Smart reveals adventurous #5 off-road EV

ON-AGAIN automaker Smart revealed its all-new #5 mid-size SUV model to a global audience of journalists in Byron Bay, New South Wales, as part of a broader Australian launch event for its #1 and #3 models now being sold locally through distributor LSH Auto.

This was the first time that the production-ready #5 EV was shown in the metal, and it appears to present a more radical progression for the once-revolutionary brand than the more suburban #1 and #3 models.

According to Smart’s global chief of marketing Mandy Zhang it is likely to be the brand’s best-selling vehicle too, as it enters the hotly-contested mid-size SUV segment at an opportune time. 

“We definitely have volume expectation for #5, because it is a mid-size SUV and just by the size of the segment it should be already bigger than #1 and #3,” Ms Zhang told GoAuto.

“Purely from volume, I have really strong expectations for #5.”

A boxy body shape with minimal overhang looks somewhere in between the incoming Kia EV5 and older Jeep Renegade, albeit in a futuristic package that shares design cues with the #1 and #3 – particularly the lighting and body lines.

The manufacturer did not give too much away, keeping details like engine outputs close to its chest, but what we do know is the #5 will utilise an 800-volt architecture with a 100kWh battery at its core.

According to Smart the model will offer a driving range of up to 740km, but the figure was calculated using the generous CLTC testing protocol, and not the widely used WLTP standard. It can also be juiced from 10 to 80 per cent in 15 minutes, but the maximum rate of charge is yet to be confirmed.

The #5 measures up at 4705mm long with a 2900mm wheelbase, which is very similar in size to a Tesla Model Y at 4750mm long and with a wheelbase of 2890mm, but the Smart’s slightly longer wheelbase and large corner-to-corner body equates to a sizable interior.

A configurable layout across the cabin provides a range of seating options aimed at both utility and occupant comfort.

In fact, a video shown during the presentation demonstrated the ‘bed mode’, allowing the seats to be folded for a completely flat interior space that can fit a mattress. This feature is presumably aimed at adventurous campers, not those wishing to forego traditional housing.

Smart also claims the #5 has 34 storage compartments and up to 1530 litres of storage in the rear. Being an EV, it also has a sizable 72-litre ‘frunk’.

Smart has equipped the cabin with a level of sophistication well beyond what is found in its #1 and #3 models, opting for dual 13.0-inch AMOLED 2.5k screens for the infotainment system – the same technology used in the latest Apple iPad Pro models – that occupy the entire dash.

A 10.3-inch digital dash and enormous 25.6-inch heads-up display round out the impressive array of screens inside.

To run all those screens, Smart is using the fastest chip available, the AMD V2000, which apparently works at such a pace it requires water cooling. The infotainment system also features generative AI, which means the car can perform “any internet function” using voice prompts.

Smart partnered with German audio provider Sennheiser to develop the 20-speaker sound system aboard the #5, which blasts out 2000 watts of algorithm-powered audio and aims to offer a studio-quality experience.

Smart says the system promises “an immersive audio experience which leaves drivers and passengers tingling,” which is a claim we are yet to put to the test.

The #5 Summit Edition, equipped with the optional Adventurers’ Collection package, garnered the most attention at the reveal event and is a case study in what Smart has done in the past: think outside the box.

Those who opt for the Adventurers’ Collection will get off-road focused add-ons like a roof rack, underbody protection, light bar, side-mounted storage box and ladder. But it’s the standard features of the Summit Edition that caused a stir.

The adventurous model is a movie theatre on wheels, with a projector built into the front bumper for campsite screenings and a portable Sennheisser speaker system to provide exterior audio. Of course, the model is yet to satisfy the Australian Design Standards, but Smart executives told GoAuto they do not think the projector will pose compliance issues.

We had a chance to look underneath the Summit Edition, spying what appears to be an air suspension setup, but chassis details were not outlined and being a pre-production vehicle, it’s possible details may change.

While Smart suggests the #5 is off-road capable, showing images of it being driven up a steep off-road climb and across sand dunes, it is unlikely to fit the Australian market’s description of a 4x4. It does, however, feature Sand, Snow, Mud and Rock drive modes.

According to Ms Zhang, the #5 will first launch in China this year, with Europe set to receive the model closer to the middle of next year. The Australian launch timing is still being inked out, though, with the #5 likely to land Down Under in the second half of 2025.

“First in China, that’ll be quarter four this year, and then let’s quarter two (next year) in Europe, and to get the exact time for Australia we still need to have internal alignment, but I’d say definitely the second half of next year,” she said.

While pricing is yet to be revealed, Ms Zhang said Australian prices will require careful consideration following the vehicle’s launch in China, aiming to establish a ‘sweet spot’ proposition.

“To be honest, we don’t know yet,” she said candidly.

“Why? We are zooming into the Chinese market now and we want to have a serious discussion with LSH here. But we definitely want to hear feedback from the market and LSH, and eventually find a sweet spot.”

The only hint GoAuto was given, after further prompting, is that it will cost more than its smaller and less sophisticated ‘hashtag’ siblings.

“What I can say is, I think it’s more expensive than the #1,” said Smart’s global business director Yifeng Tan.