This suggests a changing of priorities to ensure that cars make it to market quickly, which is essential in an age of Chinese competition. However, despite this emphasis on quick development, the new #2 will be targeted primarily towards the European market.
How much will the Smart #2 cost?
While Smarts have always been funky, they’ve never been particularly cheap. We expect this new generation of the city car to cost in the region of £20,000 to £25,000. Some European companies are in the process of bringing low-cost EVs to market at under that figure, to which Adelmann responded: “there’s no reason we can’t being [the #2] in at that price.”
We discussed the possibility of a ForTwo successor with now-former Smart UK CEO Jason Allbutt in an exclusive interview, and he said the return of the cult-favourite city car could “help almost bring the brand together in a way, and I think it definitely could be a positive if it were to happen”.
Allbutt acknowledged that cost will be key for an entry-level model like this, but added that while “starting price is certainly important, I wouldn’t say it’s the be all and end all”. He added: “We still want to make sure we’ve got a premium product, and of course, one that has got a good range for a small electric car.”
The UK boss pointed out that the original ForTwo wasn’t created to be a bargain-priced model, and it would be a similar story with the #2. “We’re not necessarily looking to have the cheapest car available in the market, but we are looking to make sure that we’re affordable enough to generate enough volume, then not move too far away from our heritage or what we stand for,” Allbutt explained. “I don’t necessarily see a difference completely between affordability and premium – I think you can be both.”
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