Remember Smart? It may be back in Brazil, but with electric SUVs that are not small

Smart, which has become famous for its two-seater urban compacts, is rehearsing a return to the Brazilian market after almost ten years of absence. The strongest indication of this movement came with the registration of industrial designs of the new Smart #5 at the INPI (National Institute of Industrial Property), signaling that the manufacturer plans to occupy a strategic share in the growing electric segment in the country.

Unlike the common practice of automakers that only register the silhouette of the vehicle for intellectual property protection, Smart — now operated by a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and China’s Geely — detailed a series of specific components of the #5. Drawings of bumpers, wheels, hood and even the center console were filed, which in the automotive sector usually precedes the commercial launch and the structuring of after-sales.

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At 4.70 meters long, the Smart #5 definitely does not have the brand’s contained dimensions, and belongs to its new family of global electric cars with Chinese technology. Inside, the SUV bets on a robust digital ecosystem: a 25.6″ head-up displayis complemented by two 13-inch AMOLED screens, operated by AMD processors and the Unreal Engine graphics engine, a common technology in high-end games.

The technical part reinforces the ambition of the project: equipped with a 100 kWh battery and 800V electrical architecture, the model allows it to recover from 10% to 80% of the charge in just 15 minutes. The estimated range is 480 km. In terms of performance, the line offers from rear-wheel drive configurations with 335 hp to the Brabus sports variant, which delivers 646 hp and all-wheel drive, positioning the model at the top of the category’s performance pyramid.

The #5 is the third vehicle in Smart’s new global phase, which also includes the #3 and #1. Launched in Europe in 2024, the SUV is now awaiting official confirmation of dates for its debut on Brazilian soil.