New Smart #5 electric SUV to be revealed later this month
Smart's largest model has more power than the Kia EV6 GT in top-rung guise
Top-rung version will pack 637bhp; final design of brand's largest model already revealed by China's ministry of technology
Smart will reveal the #5 SUV, its largest and most powerful model yet, on 28 August ahead of planned sales in the UK next year.
When the wraps come off it at an event in Australia – a market Smart is keen to grow – it will be the first time the brand's third model has been officially seen by the public, following the publication of pictures of the car by China's ministry of technology in June.
The most eye-catching figure is the 637bhp output of the top-rung dual-motor model. That outpunches the most potent version of the smaller #1 and #3 crossovers by more than 200bhp - and is more, even, than the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Kia EV6 GT.
Unlike its performance-focused siblings, though, the hottest #5 doesn't appear to wear Brabus branding.
Full performance figures haven't been detailed yet, but Smart's new SUV is expected to hit 62mph from rest in well under 3.0sec in its top-flight guise.
There will also be a less potent dual-motor option, although still with a lofty 579bhp, as well as a pair of single-motor, rear-driven cars with a choice of 335bhp or 358bhp.
In its most efficient form, the #5 will be able to achieve a range of up to 342 miles, claims Smart.
The exact battery capacities for the #5 line-up are as yet undisclosed but Smart has confirmed that the model will be available with more than 100kWh in its longest-range form and that it will be equipped with an 800V electrical architecture for a 10-80% charge in 15 minutes.
Rear-wheel-drive cars use lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) packs, while the four-wheel-drive models use conventional lithium ion batteries.
Measuring 4705mm long by 1920mm wide and 1705mm tall, the #5 is a close match in size terms for the likes of the new Peugeot 5008, but it will come with five rather than seven seats.
Its design remains true to the straight-backed, blocky proportions of the concept, although it swaps that show car's off-road ethos for a more road-focused positioning, sitting lower and with a more overt urban billing.
No pictures of the interior have been released yet, but the concept's digital-heavy, minimalist arrangement is thought to give a strong indication of what the final cabin will look like.
To be built at Geely's manufacturing facility in Xi’an, China, the #5 has been tipped to land in the UK priced from around £35,000, but the imposition of new import tariffs on Chinese-made EVs in the EU raises questions about the car's viability for export.
Smart is 50:50 owned by Mercedes-Benz and Geely and builds its cars in Xi'an.
