Smart pulls plug on EV-only future with incoming #5 SUV to get PHEV powertrain to take on Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, BYD Sealion 6 and Mitsubishi Outlander
Smart has responded to the global slowdown of EV sales by announcing that it will roll out a petrol-electric plug-in hybrid version of its inbound flagship Smart #5 SUV that has been confirmed for Australia.
One of the first brands to commit to electric-only cars back in 2020, the news it will once again sell vehicles with combustion engine was unearthed by the UK’s Autocar, with a hybrid variant of its flagship SUV set to join the range later this year.
When it arrives, the Smart #5 will be powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain that’s already used by other Geely owned car-makers.
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Comprising of an 82kWh turbo-petrol 1.5-litre engine, a 160kW electric motor and a 19.1kWh battery pack, on a full charge the Smart #5 will have an all-electric range of more than 75km, with the mid-size SUV able to cover more than 1420km on a full tank of fuel and full charge. While fuel-use figures for the Smart are yet to be confirmed, the identical powertrain in the Galaxy 7 EM-I uses a claimed 3.8L/100km.
Those figures could appeal for those not ready for the transition to full EV, although leaked details of the battery-powered Smart #5 suggest it should compete well with other EVs in the class.
From launch, leaked details suggest the entry version will come with 400-volt electronics, a single 250kW e-motor and a 76kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery (LFP).
A second dual-motor variant with 310kW will also be available that gets a much larger 100kWh battery and more advanced 800V architecture for faster DC charging.
While the single-motor will cover around 570km, the dual-motor variant should drive as far as 740km on a charge, although both figures have been recorded on the more lenient Chinese test cycles.
It’s yet not known if the Smart #5 PHEV will be offered outside of China, but the 2025 Smart #5 EV has already been confirmed for Australia with the flagship Smart set to join the #1 and #3 compact SUVs in the second half of 2025 with priced tipped to range from $70,000 to $100,000.
