smart #5 set to gain PHEV variant as EV sales slow

The hitherto electric vehicle-only company smart is caving to market pressure with plans to add a plug-in hybrid variant to its new #5 flagship. The move, reported by Autocar, follows a similar rethink of electrification plans from the likes of Volvo and Hyundai as demand for full EVs continues to be soft.

Chinese-based officials confirmed the news after photos of a prototype surfaced on Autohome, with its European spokesperson commenting to the publication: “We see individual mobility powered by combustion engines and, in particular, with hybrid drives as a transitional technology towards purely electric driving. It is important to respond to the increasingly diverse demands and desires of the customers. smart cannot exclude any technological solution for the future at the current point of time.”

smart is just the second Geely brand to backpedal on its EV-only pledge – Zeekr is also reportedly preparing hybrid models that will debut at the Auto Shanghai motor show this April. The company is presumably aiming to capitalise on recent strong sales of plug-in hybrids and range-extender EVs in China.

The #5 PHEV will likely utilise the latest NordThor EM-i powertrain found in the Geely Galaxy Starship 7, which pairs a 111 PS/136 Nm 1.5 litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine with an electric motor and a dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT) for a total system output of 218 PS and 262 Nm of torque.

The Geely version can be had with a 19.09 Aegis short blade lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that provides an all-electric range of 120 km, lifting the total range to 1,420 km. The Galaxy Starship 7 could be offered in Malaysia as the Proton eMas 7 PHEV (a trademark for the name has already been filed), meaning that for the first time, both of Pro-Net’s brands would offer the same powertrain.

To recap, the smart #5 is currently only available as a pure EV in China. There, smart’s largest model by far is available in rear-wheel-drive form with either 340 PS (250 kW) or 363 PS (267 kW), as well as in all-wheel drive trim with 645 PS (475 kW). Range on China’s generous CLTC cycle is 570 km with the base 76 kWh LFP battery or 740 km with the 100 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) pack (580 km with AWD).

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