New Smart #6 Sedan: Hybrid Instead of an Electric Vehicle
The Smart brand, long associated with city cars and later with electric crossovers, is taking a new step by introducing its first fastback sedan. The model named #6 stands out from current trends, as it enters the market not as a fully electric car, but as a plug-in hybrid.
Key characteristics of the new sedan:
The car was introduced through the filing of documents with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. In the design of the #6, one can notice common features with other recent models for the Chinese market.
Design and Dimensions
The front of the car has clean lines: headlights are integrated into the bumper and connected by an LED strip across the width. There is also a sculpted hood and a small lower black grille. Images of two different trim levels show a panoramic glass roof.
The rear is executed in a fastback form, where a large hatch is used instead of a conventional trunk lid. The design also includes a retractable rear spoiler.
It may not be obvious from the first images, but the #6 is a rather large sedan, roughly comparable in size to the latest Mercedes-Benz E-Class W214.
For comparison, the E-Class is 4,949 mm long, 1,880 mm wide, 1,468 mm high, and has a wheelbase of 2,961 mm. The #6 is slightly shorter at 4,906 mm long, but wider at 1,922 mm and taller at 1,508 mm, with a wheelbase of 2,926 mm.
Technical Features and Powertrain
Smart has confirmed that the #6 EHD will use the same hybrid powertrain as the recently introduced #5 EHD crossover.
This means that under the hood, there will be a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 161 hp paired with a front electric motor producing 268 hp and 380 Nm of torque.
The battery specifications for the #6 have not yet been officially confirmed, but they will most likely be identical to the two options available for the #5: a 20 kWh battery and a larger 41.46 kWh one.
In the crossover, these batteries provide an electric-only range from 75 to 157 miles, with a total estimated range of 921 and 1,003 miles respectively. Thanks to a more aerodynamic profile, the #6 may demonstrate slightly better figures for both electric and total range.
So far, Smart has not released any images of the #6’s interior. If the design is close to the #5, one can expect a wide-format digital instrument cluster, a head-up display, and a pair of screens on the dashboard – one for the multimedia system and another for the passenger.
The appearance of the Smart #6 as a plug-in hybrid, rather than a fully electric car, could be a strategic move to attract a wider audience, especially in markets where electric vehicle infrastructure is still developing. Its dimensions, comparable to business sedans, combined with the practical fastback body, make it an interesting proposition in a segment that is currently being actively filled with new models. The success of this model could significantly expand the perception of the Smart brand, which is gradually moving away from its image as a manufacturer of exclusively urban microcars.