from 18 to 21 inches for the #5.

While it's not yet known when – or if – the Smart #5 will be sold in Australia, its smaller #1 and #3 siblings are due to go on sale next month through Mercedes-Benz retailer LSH Auto, with three variants of each electric SUV being offered to local buyers.

Prices range from $54,900 to $70,900, making both models cheaper than the Volvo EX30 which uses the same underpinnings.

Smart's return to Australia comes almost a decade after it departed the local market in 2015.

Fellow Geely-owned brands Volvo, Polestar and Lotus already sell EVs here, while EV-only Zeekr is also gearing up for a local launch.