Smart will join the list of brands that have announced a slowdown in electrification and a return to combustion engines.
The Geely Group brand, which has had a range of three 100% electric models since 2020, is working on two plug-in hybrid variants of the new #5 for the Chinese market, with a launch expected in the fourth quarter.
According to the website “MB Passion”, the hybrid system will feature a 1.5-liter gasoline engine combined with an electric motor and a battery, which promises to offer an electric range of up to 250 km, in the Chinese CLTC cycle, which is generally quite generous.
For now, the same publication reports that the new plug-in hybrid #5 is not expected to reach Europe, where Smart maintains its strategy of exclusively offering fully electric models.
However, Smart’s strategy for Europe may change, considering that the brand has been facing customs tariffs imposed by the European Union on 100% electric models manufactured in China, which do not apply to plug-in hybrid models.
