The mid-size electric crossover has two gigantic screens inside. It also comes with a Land Rover-style side ladder.
- Smart's biggest EV has two huge screens and an impressive charging rate.
- Dubbed the Smart #5, it's a mid-size crossover.
- It can charge at up to 400 kW and offers vehicle-to-load.
This is the new Smart #5. No, it’s not the fifth model in the Chinese automaker’s portfolio, which makes things rather confusing. But it is the largest, so there’s that.
Smart has come a long way from the good old days of the tiny ForTwo city hatchback. Now, the company is a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely , and it only makes EVs.
Enter the #5, a mid-size crossover that just debuted in Europe with an AMD processor, gigantic screens on the dash and an impressive charging rate, among other things. The base model is called the Smart #5 Pro and it’s powered by a rear-mounted electric motor that draws juice from a 76-kilowatt-hour (74.4-kWh usable) lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery.
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The firm did not specify, however, the basic LFP battery is probably rated for 400 volts. When plugged into a direct current rapid charging station, it can handle up to 150 kilowatts of power, enabling it to increase its state of charge from 10% to 80% in under half an hour. The budget model of this electric vehicle boasts a WLTP-certified total travel distance of 289 miles (465 kilometres) and accelerates from rest to 62 mph (0-100 km/h) in just 6.9 seconds due to its 335 horsepower (225 kW) electric engine.
The Smart #5 series becomes far more intriguing when you advance to higher trims. This is due to all models beginning with the Pro+ variant featuring a 100 kWh (94 kWh usable) 800V lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) battery. Coupled with the solitary rear motor delivering 358 horsepower (267 kW) along with this larger power pack, the Smart #5 boasts a WLTP-estimated driving distance of 366 miles (590 kilometers) per complete recharge cycle.
Opting for the dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup boosts the horsepower to 579 hp (432 kW), though the range decreases to 335 miles (540 km). Additionally, this configuration shaves off time significantly, requiring only 4.9 seconds to accelerate from zero to 62 mph.
What stands out the most regarding the bigger 100 kWh battery is its capacity to handle up to 400 kW from a DC fast charger. This figure nearly doubles what Hyundai’s E-GMP platform vehicles such as the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 can manage. In comparison, this exceeds the 250 kW charging limit of the Tesla Model Y based on theoretical data. Smart asserts that the #5 model equipped with the large battery can charge from 10% to 80% state-of-charge within less than 18 minutes, making it quicker than Hyundai ’s 20-minute claim for the Ioniq 5 despite having a smaller battery.
There’s also vehicle-to-load functionality which can export power from the main battery to a 230V outlet via an adapter.
The #5 seats five and the rear seats can fold flat. However, the biggest party piece is up front where the electric crossover gets no fewer than three screens—a 10.25-inch display for the gauge cluster and two 13-inch OLED, TV-like screens. There’s also a 25.6-inch Augmented Reality heads-up display. If using a smartphone while driving is dangerous, what is this?
For what it’s worth, Smart claims its AI-supported voice control can make the whole user experience worry-free, but we’ll have to check that out for ourselves. Speaking of the software and hardware, the #5’s infotainment is powered by an AMD V2000 chipset running the Smart OS 2.0. It offers optimized EV routing and a video center that integrates video streaming services.
smart #5 Premium (2025)
There’s a 20-speaker Sennheiser Signature Sound system on offer which puts out 1,190 Watts and has a fancy lifting speaker on the dashboard. A pretty long list of active and passive safety equipment is also available, including V-shaped curtain airbags, seat-integrated seatbelts, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, and Highway Assist.
The top trim is called Summit Edition and comes with an electric trailer hitch, a roof platform and a side ladder. Somehow, these accessories are considered “off-road enhancements” by Smart. We have doubts.
The Smart #5 is not coming to the United States. In Europe, however, it starts from roughly $49,620 (€45,900) for the Pro models and goes up to $61,500 (€56,900) for the Summit Edition with all the bells and whistles.