Tiny Smart car to spawn electric SUV for 2022

Smart has confirmed it will build a premium compact electric SUV.

The new Smart battery electric vehicle SUV is due in 2022 and will utilise the electric architecture developed by Volvo parent company Geely.

The news was confirmed on LinkedIn just before Christmas by Smart’s Chinese-based vice president of global sales, marketing and aftersales, Daniel Lescrow.

In response to questions about why Smart doesn’t build an SUV Lescrow confirmed “this is exactly what we’re doing now”.

“This won’t be just any SUV,” Lescrow continued. “This will be a true Smart SUV that embodies all we believe in – progressive design, innovation, high-tech and, of course, battery-electric driving.”

Smart already builds electric versions of its tiny ForTwo two-seater, a car no longer available in Australia due to low demand and high prices. They’re sold under the Mercedes-EQ electric sub-brand, which is set to have at least six new EQ models over coming years.

However, the new 2022 electric Smart SUV will be a very different vehicle that utilises an all-new architecture developed by Geely.

Formerly owned by Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler, early in 2020 the Smart Automobile Co was formed as a joint venture between Daimler and Geely.

It’s that JV that will provide the architecture for the new 2022 Smart electric SUV.

Known as SEA, Geely initially said the acronym denoted “sustainable experience architecture”, but Lescrow suggests it’s “scalable electric architecture”.

The SEA platform is claimed to accommodate single, dual or triple electric motors able to accelerate the car to 100km/h in as little as 3.0 seconds.

It has a flexible modular design claimed to meet “global five-star safety standards” and optimise interior space.

Lescrow believes the Smart electric SUV could be a game changer for the city car brand.

“We are convinced that our new SUV will quickly establish itself as a leader in the segment and spearhead a transformation in the meaning and the look of an urban, electric lifestyle.”

Lescrow said early prototypes have been tested and the company is determined to live up to the Smart brand values while meeting fast-evolving customer expectations around electric vehicles.

“We also have a clear and determined strategy for this new vehicle – a strategy that builds on Smart’s reputation for safety, quality, ride and handling. I think it’s fantastic that Mercedes-Benz and Geely are pooling their expertise like this. It really is a case of 1+1 being way more than 2! Mercedes-Benz will continue to provide the iconic design and support in the development of the next generation of smart vehicles, which is led by Geely’s excellent global engineering network.”

Not that Smart is likely to change radically from its current micro car positioning.

The 2022 Smart electric SUV is aimed almost entirely at Europe and China.

“It’s important to stress that our focus remains very much on urban mobility. The potential is vast, not only in Europe but also in China.”

As for Australia, don’t get too excited about a return of the Smart brand.

A Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman told EVcentral “it’s not an area of the market we’re targeting at the moment”.

“At this stage there’s no appetite for us to bring Smart to Australia.”

So add it to the growing list of EVs unlikely to be seen in Australia, something we can partly blame our government for due to a lack of future emissions standards or policies to encourage the uptake of EVs.