BYD is preparing its electric Smart car

From city cars to luxury limousines, BYD aims to cover the entire market. It is thus preparing its counterpart to the new Smart #2.

As is often the case, when a Chinese manufacturer launches a completely new product, replicas from its domestic competitors soon follow. This is especially true when there is fierce competition like that between BYD and Geely, which helped bring Smart back.

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The BYD version of Smart appeared after a patent was filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration. The patent credits the design to BYD’s head of design since 2017, the German Wolfgang Egger.

The conceptual design suggests a sleek silhouette quite similar to the Racco model planned for Japan. While the Smart #2 abandoned the aesthetic uniqueness of its Tridion cell, BYD retains its most prominent feature: the strip surrounding the cabin and separating the front and rear glass surfaces.

Although no numerical data is available, the proportions indicate a compact city car with a length of around 3 meters. It is highly likely to be a two-seater, though a four-seater option cannot be ruled out at this stage. Recall Toyota’s ingenious iQ with its 4 seats in a 2.99 meter length.

If this new BYD model moves beyond the stage of being just a concept, its mass production could begin before the end of the decade. Of course, it will also arrive in Europe. However, will this city car offer a price/performance ratio similar to that of the Smart, or will it aim to have very low prices instead?

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